Butlins has recently announced a cinema drive to promote its sponsorship of Odeon’s Kids Club – how does the team come up with marketing ideas?
The team is full of ideas people and we have lots of brainstorms and creative days.
What is the main marketing challenge you face?
Overcoming negative brand perceptions.
What are the perks of the job?
You can’t sell a product without knowing it inside out, so we spend lots of time in our resorts, putting ourselves in our guests’ shoes. The team especially enjoys our adult-only ‘Big Weekends’.
Describe the marketing team in three words.
Altogether more fun.
Is there a dress code?
Smart casual.
Does the marketing team socialise outside office hours?
Our office is in Hemel Hempstead, which isn’t renowned for its nightlife, so we don’t tend to go out much after work. But we do go on plenty of team outings; last year we went on a treasure hunt in Bournemouth, had cheerleading lessons and spent a day at a cookery school.
What are the hours like?
Long.
What is Butlins like for training and career progression?
Fantastic. You really get freedom to try new things and prove yourself. If you’re good, you’ll get ahead.
What about the salary and benefits package?
Butlins is a performance-based company. If we hit our targets, everyone gets amply rewarded.
Are there any downsides?
Don’t work for Butlins if you like to stick to a plan. We are constantly adapting and changing our approach as marketing trends shift. Flexibility and a keen sense of humour are vital attributes.
Is there anything interesting about the inside of your office?
We theme it during key sales periods to put us on a high. We’ve had a ‘round-the-world’ theme in which each group of desks was dressed as a different country. At the moment, our desks are styled as game shows.
Company facts
- Butlins’ headquarters are based at 1 Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL.
- The company has 3620 employees, of whom 20 work in marketing-related roles, including those with online marketing responsibilities.
- More than 1m guests visit Butlins’ resorts every year.
- The holiday resort company will be 75 years old in 2011. It is also currently building a new £25m property, the Ocean Hotel in Bognor Regis.
- Butlins’ managing director is Richard Bates; Jackie Martin is sales and marketing director; Claire Poole is head of marketing.