The Marketors is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, having been founded as a Guild in 1975 before receiving its Letters Patent as a Livery company in 1978. Lord Heseltine was admitted to The Marketors as an Honorary Liveryman during a special commemorative anniversary event held on 23 April.
To mark the occasion, a Service of Rededication took place in St Bride’s Church, followed by a celebratory Spring Luncheon at Stationers’ Hall in the City of London. Immediately preceding the luncheon the Master of The Marketors admitted Lord Heseltine at a Special Ceremonial Court.
Lord Heseltine will take his place as the seventh Honorary Liveryman in the 40 years of the Company.
Andrew Marsden, Master, The Marketors said: “This is a landmark year for The Marketors and the anniversary has presented us with an opportunity to reflect on our past, and also look to the future with excitement. The timely appointment of Lord Heseltine brings the invaluable experience from someone who has spent decades serving the industry with a wealth of forward thinking ideas that will add immense value to our organisation.”
The industry pioneer founded Haymarket in 1957, publishers of trade magazines such as Marketing, Campaign, PR Week and Management Today, and it has since become one of the largest independent magazine companies in the UK, with extensive interest overseas. A Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001, Lord Heseltine rejoined the Haymarket Board of Directors after leaving his Government role as Deputy Prime Minister in 1997.
Lord Heseltine said: “You cannot run a sophisticated economy with choice, in other words a free enterprise economy, without having skills to sell products and to argue your case. Marketing has always been an important part of the human dynamic and always will be.”
“Like politics, the challenges in marketing are the same as they were in the sixties. The need and urgency may be greater, and the market more sophisticated and faster moving, however the skills underlying people’s capabilities remain unchanged.”
The Marketors theme for this special anniversary year is ‘Building valuable brands’ with activities focusing on brand building as a critical element of shareholder value, and the benefits and positive business outcomes that it can help deliver for organisations.
