Zoopla has a new chief marketing officer as the business continues the restructure of its senior management team.
He is Gary Bramall, whose brief is to drive marketing strategy across the whole group following its £2.2bn acquisition in July by US equity firm Silver Lake Partners.
Bramall has an impressive track record, having held senior roles at mytaxi, Microsoft, Skype, Apple and Orange.
He was most recently CMO of mytaxi, where he led the rapid rebrand following the merger with British taxi app Hailo, whilst overseeing international expansion into over 14 countries across four brands, and processing over 180m journeys.
Bramall said: “This is an enormously exciting opportunity to work with a well-known and trusted household brand within an industry which is undergoing transformative change.
“Buying, selling or renting property are among the biggest decisions we make in our lives.
“To work with a data-rich tech-led business which has huge potential to improve and add value to that process for both consumers and estate agents, is a marketeer’s dream.
“I want people to understand why Zoopla provides an offering unlike anything out there and to be the destination of choice for consumers and agents.”
The previous chief marketing officer at Zoopla was Gareth Helm, responsible for the crabs television advertising, and who is now leaving the company.
A statement on Friday said: “Gareth Helm is leaving ZPG after nearly four years as CMO, where he worked across the group’s consumer and B2B brands.
“Since SilverLake acquired ZPG in July, Gareth has been working with the new leadership team to reorganise the marketing teams and review business priorities.
“This piece of work will be completed by January and will lead to the creation of two separate marketing teams, covering property and, secondly, the comparison side of the business.
“Gary Bramall has taken over as CMO of the property side of the business. Given these changes, Gareth has decided it is an appropriate time to move on.”
Charlie Bryant, managing director of Zoopla, added: “Gareth has been a vital contributor to the strong growth of ZPG. We thank him for his support over the last four years and wish him all the best of luck in whatever he does next.”
Meanwhile, in the current wave of senior departures, Lawrence Hall, the director of communications at Zoopla for ten years, has now left the business.
We have no news of his successor, but Zoopla is now advertising for a PR manager specialising in business to business on the property side.
Essential skills include being able to spot a story and experience of working with the trade press – but it is the benefits of working at Zoopla that really stand out.
They include free breakfasts and afternoon snacks, Friday night drinks, and in-house massage and nail treatments – not to mention a generous bonus and a variety of other perks.
Comments (8)
AlphaCenturi….
You are right AC, Rightmove’s website does look like a bag of spanners, full of distractions which compromise the Homeseller’s Property Listing, which after all is why their property is being advertised there.
OTM’s website presentation for a Homeseller kicks RM into the long grass. Fact!
On, “have you ever heard a buyer say yes I looked at OTM first” ……yes, I can, documented by me on PIE a few months ago, I was utterly amazed how enthusiastic the client was and spoke with them for several minutes on why ……and remember, for various reasons I am NOT an OTM fan!
I would amend your comment “OTM will never take over Rightmove”, assuming you mean “overtake” RM. If that is not OTM’s ultimate objective then you are right, if however it is, then I wouldn’t bet against them.
Remember this, if Rightmove’s Website died today…… clients would simply search for OTM, if it was the alternative with all/or most of the stock. Clients are fickle, they will follow the property if a particular website for instance was no longer there. It’s not rocket science.
However, to date, I don’t see enough drive from OTM to signal that they want to be the No1 Portal.
Zoopla have awoken from their slumber and as I have already said….. Agents don’t need to run Rightmove down, they/Rightmove are successfully killing their relationship with The Estate Agency Industry …….all by themselves!
The Clock is Ticking for Rightmove, they just think they are too big to worry about it. Time will indeed tell.
Witness Purplebricks gradually imploding, that could just as easily be Rightmove!
If OnTheMarket trot out “Chas n’ Dave” again in the New Year then Zoopla may rejoice …..although Zoopla have utterly failed so far to demonstrate that they want to be the No 1 Portal.
OTM will never take over Rightmove, when have you EVER heard a buyer say “yes i looked at OTM first” they all go to Rightmove with the exception of Zoopla in Wales. not to mention that the website looks like a bag of spanners
As I said to my OTM Rep yesterday when I discovered to my horror that I was not actually shackled to OTM V2 until Feb 2019 …….I am shackled to them until Feb 2020!!!
…… I said, “At what point does OTM, (whilst staring at the Open Portal Goal before them!) engage with its growing subscribers, develop a marketing strategy that clearly/loudly signals that OTM is here to lead UK Estate Agency ……rather than just be a No 3 or 2 Portal!”
Rightmove are kicking themselves mercilessly with self-generated Negative Publicity, Zoopla have woken up that there is actually extra-time to play for ……whilst OnTheMarket mumble “Wait for our January Campaign”?
My Company and others are Shackled to OTM V2 against our will, so whilst we all still pay monthly, can OTM/Ian Springett/Helen Whiteley and all the other Bandwagoneers get their fingers out and make the most of the opportunity screaming in front of you.
It’s comical/sad/frustrating/ridiculous that OTM will never have a better opportunity to demonstrate that they are there for UK Estate Agency …..yet they bumble along, almost silently!
……or are we all fools for not recognising that they are only in it for themselves?
Prove myself and others wrong OTM …..get your fingers out of your own Portals!!!
As long as you are on rightmove the vendor is happy. You need to persuade the sellers first and the agents will follow.
Like sheep. Bahhhh bahhhh
Ok it was the nail treatments that got me interested! I have real issues with brittle and breaking nails in the cold weather!
An in-house massage sounds well dodgy to me. Expect headlines any time soon…
Too little, too late, I hope. My vote is now to move to OTM asap
Still don’t get it!