PepsiCo cmo resigns

PURCHASE, N.Y. Pepsi-Cola North America has announced that its senior vice president, chief marketing officer, Cie Nicholson, last week stepped down.

Nicholson, known for overseeing Sierra Mist and launching Mountain Dew Code Red in 2001, has been PepsiCo’s marketing chief since 2005. She is slated to stand out her term until the end of July, reports said.

According to media sources, Nicholson has said that she is looking forward to taking some time off. Meanwhile, no replacement has been named for her post.

Nicholson’s current responsibilities include overseeing the advertising, brand development, grassroots marketing, media, promotions and sports divisions at PepsiCo North America for carbonated and non-carbonated beverages.

Her previous post was as vice president non-carbonated beverages and vice president carbonated soft drink flavors. Prior to coming to PepsiCo, Nicholson worked on the relaunch of Winston cigarettes for R.J. Reynolds.

Sources said that PepsiCo North America’s media spending has been lessened in the last five years about 39 percent to $254.4 million. New York-based Omnicom Group currently handles PepsiCo’s advertising and public relations.