The Very Group Hires Ex-Frasers CMO Beckie Crane-Stanion as Marketing Director
Updated: 6 days ago
The Very Group has appointed former Frasers Group CMO Beckie Crane-Stanion as marketing director, handing her brand, marketing and in-house agency HelloStudio as the online retailer pushes the next iteration of its brand.
A Frasers Group alumna takes the reins
The Very Group — which runs online retailers Very and Littlewoods — has named Beckie Crane-Stanion as its marketing director. She takes responsibility for brand, marketing and the group's in-house creative studio, HelloStudio, reporting to chief customer and commercial officer Sam Wright.
Crane-Stanion is best known for her 2020–2024 run as chief marketing officer at Frasers Group, where she helped drive the 'elevation' strategy that pushed Sports Direct, Flannels and the wider stable upmarket. She has since worked as a consultant global brand director at Abbott Lyon and spent agency-side years with UEFA, The FA and the NFL.
Filling a gap at the top
The role has effectively been vacant since Jessica Myers departed in May 2026, after which Wright expanded his remit from chief commercial to chief customer and commercial officer. Bringing in a dedicated marketing lead signals that Very wants brand back on the senior agenda rather than folded into commercial.
'There is no better time to have a focus on how we serve this customer as we evolve the Very brand,' Crane-Stanion said. Wright framed the hire around 'the next iteration of our brand journey, aiming to increase reach and grow our brand even further.'
Marketing Minute's read: elevation meets electricals
This is a telling hire. Very is a credit-led retailer — flexible payment is central to how millions of its customers shop. The Frasers 'elevation' playbook, by contrast, is about desirability, premium partners and tighter brand control. The strategic question is whether that desirability muscle can be flexed on an audience that comes for affordability first.
Our read: the two are not in conflict if the brief is 'make flexibility feel aspirational' rather than 'go upmarket'. The retailers winning right now pair a clear value proposition with a brand people are proud to buy from. Appointing an elevation specialist suggests Very wants to stop competing on price alone and start building preference.
What should other retail marketers take from it? First, a dedicated brand voice at the top matters — when marketing is absorbed into commercial, short-term performance usually wins and brand erodes. Second, the HelloStudio in-house model gives Very speed and cost control, but it needs a strong leader to keep output on-brand at volume.
Quick FAQ
Who is The Very Group's new marketing director?
Beckie Crane-Stanion, former chief marketing officer of Frasers Group, who was appointed in late September 2026.
What will she be responsible for?
Brand, marketing and the group's in-house creative agency HelloStudio, reporting to chief customer and commercial officer Sam Wright.
Why does this appointment matter?
It restores a dedicated senior marketing voice at Very after months without one, and imports Frasers' brand-elevation experience into a credit-led online retailer.
A credit-led retailer hiring an elevation specialist is a signal, not a coincidence. Very is betting its next phase of growth comes from preference and pride in the brand — not just the ease of spreading the cost. The brands that win blend both. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
When a retailer hands brand to an 'elevation' specialist, it is betting that desirability — not discounts — is its next growth lever.
Can a brand built on flexible credit be 'elevated' without alienating the customers who shop it for exactly that reason?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Week, Retail Week, Drapers, TheIndustry.fashion.
Related reading
Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
