Waitrose’s top marketer on the beauty of working for iconic British brands
From Boots and Cadbury to British Airways and the Post Office, Waitrose’s customer director has soaked up a wealth of marketing knowledge working across a variety of British brands during his 37 year career.
Starting out Martin George knew two things – he was crazy about sport and he was interested in business. With this in mind, he opted for a broad-based management science course at Loughbrough University with a year in industry.
This year was spent in the retail marketing and buying team at Boots, which George describes as a brilliant experience. He recalls being given real accountability for somebody who was effectively in their third year at university and it was this time at Boots that convinced him to go into marketing.
“I found it invaluable not only in that I got a real insight into what marketing was, but also I got a strong insight into what it means to work,” George reflects. “As a result, I was better able to identify what I wanted to do when I went into my final year.”
Back at university George chose several marketing modules, notably the marketing of services which appealed after developing an interest in how businesses bring brands to life through the entire customer experience.
Next he joined the graduate scheme at Cadbury, entering the world of brand management and working across the Wispa, Dairy Milk and Flake brands. Garnering a taste for brand marketing, George swapped chocolate for travel, joining the marketing team at British Airways.
