Creative Strategist

Role OverviewWe’re looking for a freelance Creative Strategist who can turn cultural insight, social trends, and raw ideas into clear strategic direction and high-impact concepts. You’ll help shape the creative POV of campaigns across music, entertainment, lifestyle, and brand activations - working closely with Adrian, Miguel, and our creative team.This is a role for someone who lives on the internet, understands communities, and has strong instincts for what resonates right now.You should be just as comfortable developing brand strategies & campaign concepts as you are researching creator partners, analyzing audience behavior, and writing strategic decks.This role can start as remote but we want someone who will be willing to work in office in Los Angeles.What You’ll DoStrategy & InsightsTranslate cultural trends, audience behaviors, and platform shifts into strategic recommendationsDevelop creative insights, campaign angles, and “the big idea” conceptsBuild clear briefs for creative, design, and social teamsIdentify what makes an idea culturally sticky, shareable, and platform-nativeCampaign DevelopmentHelp concept influencer campaigns, social series, brand activations, and creative stuntsCollaborate with the creative team on ideation sessions (narratives, scripts, formats, storylines)Build structures for campaigns (narratives, content pillars, rollout plans)Support pitching by shaping decks, messaging, and high-level story arcsResearch & AnalysisConduct competitive/industry research across music, entertainment, CPG, and lifestyle sectorsAnalyze audience insights and creator communitiesIdentify influencer categories, talent pools, and cultural networks (Latino, Gen Z, music culture, creator economy)Track performance of content or campaigns to identify learningsCreator & Influencer StrategyRecommend creators for campaigns (TikTok, IG, YouTube) based on tone, aesthetic, audience matchHelp build our growing network of creators across Latino, hip-hop, alternative, and pop culture spacesDevelop briefs and storytelling angles for creator-led contentIdentify emerging creators early — people who are about to popInternal CollaborationWork closely with Adrian and Miguel to develop Need Pastel’s creative POVPartner with the social/content team to build platform-specific strategiesSupport Jen and the PM team with clear, actionable briefsAdd strategic clarity to big ideas so the team knows exactly how they should executeWhat You BringExperience working at a creative agency, production company, or brand is a plusDeep curiosity about culture, especially music, youth culture, internet culture, and creator communitiesStrong writing and concepting ability (decks, briefs, POV docs)Understanding of TikTok/IG trends, creator behavior, and cultural momentsA POV on what makes things go viral, get shared, or resonate emotionallyThrives in fast, scrappy, creative environmentsComfortable switching between strategy, research, and creative development