Job: Brand Ambassador – High End Wines & Spirits – Chicago / Midwest

Our Client

Our client for this opportunity is a very large and well known high end Wines & Spirits group.

Objective

The Brand Ambassador position is focused on creating consumer connections between the brand and high net-worth individuals in Metro areas across the Midwest, but predominantly in Chicago. The Brand Ambassador will make the brand more visible, talked about and requested as a must-have luxury item among these individuals and their peers. He/She will be responsible for increasing the visibility of and desire for the brand with consumers who have a flair for conspicuous consumption, connection and/or connoisseurship, including financiers, entrepreneurs, fashionistas, socialites, athletes, musicians, realtors, restaurateurs, etc

Ideal Profile

Someone with strong PR and event skills coming for luxury goods regardless of the category. The right candidate will have to be available to evening and week-end events!

Job Description

CONSUMER NETWORKING

Use networking ability and connections to infiltrate target consumer groups to make the brand an essential ritual of a luxury lifestyle. For example: for the finance industry, make the brand the de-facto deal closer celebration; for fashion and entertainment, make the brand the de-facto toast after a successful event; for all entertainers/socialites make our brand the drink of choice for reconnecting with friends and for toasting a new relationship, etc. The ambassador will also identify and leverage current aficionados in the target consumer groups. This networking should take place as sampling and socializing via private clubs, charity events, and/or on-premise accounts that service the targets.

EVENT MANAGEMENT

Create and execute events that will showcase the brand for the target consumers. Events will include intimate dinners or cocktails parties that feature the brand’s moments and are arranged through consumers. The events may also include activities where our brand can be a part of a cross promotional/cross-marketing opportunity, arranged through business/corporate contacts. At such events, the brand must have primary sponsorship with clear visibility and little competition – our brand must be an integral, seamless part of the event. These types of events may include private club events, charity events, luxury jet and home time share events, new boutique or restaurant openings, and/ or private sales where our brand is an integral part of the menu.

At the events the ambassador must ensure proper brand display and intimate sampling. Ultimately associate our brand as the toast to commemorate all special life-marker occasions (i.e. winning awards, celebrating successes, openings and launches, etc).

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Create sales by developing relationships and creating sales with organizations that provide luxury gifts to employees or clients (i.e. banks, realtors, etc). The ambassador will develop relationship with key decision makers at other luxury organizations to enhance our brand’s position as an essential ritual of a luxury lifestyle. The ambassador will make our brand part of luxury store in-store or window displays.   The ambassador will also make our brand the gift of choice for corporate gift giving (i.e. financial deal closings, real estate sales, client holiday gifts, etc).

Key Performance Indicators

The Brand Ambassador will be held accountable to key performance indicators regarding quality of experiences and the return on investment of those experiences. These include:

• Number of quality events executed
• Quality of consumers sampled on the brand
• Quality of and number of luxury partnerships established
• Increased mentions of the brand in public space (i.e. press coverage of events)
• Increased brand sales from business to business outreach

Requirements

• Food and wine knowledge/experience also a plus.
• Sales and marketing knowledge a plus.
• Confident personality with excellent personal presentation and communication skills.   Fluent English required.
• Outgoing nature: someone who loves to be around and educate people.
• Ability to communicate enthusiasm for the product and category (knowledge we will teach).
• Flexible schedule/Non- standard hours to meet travel requirements of 50%, two thirds of which will be overnight travel. May include weekend hours.
• College degree plus 3-5+ years of work experience desired.
• Appreciated previous experience: Bacardi, Bardinet, Beam Suntory, Brown Forman, Campari, Constellation Brands, Distell, Camus Cognac, Diageo, Jose Cuervo, LVMH, Marie Brizard, Maxxium, Moet Hennessy, Patron Spirits, Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau, Stoli, Edrington, WEBB, William Grant & Sons, Zamora, etc.
• Appreciated previous titles: Area Sales Manager, Area Export Manager, Area Manager, Account Executive, Business Development Manager, Territory Manager, Key Account Manager