Senior BTL Creative / Shopper Marketing Specialist

Role level: Senior / Lead

Discipline: Below-the-line creative, shopper marketing, in-store activation and trade communication

Category focus: Alcohol / liquor portfolio experience across multiple forms of tradeRole Purpose

We are looking for a senior BTL creative expert with deep experience in shopper marketing, in-store communication and trade activation, specifically within the alcohol category. This person must be able to translate brand strategy into powerful retail ideas that influence shopper behaviour, drive conversion and deliver standout visibility across the path to purchase. The ideal candidate is both conceptually strong and commercially sharp: someone who understands how alcohol brands show up across different trade environments, from modern trade and retail chains to on-consumption, independent trade, wholesalers, taverns, bottle stores and event-led environments.

• Lead the development of BTL, shopper and in-store creative concepts for alcohol brands across multiple channels and trade environments.

• Translate brand platforms, campaign ideas and commercial objectives into clear, compelling point-of-purchase ideas that drive visibility, engagement and conversion.

• Develop shopper journeys, in-store mechanics, retail toolkits, promotional campaigns, display concepts, activation ideas and trade communication assets.

• Create channel-specific solutions for modern trade, traditional trade, on-consumption, off-consumption, independent outlets, wholesalers, bottle stores, taverns, festivals, events and hospitality environments.

• Work closely with strategy, account management, client, production and activation teams to ensure ideas are creatively strong, operationally practical and commercially effective.

• Interpret shopper insights, category dynamics, trade requirements and brand guidelines to shape relevant, high-impact creative work.

• Present creative thinking confidently to internal teams and clients, clearly explaining the shopper logic, channel relevance and commercial value of the work.

• Guide and mentor more junior creatives, helping raise the standard of BTL thinking, craft and retail execution across the agency.

• Maintain strong awareness of alcohol category codes, responsible marketing considerations and retailer-specific requirements.

• Significant senior-level experience in BTL, shopper marketing, trade marketing, retail activation or experiential creative, ideally within an agency environment.

• Proven experience working on alcohol, liquor or beverage brands, with a strong understanding of how the category behaves across different forms of trade.

• Strong working knowledge of in-store creative, point-of-sale, promotional mechanics, display systems, activation environments and trade toolkits.

• Experience developing work for both on-trade and off-trade environments, including bars, restaurants, clubs, bottle stores, supermarkets, wholesalers, taverns and informal trade.

• Ability to balance brand-building creativity with practical retail execution, commercial objectives and channel-specific constraints.

• Experience collaborating with production partners, printers, fabricators, activation teams and retail implementation specialists.

• A portfolio that demonstrates strong BTL thinking, shopper insight, in-store craft and alcohol category relevance.

Key Skills and Attributes

• Strong conceptual ability with a clear understanding of shopper behaviour and retail conversion.
• Excellent knowledge of BTL channels, in-store environments and shopper communication principles.
• Commercially minded, with the ability to connect creative ideas to sales, visibility and brand growth objectives.
• Confident presenter and collaborator, able to work with senior clients and cross-functional teams.
• Hands-on creative thinker with strong attention to detail and a practical understanding of how ideas are produced and implemented.
• Comfortable working across fast-moving campaigns, promotional calendars and multiple brand priorities.
• Strong understanding of alcohol category sensitivities, compliance expectations and responsible communication standards.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This role is best suited to a senior creative who understands that winning in alcohol is not only about a strong brand idea, but about how that idea lands in the real world of trade. They should be able to think from the shelf, the counter, the fridge, the bar, the tavern, the event space and the shopper journey — and create work that is noticed, understood and acted on.Nice to Have

• Experience across beer, cider, spirits, RTDs or premium alcohol portfolios.
• Experience developing trade presenter decks, retailer sell-in material and activation playbooks.
• Knowledge of African or South African trade environments, including formal, informal and hybrid retail channels.
• Ability to move comfortably between big campaign thinking and detailed executional requirements.