Dive Brief:
- J.C. Penney CMO Debra Berman has left the company. Kirk Waidelich and Lynne Bartron, the vice presidents of marketing strategy, will temporarily oversee the company’s marketing efforts.
- A former Kraft strategist, Berman joined Penney’s in 2013 and was elevated to CMO to reverse damage done by former CEO Ron Johnson.
- Berman’s handiwork includes the advertising tagline “When it fits, you feel it,” as well as tie-ins with the Olympics, the World Cup, and the Academy Awards.
Dive Insight:
J.C. Penney has spent a tumultuous couple of years trying to find its position in the marketplace, and the departure of chief marketing officer Debra Berman indicates that its quest may not be complete. Charged with a re-repositioning following former CEO Ron Johnson’s tenure from 2011 to 2013, Berman launched several ambitious campaigns, including a Hispanic-focused effort during the World Cup.
During her short assignment as CMO, Berman appointed a new agency team to handle parts of its approximately $900 million budget. An agency review rumored in 2013 has not yet materialized, leaving Omnicom’s OMD unit in charge of the brand through the shifts in leadership.
