How long have you worked at Global Brands?

1 year

What is your role at Global Brands and what does it entail?

I am a Senior Customer Marketing Manager. I help create exciting activations for venues in the on- trade, from large nationals to small family run pubs and helping our sales team achieve additional sales through visibility, giveaways, innovative serves, and more.

How did you get into it?

I worked in a bar as student for 3 years. Our Heineken rep would come in regularly as we were a big customer and offer hospitality to the managers. When I left university, I worked at a marketing & PR agency which was a bit too slow paced for me and meant I was sat at a desk 5 days a week. I figured I enjoyed going out and being social, so I applied to Heineken on a graduate scheme. I landed a job on their sales team once the program ended for 3 years. I knew I always wanted to work back to marketing though so left the business to do customer marketing in retail at Skechers. But it didn’t have the excitement of the drinks industry, so when I was sent this role by my friend who already worked in the company, I jumped at the opportunity.

What’s the best project you’ve worked on and why?

Working on channel and national plans for Hooch since starting here has been great. Everything we dreamt of we have been able to bring to life, which doesn’t usually happen in large businesses. I got to be creative, work across teams in the business and influence national plans.

What do you like the most about working at Global Brands?

The silliness.

What’s your favourite GB product and why?

Take tequila. It’s a great liquid for true tequila lovers but the flavours also give margs the extra edge. Plus, the branding and bottle look incredible.

And just to be nosy, what’s your favourite packet of crisps?

Literally had this conversation at the weekend so it has to be top 5. They alternate in rank depending on mood.

They are:

1. Cheese Wotsits
2. Sour Cream & Chive Pringles
3. Monster Munch Pickled Onion
4. Walkers Baked Cheese & Onion
5. Skips

What one piece of advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in the drinks industry?

Be adaptable! No product, business, venue or consumer are the same. You may start your day chatting less formally to an operator of a single venue, listening to the hardships they face in the industry and then be more corporate and formal in a meeting in the afternoon talking to larger franchises. But everyone in this industry works with products that make key memories. We get people dancing at concerts, are the reason people gather at the pub and put down their phones and are the first thing that people think about when they want to play sport, celebrate, mourn, gift, and so much more.

So, always have fun and be approachable.