Global Digital Marketing Manager Lipton

Unilever has recently partnered with Wageningen University to found the Global Foods Innovation Centre in the Netherlands. As a result, the Global Food and Refreshments division of the company is in the process of moving to Rotterdam and they are seeking to hire a Global Digital Marketing Manager for Lipton, who will take a key role as the brand continues to strengthen its global position.

About Lipton & Unilever

Lipton is the world’s best known and best-selling brand of tea. Their iconic Yellow Label brand is globally recognized and they offer a wide range of teas. In addition, the company have a successful line of bottled beverages, in partnership with PepsiCo. Marketed in over 110 countries, Lipton has a global market share almost three times greater than its nearest rival.

It is one of the fastest growing categories within the beverage sector of Unilever and it couples strong business performance with a fervent commitment to sustainability. In 2007, Unilever was the first major company to pledge to source its tea more sustainably, and indeed since 2015, 100% of Lipton’s tea has come from Rainforest Alliance certified tea gardens. Paul Polman, Unilever’s CEO, has famously said that sustainable business practices don’t just make good ethical sense, but excellent business sense as well. And Lipton is testament to that assertion.

The opportunity: Global Digital Marketing Manager Lipton

Lipton is currently undergoing a brand transformation and the Global Digital Marketing Manager will be a key player in leading the holistic strategy of the brand. This provides a great opportunity to shape the digital ecosystem that Lipton resides in, and doing so by developing a long-term, scalable strategy.

“Tea may be an energizing beverage, but it’s also one that encourages you to take time to enjoy it. Where coffee is closely compatible with the on-the-go culture we’re so used to, tea is more of a moment to connect. This also translates into the digital strategy, so the narrative we have been cultivating is one of mindfulness and authenticity: things we not only feel passionately about on a business level, but on a personal one too.” – Aparna Sundaresh, Global Brand Director, Lipton

The role in more detail

The Digital Marketing Manager will report to Lipton’s Global Brand Director, Aparna Sundaresh, who will take primary ownership of the overarching strategy. The Digital Marketing Manager will lead in the operational aspects of the digital strategy, as they develop across all digital spaces and markets and have a key part in rolling out the new website.

Of the 110+ markets in which Lipton already is present, the Digital Marketing Manager will focus on 20 which have been identified as a priority, including the US, Russia, France and Turkey. They will oversee content in its various guises across all channels. Therefore, they must be fully conversant in all aspects of digital marketing and have a nuanced understanding of customer journeys.

Digital is now absolutely central to Lipton’s strategy and a data-driven approach is the norm. The Digital Marketing Manager must be fluent in this way of working so as to best target their intended – and prospective – customer base. This is particularly evident in the e-commerce aspect of the business, where managing communities, data and programmatic marketing are of utmost importance. A key priority will be to ensure scalability. Expertise and confidence are key.

The role necessitates delivering complex global projects to various regions, and the candidate will need to have superb multi-tasking and project management skills to ensure projects are delivered in the most efficient and effective way. There is a lot to consider: the diversity of the markets Lipton reaches, combined with the multitude of tea segments (including origins, types, ways of drinking), offer a lot of potential to the Global Marketing Manager and they must be able to identify the most efficient options in order to generate the best return on investment.

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Building on recent success

Nature is our Factory is a campaign that’s going live in European markets right now. Presented as a series of stories, it is a narrative of how Lipton tea is made and introduces some of the producers and suppliers who are integral to the supply chain. It’s a savvy move, and shows that business doesn’t have to be small in scale to have an entrepreneurial, conscientious spirit.

Disconnect to Reconnect was a bold – and innovative – campaign rolled out in the Middle Eastern region, a strong market for Lipton. The company bought five minutes of ad space…. and yet ran no advertisement.

What they did do was make the suggestion that people use that time to reconnect to the important people in their lives and disconnect from the technological distractions that can impede those important relationships. Lipton’s purpose is connected wellbeing, and what bolder way to demonstrate you’re fully committed to this idea by imploring your customers to disconnect?[/box]

It may not be not surprising, then, that at the heart of Lipton is the notion of authenticity. This isn’t a role – or brand – whose priority is making the most cutting-edge content, but rather what it values is content which aligns with their central remit: to be aware of the things that matter. The same can be said for the role: this is a position for someone who wants to roll their sleeves up and invest themselves in this transformative period in Lipton’s history by taking a truly brand-centric approach.

What you do matters here – and isn’t that how it should be?

“Be awake to what really matters.”

Joining Lipton as they’re undergoing this brand transformation presents the right candidate with a great opportunity to drive success and change for a globally-recognized brand – and to do so while adhering to those cherished values of sustainability on which the company is now building its growth.

Candidate profile

• High-level experience in digital strategy and marketing
• First-class project management skills
• In-depth understanding of marketing propositions
• Expert in online consumer journeys

Unilever works with Top of Minds Digital Executives to fill this vacancy. Contact Suzanne Goedhart-Limmen, Consultant at Top of Minds, at suzanne@topofminds.com for more information.