WW Chief Brand Officer Gail Tifford leaves due to a family health matter

WW Chief Brand Officer Gail Tifford is leaving the company to focus on a serious family health matter, the diet and lifestyle company announced Tuesday. Tifford spearheaded WW's rebrand from Weight Watchers after joining the company from Unilever in 2018. WW announced that the chief brand officer role will not be filled. It elevated Senior VP of Global Brand Marketing Cindy Gustafson to the role of chief marketing officer. Gustafson will report to Mindy Grossman, WW’s president and CEO. Subscribe to Ad Age now for the latest industry news and analysis. “I am deeply grateful to Gail for her incredible contribution and accomplishments since joining WW,” Grossman said in a statement. “She has been a partner to me as we have transformed the brand and the business and I thank her for her passion and commitment to our mission to inspire people to lead healthier lives. Our hearts are with her and her family during this challenging time.” Tifford, in a statement, called her three and a half years at WW “the most fulfilling of my career,” adding that she is “confident that under Cindy’s leadership the team is strategically positioned to lead WW into the future.” WW has included everyday members and celebrity clients, most notably investor Oprah Winfrey, in its campaigns in recent years. During Tifford's time at the company, WW reached its highest levels for overall membership and digital subscribers. It has also faced increased competition from apps such as Noom and wearable technology options such as Fitbit that people use to track their own progress in eating habits and movement. Earlier this month, WW reported a 1.9% decline in overall subscribers from a year earlier, with 4.9 million people signed up at the end of the second quarter. While the number of digital subscribers rose nearly 6% to a second-quarter high of 4.1 million, Grossman called those results below the company’s own expectations. She said WW's initiatives including a new food program coming later this year will help drive growth in recruiting members. Prior to WW, Tifford was VP of media North America and global digital innovation at Unilever. She co-founded the Association of National Advertisers’ #SeeHer initiative. Gustafson joined WW in 2018 after serving as chief strategy officer at media agency Mindshare, following her work at companies including Unilever.

WW Chief Brand Officer Gail Tifford leaves due to a family health matter

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