Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K), an international public relations agency, strengthens strategic and creative competences with Zofia Smełka-Leszczyńska who joins as Chief Creative Strategist. Zofia’s role will be to supervise brand building strategic processes and support H+K’s clients in the selection and implementation of cultural positioning, which is the core of the narrative from consumer communication to social engagement. The new Chief Creative Strategies will also participate in the creation and implementation of innovative products in H+K’s offer, such as Smarter+ offer that applies behavioral sciences to public relations.

“The PR business needs transformation, just like any industry or sector whose competence was put under pressure and test during the Covid era. At H+K we keep a close eye on global trends, but we also listen to the needs of our clients, who have more and more often signaled to us that they are interested in creative innovation competences. The appointment of Chief Creative Strategist and Zofia’s inclusion in the company’s top management is a turning point in this transformation, thanks to which we have today probably the strongest offer on the market. – said Grzegorz Szczepański, CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies.

Zofia Smełka-Leszczyńska brings over 13 years of marketing experience gained both in the field of strategy and qualitative research, as well as creation of multi-channel campaigns – from ATL spots, through digital activities, to designing new brands and services. She has a PhD in Cultural Studies, a Master’s degree in Psychology, a post-graduate degree in service design and is the author of the book “Remove up to 30 days. Semiotics of Polish Election Posters”. (Scholar Scientific Publishing House, 2020). Prior to joining H+K, she held the position of Strategy Consultant in Stratosfera, where she supported clients in cultural and semiotic analysis, qualitative research, and brand strategy building. Her career also includes the positions of Associate Creative Director and Digital Group Head at K2 Internet SA, and previously Zofia also worked for Havas, McCann, G7 and Team One. She supported the Ombudsman Office with the strategy of the “16 Days against Violence towards Women” campaign and the Lambda Warszawa Association in the development of the “If you hear it, if you say so” social campaign.

“Modern communication must be not only fresh and visible, but above all culturally relevant and effective in changing attitudes – that is, on the one hand, based on deep and relevant values, and on the other hand, preceded by a diagnosis of the recipient’s motivation, needs and barriers. Combining competences in the field of cultural anthropology, whose tools allow to identify current socio-cultural dilemmas and tensions, with the tools of cognitive psychology and behavioral economics, we are able to design communication that appeals to values important to the recipient and at the same time uses the discoveries of science concerning effective persuasion. The choice of media, platforms and content generation should always be preceded by socio-cultural and behavioral analysis” – adds Zofia Smełka-Leszczyńska, Chief Creative Strategist at Hill+Knowlton Strategies.