Creative Strategist

Company Overview

Sweet&Chilli is an established creative and experiential agency with teams across London, Sydney, Los Angeles, Singapore, Sao Paolo, and Paris. Since launching in 2003, the agency has built strong expertise across drinks and hospitality, while expanding into strategic, content, and advocacy-led work for major brands. In the UK, the business is organised around two client-facing areas: Event Production and Creative Strategy, with support from Client Services, Finance, and Logistics.

The company places strong emphasis on people, collaboration, and a positive working culture. It also values diversity and inclusion, combining specialist knowledge with curiosity and bold thinking to create distinctive campaigns and experiences.

Role Summary

As a Creative Strategist, you will partner with the Creative Strategy team to develop original, insight-led ideas for a wide variety of clients. The role spans drinks advocacy, education, experiences, fashion, and sports, with a focus on building brand loyalty, cultural relevance, and standout campaigns.

You will be involved at the earliest stages of projects, from pitch support and research through to shaping strategic frameworks. A strong understanding of the drinks and hospitality sectors is important, along with the ability to spot trends, interpret consumer shifts, and bring innovation into project thinking. You will also work closely with design and production teams so that the strategic direction carries through to final delivery.

This position reports to Terry Cashman, Senior Creative Strategist, and Ioana Iliesiu, Creative Director. The main place of work will be Sweet&Chilli’s London office at 8 Holyrood St, London SE1 2EL, with additional time spent on site for trainings, events, site visits, and client meetings where needed.

Responsibilities

• Create fresh, audience-led ideas that respond to briefs and support agreed KPIs.
• Develop strategic models using the agency’s Brand - Consumer - Landscape framework.
• Turn strategy into practical campaign principles, experience guidelines, messaging structures, and customer journeys.
• Write persuasive copy and communications strategies across a range of channels.
• Keep up with cultural movements, drinks and hospitality trends, consumer behaviour changes, and ideas from outside the sector.
• Present strategic recommendations internally and to clients using polished presentations and strong storytelling.
• Help shape innovation initiatives such as Liquid Futures, thought leadership pieces, and blog content.
• Support business development with clear and inspiring strategic input.

Requirements

• Strong understanding of the drinks and hospitality sector, including brand advocacy programmes, cocktail and menu development, and education and training platforms; service experience is an advantage.
• Experience in brand strategy, creative strategy, or a closely related discipline; agency background is beneficial.
• Well-developed analytical and conceptual thinking, with the ability to break down briefs, identify challenges and opportunities, and recommend effective solutions.
• Comfortable balancing imaginative thinking with commercial awareness so ideas remain impactful and workable at scale.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills, including copywriting.
• Confident using Keynote or PowerPoint; experience with design-led deck creation is a plus.
• Genuine curiosity about culture, brands, and innovation, with a strong ability to spot emerging trends.
• Collaborative, proactive, and comfortable working across different teams and disciplines.
• Able to work standard agency hours and, when needed, additional hours without extra pay to meet business requirements.
• Willingness to work primarily from the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with home working on Wednesday and Friday unless meetings require otherwise.

Perks & Benefits

• Discount package that includes 50% off drinks and 25% off food for up to four guests at Nine Lives or The Gunmakers in Clerkenwell.
• Fitness Class Pass available after probation.
• Paid volunteer days and inspiration days.
• Team drinks at Nine Lives.
• Cycle scheme with discounted payment plans for a new bike and accessories.
• Secure bicycle storage in the studio.
• Office stocked with fruit and coffee.
• Enhanced workplace pension and maternity pay.
• Workplace nursery benefit.

Working Hours & Leave

The standard schedule is Monday to Friday, 09:30 to 18:00. The role follows a hybrid pattern with office attendance on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and working from home on Wednesday and Friday, although internal or client meetings take priority over home working. Extra hours may be needed depending on project demands, with no additional remuneration. Annual leave is 25 days plus public holidays, and some holiday must be taken during the Christmas period.

Application Details

To apply, send your CV and covering letter to [email protected]. Applications close on Friday 3rd July. Recruitment agencies are not being used for this position.

Additional Information

The role is based in London and will involve occasional time on site for events, trainings, site visits, and client meetings. The employer expects a strong cultural awareness, especially across the drinks and hospitality space, alongside broader awareness of consumer shifts, global trends, and innovation beyond the sector.

Sweet&Chilli emphasises diversity, inclusion, curiosity, and bold ideas as part of its working culture.

Reporting line: Terry Cashman, Senior Creative Strategist, and Ioana Iliesiu, Creative Director.

Office address: 8 Holyrood St, London SE1 2EL.