My food & drink job: Jacob Barrett, senior brand manager, Hooch

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Jacob Barrett

Name: Jacob Barrett

Age: 27

Job title: Senior brand manager – Hooch

Company & location: Global Brands, Chesterfield

Education: Contemporary History at Newcastle University

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a filmmaker. Growing up, I was forever renting movies, writing at home and involved in performing where I could. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling and travelling – I just didn’t realise at the time that brand marketing would end up being my way into that.

Why did you decide to go for a career in drink? I was interested in the drinks industry from a young age, whether that was behind the bar, working club nights, or being at festivals each summer. There’s an energy to the late-night industry that really appealed to me. You’re ultimately selling a good time and seeing people genuinely enjoy something you’ve helped build is incredibly rewarding.

“There’s also a real sense of culture in drinks brands, especially ones with heritage like Hooch and VK”

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): My roles a bit of a ’jack of all trades, master of none’. It’s to act as a brand guardian, shaping the strategy, personality and direction of the brand, while helping steer our team and agency partners to deliver the best possible results and build a consistent brand world.

What does a typical day look like for you? No two days are the same, which is part of the appeal. One minute I’ll be in budget reviews or sales numbers, the next I’m working on campaign ideas, NPD or creative briefs. There’s also a lot of project management involved, keeping plans on track, adapting quickly when things change, and making sure the brand plan comes to life. Fmcg moves fast, and drinks even faster.

hooch

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: Global Brands is local to me and independent, which is increasingly rare and something I value. The process involved multiple stages, giving me the chance to ask questions, properly understand the business, and decide if it was the right for me too.

As part of the process, I had to pitch a campaign idea, which was a great opportunity to get under the skin of the brands and demonstrate how I think and work creatively. It felt more of a two-way conversation rather than a tick-box exercise.

What’s the best part about working for a drinks company? There’s a lot to enjoy- seeing people engage with something you’ve helped create, whether that’s in a pub, club or supermarket shelf. Likewise, you get to work with a huge mix of people, from bartenders and owners in trade, to creatives and designers behind the scenes.

That range of perspectives keeps things interesting and constantly challenges how you think. There’s also a real sense of culture in drinks brands, especially ones with heritage like Hooch and VK, where people genuinely have memories attached to them.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in drinks? That it’s all parties and freebies. Those moments definitely exist: launches, events, activations, they come off the back of a lot of hard work, long days and problem-solving. The fun bits are earned, which makes them even better.

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the drinks industry? Be curious, be adaptable and take advantage of new opportunities. Get experience wherever you can, no matter how big or small, and be prepared for things to change quickly. Most importantly, think outside the box and enjoy the ride.

What’s your ultimate career dream? To continue building brands that people genuinely care about: brands with personality, cultural impact and longevity. If that journey involves film, travel or building something of my own one day, even better.