Shopper marketing agency TorchMedia has promoted Kirsty Dollisson to general manager sales, marketing and commercial.
Dollisson was previously GM of marketing and commercial but will now also head up the sales function within the business.
She was one of the founding senior staff members when the retail media brand launched seven years ago, beginning in the role of head of marketing in 2006.
During her time at Torch she has introduced major grocery, liquor and pharmacy shopper behavioural studies to support the medium including projects such as Project Siberia, Project Rx and recently Hogwash.
She also oversaw the deployment of the media industry’s first super-hero mascot, TorchMan, and more recently TorchGirl, who, according to Torch, “have helped the business stand out from the crowd”.
The shopper marketing medium has evolved from generic trade marketing and sales promotion activities to a more strategic marketing discipline over the last three years.
Dollisson said the year ahead would be challenging for shopper marketing as a whole considering the weak retail climate.
“Global research is pointing toward a slump in advertising spend this year. This will not only have an effect from a media spend standpoint, but retailers are also feeling the pinch from the less than enthusiastic consumer confidence. We are hoping our campaigns can help turn both these around by exciting and engaging Australian shoppers.”
Last year Torch Media added a new division in transit via external advertising on trains, and through new assets in the petro-convenience channel.
