Tyco Int’l Ltd. has hired General Electric Co. veteran James Harman to its executive post for advertising and branding.
Harman was responsible for the well-known GE ad campaign featuring the slogan “We bring good things to life.” He will oversee Tyco’s marketing, advertising, identity and reputation and brand management.
Tyco’s reputation has been battered by alleged theft and corruption under former Chief Executive Dennis Kozlowski. In addition, Tyco was built through a slew of disparate acquisitions made by Kozlowski. The company now is aiming for a more coherent image.
Harman is not the first GE executive to switch to Tyco’s management team. Charles Young, Tyco’s senior vice president of corporate marketing and communications, came from GE earlier this year and will supervise Harman’s activities. Young played a key role in GE’s identity makeover in the early 1990s.
