Brand Strategist

Join our accomplished and growing team of exceptional marketers! Ignite a rewarding career in a fast-paced and exciting industry! Sparks has locations in Kitchener and London, Ontario and we are seeking a talented and driven individual to join our Creative team!

The Brand Strategist is a key member of our Creative team, responsible for developing and executing brand strategies that inspire and deliver results for our clients. You will work closely with the accounts team, digital team, creative team, and clients to shape a brands identity, positioning, and overall messaging, ensuring that everything we do is aligned with business objectives and consumer insights. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of brand development, consumer behaviour, and market trends, with a passion for crafting brands that resonate and the ability to present and articulate creative concepts to clients, effectively communicating the rationale behind design decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Brand Strategy Development: Lead the creation of comprehensive brand strategies, including brand positioning, messaging frameworks, and competitive analysis. Translate insights into actionable recommendations for brand growth.
• Client Collaboration: Work directly with clients to understand their business goals, challenges, and target audiences. Build strong relationships and serve as the go-to brand expert.
• Market Research & Insights: Conduct qualitative and quantitative research (consumer surveys, focus groups, competitive analysis, etc.) to identify market opportunities and consumer needs.
• Creative Collaboration: Partner with the creative team to ensure the brand strategy is reflected in all creative work, from visual identity to content.
• Brand Guidelines & Consistency: Develop brand guidelines to ensure consistency across all brand touchpoints and deliverables.
• Campaign Strategy: Work alongside account management and media teams to develop integrated campaigns that align with the brand strategy and achieve client objectives.
• Reporting & Analytics: Track the performance of brand initiatives and campaigns, providing regular updates to clients and internal teams. Use data to refine strategies and drive continuous improvement.
• Thought Leadership: Stay up to date on the latest trends in branding, marketing, and consumer behavior. Share insights with clients and the internal team to inspire new ideas and approaches.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in brand strategy, marketing, or a related field. Previous agency experience is preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or a related field a benefit.
• Strong strategic and creative thinking abilities
• Proven ability to present/pitch to a room full of prospective or current clients and articulate the rationale behind our creative strategy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient in market research, consumer insights, and data analysis
• Experience working with brand positioning and messaging frameworks
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Expertise in collaborating with cross-functional teams (creative, digital, accounts, etc.)
• Familiarity with analytics tools, consumer research platforms, and digital, traditional and experiential marketing is an asset.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Collaborative and open-minded approach
• A passion for brands, culture, and innovation

What Sparks Has to Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• A collaborative and innovative work environment
• Professional development opportunities and room for career growth
• Flexible work environment (remote, with select in-office opportunities based on location)

Sparks is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, record, record of offenses, marital status, family status or disability.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits and training. Should you require any special accommodations to apply for this job, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we would be happy to accommodate.

We would like to thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.