Consumer products and marketing in brief

Changes at Pepperidge Farm

Pat Callahan is retiring as president of Pepperidge Farm in July, with the company naming Irene Chang Britt as his replacement.

Britt is currently chief strategy officer of Pepperidge Farm”™s Camden, N.J.-based parent Campbell Soup Co.

Pepperidge Farm is building an innovation center in Norwalk where it has its main offices. The division employs 5,000 people.

“As we work to accelerate Campbell”™s rate of innovation, Pepperidge Farm can serve as a model,” Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell”™s, said in a statement. “Pat has been a coach and mentor to countless people in our organization.”

Before joining Campbell in 2005, Britt spent eight years with Kraft Foods, leading the salted snacks and Post Cereal operations.

Who you gonna call?

Six in 10 small and mid-size businesses do not list a telephone number on the home page of their website, which researcher BIA/Kelsey says costs them significant revenue.

The Chantilly, Va.-based company found also that 75 percent of websites at smaller businesses lack an email link and nearly two-thirds do not have an online form to request information.

More than 90 percent of smaller business websites are not compatible with mobile devices such as smartphones.

“Many SMB websites today are deficient across multiple dimensions,” said Steve Marshall, director of research for BIA/Kelsey in a statement. While the world is shifting to a social, local, mobile ”“ or SoLoMo ”“ orientation, most SMBs are just not there yet.

An uplifting brand

St. Luke”™s LifeWorks is renaming itself Inspirica, after hiring TFI Envision Inc. to help it identify a new brand .

TFI Envision developed the name and identity, Inspirica ”“ from homeless to home. The name was created to end confusion about any religious affiliation and because St. Luke”™s LifeWorks wanted an uplifting name that conveys hope and inspiration.

Separately, the Maritime Aquarium hired Norwalk-based TFI Envision Inc. to develop graphics for print materials for its April 26 fundraiser “Cirque de la Mer.” And TFI Envision is designing materials promoting Northeast Angel Flight”™s Ride for Angels bike fundraiser in September.

 

News Corp. eyes sports

News Corp. reportedly is considering a cable sports network to compete with Bristol-based ESPN and NBC Sports, which is in the process of moving its headquarters to Stamford.

Multiple sources told Bloomberg a new sports network is in the works for News Corp., whose Fox network carries the NFL, Major League Baseball, and two upcoming World Cup soccer tournaments.

Inspira buys Norwalk office

Inspira Marketing paid $1 million for a 6,000-square-foot office condo unit at 16-18 Ann St. in Norwalk.

Angel Commercial L.L.C. represented Inspira, with RHYS Commercial handling the transaction for the seller Q Sono II L.L.C.

Inspira Marketing specializes in event marketing, from program development to activation and measurement.