escribe the marketing team in three words
Commercial, dynamic, competitive.
How do you come up with fresh ideas?
We hold regular workshops and insight days.
Will the recent Unilever deal affect how the team manages its brands?
Unilever has made a binding offer to buy the personal care part of Sara Lee; the home care arm remains for sale. The sale includes the people, brands and facilities, so it is business as usual for the team.
Is there a dress code
Monday to Thursday is business casual, with dress-down Friday letting people express their, sometimes questionable, taste in clothes.
Does the marketing team socialise outside office hours?
We are a close team - barbecues, sports events and regular nights out are always in the diary.
What are the hours like?
We have flexi-time working hours and officially finish at 4pm on a Friday.
Are there any downsides?
Whenever you speak to anyone outside the industry you have to assure them you don't work for a company that only makes Sara Lee Chocolate Gateaux.
Kevin Pietersen was recently signed up as the face of Brylcreem. Did the marketing team get to meet him?
The Brylcreem brand team has met him a few times - much to the envy of everyone else.
Is there anything particularly interesting about your office?
A recent refurbishment means we now work in a highly modernised open-plan office, allowing easy cross-functional working. However, it also means there's nowhere to hide from our managing director.
Company facts
- Sara Lee is based at 225 Bath Road, Slough, Berks SL1 4AU.
- The company has 436 UK employees, of whom 40 are marketers.
- Its Personal Care division was acquired by Unilever for £1.17bn last month.
- Key brands acquired in the Unilever takeover include Radox, Sanex and Brylcreem. Other Sara Lee brands include Ambi Pur, Douwe Egberts and Kiwi.
- UK president and managing director is Nick van Holstein; interim marketing director is Jonathan Moore.