Seventh Generation has named Shalini Stansberry as CMO, according to a press release. The appointment follows the Unilever-owned brand hiring Kathleen O'Brien as CEO in January to “usher in the next phase of the company’s journey,” with a focus on accelerating growth and innovation for its line of plant-based cleaning products.
Stansberry joins Seventh Generation from Ferrero, where she spent nearly nine years and most recently served as vice president of marketing for Kinder Snacking. During her tenure, the executive helped build up the Kinder name in the U.S., including through the launch of Kinder Chocolate in 2023, a move that added $125 million in retail sales to the portfolio. Kinder Bueno has also landed in the top-20 brands generating interest among Gen Z consumers, per data from Ad Age and The Harris Poll. Stansberry’s past experience includes stints at Newell, the owner of Sharpie, and Beiersdorf, where she worked on the Nivea brand.
Bringing new consumers to Seventh Generation will be a mandate for Stansberry, who said she was attracted to the company due to its purpose-driven work. Unilever acquired Seventh Generation in 2016 for roughly $700 million, a testament to the popularity of sustainability-minded companies at the time and also the pressure legacy CPG marketers felt to “go green.” Overall, consumer interest in sustainable cleaning products remains strong.
Recent years have seen many companies pump the brakes on some of their sustainability initiatives while purpose-driven marketing has become more fraught to the political environment. Unilever is in the midst of an expansive restructuring, with an aim to shed low-performing units, including some of its food offerings, and prioritize high-growth verticals. It has also adjusted its marketing strategy under new leadership, with plans to spend more on social media and influencers.
Unilever’s home care segment lagged other areas of the business in Q1, with underlying sales growth of 0.9%. The CPG affirmed its outlook for the full year around the April earnings report, with expectations of underlying sales growth between 3% to 5% in 2025.
