Creative Director

Barrows • Full-time • New York, NY, US • $155k - $200k / year • 3w ago

WPP Unite

There’s never been a more exciting time in marketing, as media and commerce continue to merge and drive meaningful consumer experiences. As one of the most innovative CPG companies in the world, Unilever is adapting to this rapidly changing landscape with the help of WPP and its unparalleled network of agencies.

The newly-created team, WPP Unite, will be the pioneering force at this intersection, combining two of WPP’s most dynamic agencies: Mindshare and Barrows.

Mindshare will bring their media thought-leadership, combined with the retail and commercial expertise of Barrows to deliver integrated programs across the entire Unilever portfolio. True to its name, the team operates with a unified vision, from initial concept to final execution, leveraging our collective expertise in design, engineering, and media integration to craft world-class brand programming.

Barrows

With 40 years of expertise in retail design and marketing, Barrows excels in leveraging insights and cutting-edge digital strategies to create engaging omni-channel experiences. Our global team, irrespective of background or role, shares a positive can-do attitude and relentless drive to deliver excellence every day.

Playing a key role within WPP Unite, the Barrows team will have the opportunity to shape the future of commerce marketing across renowned brand categories and retailers, and drive meaningful results for one of the world’s leading consumer goods companies.

Role & Responsibilities

Within the WPP Unite structure Barrows is seeking a dynamic Creative Director responsible for leading and inspiring the creative team to develop innovative marketing campaigns that drive sales and brand engagement. The creative team works to develop commerce marketing concepts and designs for integrated marketing programs and experiential retail designs at mass retail across the US. They collaborate with clients to understand their vision, translating it into compelling visual and strategic concepts, and ensuring all creative output aligns with brand identity. They unlock big ideas that engage US and global audiences and produce compelling content that supports our clients' stories across digital and physical retail.

In addition to bringing a killer attitude and energy, this individual must be able to:

Lead the creation of shopper marketing programs from concept development to design and execution
Serve as a leader, creative mind, and project manager in one
Connect the dots between creative and strategy to tell the client’s story
Drive creative process from conceptual thinking through to execution to develop experience-driven, connected shopper marketing solutions
Ensure the team delivers creative excellence through structured guidance, mentorship, and inspiration; take lead role in infusing team with digital and shopper knowledge through ongoing training
Proactively drive the process to generate and brief in creative, actionable, and unique projects rooted in a clear idea and insight, demonstrating in-depth knowledge of client’s business and the audience
Develop creative briefs for ideation sessions and lead creative brainstorm sessions for client opportunities
Create strategically sound designs and concepts against the required brief and revert
Work collaboratively with the strategy and client service teams to identify key insights to help drive creative programming and ensure all concepts are on brief
Be the face representing Barrows creative to clients and agency partners, relying on deep understanding of brands and the trade
Confidently articulate and defend our work; ideate and solve problems with clients
Craft and deliver highly-strategic creative presentations
Work with the client service team to identify growth opportunities with current and prospective clients
Craft the design associated with the client’s brand/project
Provide a strong design point of view regarding messaging hierarchy, typography, layout, and color
Develop and implement processes and structures to achieve creative vision
Generate exploratory mood boards by gathering literature and internet references

Qualifications

10+ years of agency and/or strategic creative experience in brand, trade or shopper marketing or category management
CPG/Shopper experience a must
Strong portfolio showcasing successful shopper marketing /CPG campaigns, demonstrating a range of creative concepts and execution
Team leadership experience
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present ideas and creative concepts clearly and persuasively
Elevated understanding of the retail trade environment, including omnichannel and physical/digital retail integrations
Creative strategy and copywriting experience strongly preferred
Ability to lead and drive client solutions through ambiguity, and adapt to changing priorities
Ability to work in the office 3 days a week

Benefits