Former Ovo, eHarmony marketer joins Weight Watchers reimagined brand

Former eHarmony, Woolworths and Ovo marketing leader, Nicole McInnes, has been confirmed as the new director of marketing and commercial for the revitalised WW (Weight Watchers) brand in Australia.

WW A/NZ managing director, Mathieu Le Renard, said he was thrilled to have McInnes join the team and noted her expertise in brand, digital and subscription marketing as highlights of her career to date.

“These will be invaluable as we create cut-through will new audiences and deliver greater value to our member base, as well as genuine passion to deliver on our mission to inspire healthy habits and make wellness accessible for all,” he said.

A spokesperson also confirmed the company has spent several months looking for the right candidate.

WW has been on a brand transformation journey over the past 18 months that has touched every aspect of the business, from external branding to products, events, digital capabilities and customer emphasis. Last year, the group relaunched as ‘WW’ as part of a wider effort to transform from what has been perceived as a weight loss program, to a wellness business helping consumers deliver healthier habits for real life.

It’s been a journey of ups and downs so far for the 57-year old business, as WW’s global chief brand officer, Gail Tifford, explained at the recent CMO Momentum conference in Melbourne, leading to a rethink of its marketing activities in order to meet customer needs and expectations around what the brand can achieve for them.

McInnes said WW was at a pivotal moment in the group’s history and said she was excited to be joining in the early stages of a future-focused transformation.

“What has remained is WW’s mission to change people’s lives from the inside out, and leading the marketing, digital and commercial teams to deliver on that promise is an inspiring challenge,” she said.  

McInnes comes with a marketing tenure across both digital and traditional organisations. Most recently, she was the inaugural CMO of telco disruption startup, Ovo, leaving in May after a restructure of the business.

Prior to this, she was in the Woolies X incubation division as marketing director. McInnes’  resume also includes marketing roles with online dating site, eHarmony, along with positions at Pandora and Adshel.

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