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Roger Sotherton

Roger Sotherton

Roger Sotherton (above) was a business partner of John Donovan and a director of the promotional games company Don Marketing throughout the years in the 1980s and 1990s when it devised a host of promotional games for Royal Dutch Shell around the world.  Sadly, Roger passed away on 12 April 2023.

1984 Shell Make Money Game Created And Supplied By Don Marketing

Shell Mastermind Promotional Game Created And Supplied By Don Marketing

Shell Make Merry Harrods Linked Promotional Game Created And Supplied By Don Marketing

Shell Bruce’s Lucky Deal Promotional Game Created And Supplied By Don Marketing

UK VERSION

IRISH VERSION

Shell Star Trek Promotion Created And Supplied By Don Marketing

In the 1980s Don Marketing supplied Shell Make Money games in several countries including Singapore. Promotional games inventor John Donovan is seen here with Shell Singapore posters in December 2020. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell Make Money promotion wrangle (Information from our archive)

Modified 23 April 2018: Relevant Shell executives name changed to initials only “AJL”)

My son John Donovan (centre), Chairman of Don Marketing, with two fellow DM directors John Chambers (left) and Roger Sotherton (right), at the launch of the UK Make Money promotion in 1983

Printed below is the background information relating to an article published by Forecourt Trader in January 1995.

By Alfred Donovan

Our High Court action in April 1994 against Shell UK Limited in respect of the Shell Make Money promotion, provides a clear example of bullying, double-dealing and deception by Shell in its dealings with our company, Don Marketing.

In June 1993, AJL, the Shell executive who masterminded the serial theft of intellectual property from companies disclosing proprietary information to Shell, raised the subject of Shell Make Money in conversation with us, as did his boss, David Watson. This was a promotion to which we held joint rights with Shell.
read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Scratch ‘n’ miff

For the record, the promotional theme was developed in association with CBH & Partners and used an on-label game technique pioneered by Don Marketing for which a UK patent has now been granted.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

John Donovan, Roger Sotherton and John Chambers, Don Marketing 1983

Don Marketing directors from the left, John Donovan (Chairman), Roger Sotherton (Marketing Director) and John Chambers, Managing Director. Photograph taken at Don Marketing Chelmsford UK offices in 1984, with Shell Singapore Make Money poster in background.

Don Marketing Managing Director John Chambers photographed on Shell forecourt during the spectacularly successful Shell Make Money game in 1984.

Fast flowing Don: Marketing Magazine 16 February 1984

Shell Make Money full page advert: Daily Express 21 February 1984 read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing Cinzano ‘Instant Roulette’ Game

Three Don Marketing directors, from the left John Donovan, Roger Sotherton and John Chambers at launch of Cinzano Instant Roulette Game in or around 1983. The worlds first scratch off competition game on a bottle label.

Same Don Marketing directors, John Donovan, John Chambers and Roger Sotherton, with John Chambers centre.

Don Marketing directors John Chambers (left) and John Donovan  photograph taken in or around 1983

Related articles

Cinzano Instant Roulette Bottle Label Game

If you’ve gotta lotta bottles…: Don Marketing Cinzano Game advert, Campaign Magazine 30 September 1983 read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Following in the footsteps of Spot Cash

A recent, highly successful scratch card promotion was The Great Guinness Challenge' conceived by Don Marketing for London-based Allen Brady & Marsh and its client Guinness.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing exhibition stands

Don Marketing stand at a sales promotion exhibition held in or around 1982. Back row, from the left, Roger Sotherton, Marketing Director, Valerie Hewitt, Office Manager, and Ken Brown, Operations Director. Front row left, John Donovan, Chairman and to his right, John Chambers, Managing Director.

Mr Roy Rochford, joint founder of Rochford Thompson security printers, visits Don Marketing exhibition stand in or around 1979. To his left is Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan, and to the right of Mr Rochford is Roger Sotherton, Don Marketing Marketing Director. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

HRH Princess Margaret opens Rochford Thompson new premises at Newbury

HRH Princess Margaret opening new Rochford Thompson security printers premises in Hambridge Road, Newbury Berks in 1979. Rochford Thompson joint founder, Mr Ron Thompson, is the person standing immediately to the left of HRH Princess Margaret.

Mr Roy Rochford (centre), joint founder of Rochford Thompson security printers, visiting a Don Marketing stand at a sales promotion exhibition held in or around 1979.  A founder of Don Marketing, John Donovan is the person on the left and Roger Sotherton, Don Marketing Marketing Director, is the person on the right of Roy Edward Rochford.
read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
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