Campari Canada has appointed David Allard as VP of marketing and added a new VP of channel and customer marketing as it looks to grow key brands in its spirits portfolio.

Allard, who most recently served as CMO of Samsung Canada, joined the company this month.With prior experience from Coca-Cola, Diageo and the Campbell Company of Canada, he replaces former VP of marketing Chris Staresinic, who has moved into the new VP of channel and customer marketing role.

“I am so proud and grateful to be joining this incredible organization as a new Camparista, especially at such a tumultuous time for all of us, and such a critical time in their business here in Canada,” wrote Allard in an online post announcing his appointment.

In an email, Melanie Batchelor, who was appointed Campari president in January, said the company has adopted the new marketing structure to “put greater emphasis on channel and customer marketing as a key growth driver in Canada, to focus on building iconic and profitable brands at the point of sale.” Staresinic will lead “the creation and implementation of this important function in Canada,” she said.

Campari entered the Canadian market five years ago this year. The country has since become its tenth-largest market globally. With a global portfolio of more than 50 brands that locally includes Appleton Estate, Forty Creek, Aperol, Campari and Grand Marnier, the company is now the sixth-largest alcohol distributor in Canada.

In an exclusive April interview with strategy, Batchelor said the company was focused on refreshing and growing Jamaican rum Appleton Estate and Grimsby, Ont.-based  whisky Forty Creek, two priority brands whose performance had “been somewhat flat in the last couple of years” as a result of “foundational issues.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company pivoted existing marketing plans, unveiling new packaging for Appleton Estate and a digital campaign for Forty Creek. At the time of the interview, Batchelor said Campari expected to exit the pandemic in a strong position as a result of higher consumer interest in “tried-and-trusted” brands.

During Q1, the Canadian market outperformed Campari’s performance across the Americas, a region that also includes the U.S., Jamaica, Brazil and Mexico and that recorded an organic sales decrease of 0.9%. Meanwhile, it reported Canadian growth of 9.3% for the quarter, with year-over-year organic sales increasing 11.6%.