26/2/25: Award-winning independent experiential agency, Hot Pickle, is today announcing a brand refresh and re-positioning that reflects the evolution of an agency that is responding to the increasingly important role of ‘experiences’ as a potent communications and commercial vehicle for brands.
“This is about us looking after our own brand the way we look after our clients’ brands. Getting our own home in shape and sharpening the business,” said Rupert Pick, Global Managing Director, Hot Pickle. “Having moved from client side to set up the agency 15 years ago, we remain mildly obsessed with the financial payback of our work to our client’s brands. That’s why we model and operate experiences as well as deliver the creative aspects.”
Brand Homes and Flagships
2024 was a big year for Hot Pickle. The agency celebrated 15 years of creating experiences for global brands including Guinness, Magnum and Coca-Cola and launched a US office headed up by co-founder Patrick Hammond. And, after almost two decades since launching the UK’s first Marmite shop in Regent Street, Hot Pickle created and delivered several celebrated permanent and semi-permanent brand homes, flagships and retail concepts including Guinness Gatehouse in Shanghai, Smirnoff’s Taste Exchange, Hennessy at Selfridges and Sazerac’s acclaimed Buffalo Trace retail and tasting hub in Covent Garden – the distillery’s first official home outside of Kentucky.
Alongside Brand Homes, Hot Pickle will continue to expand its ‘Integrated Experience Campaigns’ and ‘Experience Design and Innovation’ pillars for an expanding list of global brands.
Hot Pickle Trading
Pickles are having a moment – and the striking re-design and brand refresh (with a nod to 50s Americana) by Texas-based graphic designer and illustrator, John Schubert – runs with the theme. The white and red logo featuring a pickle jar lid includes the strapline ‘Remarkable experiences for remarkable brands.’
Leadership re-structure
As part of the agency’s re-positioning, a new leadership structure has been announced: Co-Founder Rupert Pick is now Global MD with Co-Founder Patrick Hammond US Lead and Head of Strategy and Co-Founder Andrew St. Clair-Johnson becoming Head of Production & Design.
Rupert added: “I’m as excited about our business as ever. The experience sector is evolving at pace, and standing still simply isn’t an option. That dynamism makes it an incredibly stimulating space to work in—and a powerful platform for brands to launch truly new ideas and build deeper engagement.”
