Andrew Ligertwood

I’m an entrepreneur and insight-led product marketeer with 21 years of marketing experience working across a range of disciplines across FMCG and Financial Services.

Latest experience - Self Employed entrepreneur

I established ‘Cushiedoos Superior Mixers’ 4 years ago as I was fed up with the lack of innovation in the tonic water category. My innovative, multi award-winning product is sold into some of the finest Scottish hotels and bars, in Co-op supermarkets, specialist stores, online and to 2 international distributors. It’s not been plain sailing however and the challenges of hitting high growth targets in a competitive, low margin sector with no employees has led me to choose a new path and sell my business.

Work I enjoy in work

I particularly enjoy the process of finding real insights and formulating strategic and business recommendations to provide that competitive edge for business growth and leadership.

Another element I get a kick out of is developing people and I have missed this running my own business - I love creating a positive team ethic that shows a leading example of progress in a business to further build strong relationships across key functions and with stakeholders.

Ready for the next chapter

I’m now ready to sink my teeth into a gutsy, new challenge.

Business Owner and Founder

Cushiedoos Superior Mixers.  April 2018- Present.

cushiedoos.com 

• Launched an innovative, multi award-winning quinine-free tonic water and Pink Grapefruit & Rosehip Soda;
• Sole member of the business. I managed all business aspects including product development, Xero accounting, materials sourcing, contract manufacturing, production planning & forecasting, brand vision, strategy, logistics, creative development with agencies, sales development with wholesalers, retailers, international distributors, trade and consumer events;
• New drink brand created following online research inc. consumer segmentation identifying key drinker needs;
• Branding, rebranding and developing a brand strategy, positioning and business purpose – planting 2 trees for every case sold;
• Developed 4 new unique mixer flavours for market;
• Sole management of 4 social media accounts, Wordpress website and analytics;
• Launched new online direct sales platform growing profitability, analysed sales and included a Trust Pilot scores to date of 4.7 score (All 5 star reviews bar two);
• Created new points of sale including working with Chinese producer for new point of sale item;
• Over 300,000 bottles consumed to date across online, bars, hotels, restaurants and exported to 2 countries;
• Accolades:
  • Great British Entrepreneur Awards - Scotland Food & Drink Finalist 2019;
  • Great Taste 1 star award for our Tonic 2021, 2020 & 2019;
  • Scottish Retail Food & Drink Gold for our Tonic and
  • 2022 Silver for our Pink Grapefruit & Rosehip Soda;
  • Great British Food & Drink 2021 Highly Commended.

Williams & Glyn and Royal Bank of Scotland. May 2015 - Aug 2018

• 12 contract extensions from strategic work undertaken and delivering for key senior stakeholders;
• Defining brand propositions and strategic plans from thorough brand insight for a new bank brand launch;
• Operational plans and communications set out across digital, telephone and face to face channels;
• Delivered 3 marketing campaigns - digital ads, branch posters, merchandise and comms.

Highland Spring Group. May ’10 – Apr ‘15

• Set up a new high performing team as a supportive leader and coach, developing every team member;
• Managed and progressed a team of insight, data and category managers;
• Improved business rigour, decision making through new market data performance reporting, forecasting and strategic proposals to Directors;
• The sole champion and business lead for a 5 year insight based Category Vision with a return on investment with growth in 5 leading supermarkets;
• New Category vision helped Highland Spring become UK No.1 water through new strategic business and brand plans, briefings and new Category Management recommendations;
• Led this in depth attitudinal & behavioural work to develop new consumer segmentation and shopper insight for customer implementation;
• Overlaid Category vision with new market data I introduced to the company - Kantar, IRI, CGA and information on consumer trends. With this data I communicated new business KPIs monthly and shared what levers we needed to push forwards to hit our performance targets. This helped share performance dynamics with our customers to help them grow their category sales; 
• Delivering customer strategic solutions and advice on shopper behaviours for in store and online;
• Cross- functional working with sales, operations and brand teams to help improve business performance like annual brand planning with brand and sales teams, promotional campaign management and led a sku rationalisation project;
• Promotional effectiveness analysis and leadership new findings shared with sales team to help with optimal pricing on and off promotion to drive key Kantar levers for business growth;
• Chaired company Employee Forum and implemented first employee survey myself.

Marketing Manager – Retail Partnerships

• I led in the creation of new joint partnerships function with external businesses for customer benefit and business income with commission and ad sales income in first quarter of over £220,000;
• Examples of contracts and deals secured: 

• Integration of partnerships within existing comms online and in magazine advertising and editorial.

• Developed creative for current account acquisition ATL communications in Billboard and Press advertising working with Mediacom;
• Led 2 year plan for UK’s greatest card transition for 17.2m debit card customers from Maestro to Visa managing a £6m budget;
• Integrated digital student and graduate comms to 330,000 customers to retain customers. Direct mail campaign, bespoke email and new website. <0.5% unsubscribed; >5,000 entries; >30% click throughs;
• Led communications and process for rollout of 35,000 new contactless cards. Creation of new e-mails, customer leaflets and letters.
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Customer Marketing Manager – Grocery & Impulse

• I championed Category Management for Asda achieving Ales & Ciders leadership in their range review exceeding objectives implementing new Category Vision and ranged by category drivers;
• Used Category Vision to develop in store activation and fixture layout in Asda. Led brand activation and ranging with Spar, Nisa, Costcutter, Budgens and Londis;
• Strongbow & Bulmers Original brand champion delivering new retail brand plans for all of the retail
• Launched Bulmers Original as off trade brand champion with new merchandise and point of sale.

• Aligned to new business Category Vision I launched, activated and managed budgets for Kronenbourg Blanc year 2 rollout, launch new brands Strongbow Sirrus and Jacques activation across on and off trade.

• Analysed, modelled, presented to senior management and sales for new trade pricing;
• Created new sales stories with optimal pricing and promotion plans for brand growth.

• Roles included John Smith’s brand team, Sales manager, Innovation team, Sales planning & activation, Grocery analyst & Marketing Manager.

• Running my own business for 4 years.
• Glendinning Customer Marketing Excellence – Including Category Vision and Point of Purchase marketing.
• Chartered Institute of Marketing Advanced Cert.
• BSc Geography, 2:1 honours degree, Newcastle University. 1998-2001
• A Level: Geography B, Design B, Business Studies C. Shrewsbury School. 1992-1997