Creative Art Director - Experiential & Retail

Company Description The Cocktail Story is a 360° marketing agency dedicated to the alco-bev industry, creating integrated brand experiences that connect beverage brands, hospitality partners, and consumers. Founded in 2019, the agency operates from New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad with in-house production and a strong pan-India execution network. Its expertise spans creative & design, retail strategy, production, and activations & experiences, delivering end-to-end campaigns from shelf to sip. The Cocktail Story collaborates with leading alco-bev brands across India, blending strategy, storytelling, and seamless execution. At its core, the agency focuses on building culture, championing bartenders as key influencers and elevating their craft through curated platforms and experiences.

Role Description The Creative Art Director – Experiential & Retail (full-time, remote) will lead concept development and visual direction for experiential campaigns, retail displays, and in-store brand activations. This role involves translating brand strategy into compelling creative concepts, guiding design teams on graphics, POSM, visual merchandising, and packaging for alco-bev clients. The Creative Art Director will collaborate closely with strategy, production, and activation teams to ensure creative ideas are feasible, aligned with brand goals, and consistent across touchpoints. Day-to-day responsibilities include briefing and mentoring designers, reviewing and refining creative work, presenting concepts to clients, and overseeing final execution quality for both retail and experiential projects. The role requires proactive coordination with internal stakeholders and external partners to deliver immersive, on-brand experiences across markets.

Qualifications

• Strong Creative Direction and Art Direction skills, with proven experience leading visual narratives for experiential and retail environments.
• Expertise in Branding and Creative Strategy, including brand identity development and integrated campaign thinking for consumer-facing brands.
• Proficiency in Graphics and visual design workflows, with the ability to guide designers on layouts, typography, and visual merchandising assets.
• Experience in experiential marketing, retail design, and in-store activations, preferably within lifestyle, FMCG, or alco-bev categories.
• Advanced skills in design and presentation tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Keynote/PowerPoint) and familiarity with production processes.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, with experience presenting concepts to clients and coordinating cross-functional teams remotely.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects and timelines, and maintain high creative standards under fast-paced conditions.
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in Design, Visual Communication, Advertising, or a related field; experience in agencies or brand-side creative teams is an advantage.