Essity appoints new global brand director

Essity, owner of brands including Bodyform, Saba, TENA and Libresse, has announced Sarah Douglas, former CEO of advertising agency AMV BBDO, as global brand director. The move comes as the company expands its purpose-driven marketing and focuses on leak-proof underwear.

Douglas has worked at AMV BBDO for over 20 years, where she held the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for two and a half years. In addition, she held several positions at the advertising agency Omnicom, where she led the Essity account.

The creative stewardship of AMV BBDO was responsible for Essity becoming a benchmark for breaking taboos in relation to feminine care. The company was, for example, a pioneer in representing menstrual blood in a real way, instead of the discreet blue liquid, in an advertisement for the Bodyform brand, in 2018.

Another example is the campaign recently launched in the U.K. under the title “The Last Lonely Menopause” for TENA, Essity’s brand for incontinence, with the aim of combating “toxic” stereotypes women face as they get older.

The appointment of the marketing executive comes amid a shift in Essity’s portfolio of brands. The company is also partnering with marketing agencies to target its e-commerce, design and customer experience businesses, among others.

With the recent acquisitions of Knix and Modibodi, Essity has strengthened its share in the leak-proof apparel segment, which is booming, with an expected annual growth rate of over 20% over the next five years.

As Essity’s Global Brand Director, Sarah will be based at the company’s headquarter in Stockholm, Sweden.