New Look chief marketing officer departs

Cross, who joined New Look last November, will be replaced by New Look’s Guy Lister, who has been promoted into the same role.

Cross’ first TV advertising campaign for New Look broke last week to mixed response. It featured real women wearing New Look’s spring 11 collection acting out everyday summer leisure activities in what appeared to be a large white studio filled with props. It was themed “100 Days of Summer” and closed with the strap “24/7 fabulous”.

Cross had previously worked with former New Look chief executive Carl McPhail at Selfridges. He was part of the team that led the rebranding of the department store in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He reported in to McPhail until his abrupt departure from the business in March. Cross had been charged with improving New Look’s image to shoppers.

Since McPhail’s departure there have been major changes to the management team at the business after founder Tom Singh was reinstalled at the helm. He immediately reinstated Roger Wightman, who McPhail had fired, as buying director and managed to persuade design director Barbara Horspool to stay with the business in an elevated role of creative director, instead of moving to Oasis. Horspool was given a remit to have creative input into branding and marketing as a result.