Hero has appointed Niki Carlino as its new national account manager as the socially responsible condom company readies for aggressive growth in Australia and internationally.
Mr Carlino was previously head of corporate accounts at FAL Food and Beverages. He has also worked with major FMCG companies including Wrigley, Nudie, PepsiCo and Frucor.
“Hero’s appeal was about being part of a new and exciting team that is shifting what it means to be a FMCG business in the current Australian and international markets,” Mr Carlino said.
Mr Carlino will manage all retail channels in Australia and internationally including grocery, pharmacy, mass, HORECA and petrol and convenience.
He will also work closely with retailers to develop aggressive growth plans to ensure shoppers are aware of Hero’s one for one donation model, whereby for every condom sold, a condom is donated to a developing country to help fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and save lives.
“We may not have the budgets of the big players, however, we do have a desire to make a difference in the lives of Australians as well as the people in Botswana and have proven that social responsibility and business success can go hand in hand,” Mr Carlino said.
“In fact, in a recent study by Cone Communications found that 91 per cent of global consumers are likely to switch brands to one associated with a good cause, given comparable price and quality.”
This week Hero announced it had secured distribution in more than 180 Big W stores across the country. P&C is also an area of focus for the brand. In March Hero released a line of compact product packs aimed specifically at the P&C shopper.
The new pocket packs, featuring two individually wrapped condoms, have already been very well received in the market, with distribution secured in hundreds of petrol and convenience stores nationwide.
“Next for Hero is an aggressive three to five year growth plan and to capture market share in all channels via distribution and brand awareness,” Mr Carlino said.
In a survey conducted earlier this year Hero was voted condom of choice by Australian women. The survey was conducted by market research company Pureprofile and showed that Hero was the brand of choice among Australian women, with nearly 78 per cent of women preferring it over competitors.