Our client, a Global Beauty brand, is seeking a Creative Director Consultant. The role will be 3 months to start with the potential for ongoing freelance for the right fit. This role operates on a hybrid schedule and talent must be able to commute into offices in Flatiron NYC.
The Director, Creative is responsible for leading and executing creative that supports the overall North America regional brand strategy, including 360 campaigns, digital and social content, in-store and VM collateral, paid media, and special events. They will partner multiple cross-functional teams to ensure that all business objectives are met while maintaining and adhering to established brand guidelines. Candidate must be passionate about the beauty industry and possess an elevated aesthetic influenced by adjacent industries and relevant culture points.
The successful candidate will be a creative leader with a deep understanding of digital and physical landscapes with a focus on the North America Region. They will have a strong ability to interpret a strategic, 360 creative brief and understand business objectives. This person has demonstrated experience conceptualizing and executing impactful, engaging, and cohesive creative across platforms from digital, social, in-store, and experiences. They are well informed on the latest digital/social trends and content and is an early adopter with a passion for innovation and ability to react in a manner that continually helps to evolve the brand's platforms. Responsible for the development and execution of all creative aspects of the brand at a regional level.
Must be able to:
- Adapt global campaigns and activations for regional and market use considering all local nuances
- Concept and direct regional campaigns and activations within the brand guidelines
- Ensures creative is rooted in brand equity and strategy
- Elevates importance of cross-channel storytelling; fosters and hones team’s editorial ability to craft and articulate benefit-driven communication
- Builds capability in team to judge strength of creative assets
- Work in partnership with third party agencies and cross-functional business teams to develop creative briefs / design turnovers and oversee execution and deployment
Key Performance Areas
Creative and Content (60%)
- Lead, manage, develop and inspire the Creative team, both day to day and long term – engage team in the strategic vision and delivery activities
- Direct full scope of North America led asset creation by channel, platform and retailer across categories. This includes Free-Standing Stores, Retail Partner locations, Brand.com and Retailer.com.
- Collaborate with cross-functional North America teams, Global teams and outside agencies (as applicable).
- Utilize Global guidelines while executing regionally relevant programs that meet North American strategies, timing and financial goals.
- Acts as the local guardian of the Brand creative guidelines and drive local relevancy across platforms
- Leads Brand in driving consistency of message across all consumer touchpoints in North America
- Owns the voice of the brand for all translations to ensure the equity is protected and projected
- Works closely with marketing to maximize paid media, social media, PR and influencer strategies, event concepts and in-store visualization
- Oversees all design, content creation, photography, video
Planning and project management (30%)
- Works with in house or external producers to plan and execute photo and video shoots
- Problem-solves and thinks fast on your feet to deliver quick turnaround when required; ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
- Participates in weekly status meetings and coordinates daily with cross-functional teams
Research, innovation and trend-spotting (10%)
- Stays familiar with competitive brand activity, as well as leading non-beauty brands
- Research niche brands and creative/editorial outlets for the latest trends and inspiration
- Drives creative brainstorms with cross-functional team to help surface new, innovative ways to create content
- Maintain awareness of current trends in visual merchandising and cross-channel, and complete in-store site visits to observe counters in action and/or approve production, research trends and materials
- Maintain awareness of current social and digital trends in the beauty and adjacent spaces
Qualifications:
- Minimum 10 years of relevant experience
- BA / BFA in Design, Graphic Arts, or related field
- Ability to travel up-to 10%
- Excellent creative and conceptualization skills with an ability to both create unique, diverse content and to adapt existing content for region specific needs
- Experience in beauty or an adjacent category either from the brand or agency side
- Expert knowledge and experience in graphic design, art direction, campaign and content concepting
- Experience with on-set creative direction for photo and video
- Working knowledge of digital and social platform standards as well as general print design standards
- Must have excellent skills in creative ideation and implementation of seasonal campaigns as well as daily content delivery and consumer and influencer activation
- Must have experience working with agency partners, talent, casting and production teams
- Fluency in Adobe Creative Suite inclusive of Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop
- Illustration and animation skills is a plus
- Experience with video editing and motion-graphics software a plus
- Knowledge of retail and online environments required
- Excellent communication, organizational and presentation skills
- Excellence and proven ability working in a fast-paced and complex environment
