Embracing everyday indulgence:
Baileys’ approach to treating

19 Dec 2025 Innovation Our Brands Culture

As indulgence shifts from big occasions to everyday moments, brands are rethinking how they show up in people’s lives. In this edition of A ‘Minute’ With, we meet Sarah Blake, Global Brand Director of Baileys, to explore how the iconic brand is embracing a culture of everyday treating — turning small moments of joy into meaningful brand connections.

Meet the mind behind Baileys’ little treat culture

Diageo’s new series, A ‘Minute’ With, offers a glimpse behind the brands you know - and the people building them. Meet the leaders responsible for creating and executing world class strategies, campaigns, products and activations, the ones balancing big ambition with everyday decisions. Explore their career journeys, what drives them, what inspires their thinking - and what genuinely keeps them up at night.

Sarah Blake has treating in her DNA. With a career shaped by brands that celebrate joy, pleasure and playfulness - including heading up marketing for Ben & Jerry’s at Unilever - she brings a deep understanding of how small moments of enjoyment can create meaningful brand connections

Her sweet tooth took her from the world of ice cream to Baileys joining as Global Brand Director in 2024. Sold in over 150 countries worldwide with more than 100 million bottles produced and packaged every year in Ireland, Baileys is on a mission to make everyday treat moments feel a little more indulgent. Under Sarah’s stewardship, Baileys is evolving from a Festive classic into a year-round icon of deliciousness.

How Baileys is building relevance through moments of adult indulgence

Treating is no longer confined to big moments or single seasons. Consumers are looking for small, delicious, spontaneous pleasures as part of regular life – the kind of moments that don’t need a reason but still feel special.

This is where Baileys can meet the ever growing ‘Little Treat Culture’, fuelled by today’s consumer behaviour and our desire for feel-good experiences. While Baileys is synonymous with the festive season – our Super Bowl moment – when over two bottles are sold every second in Great Britain,⁽¹⁾ we’re unlocking relevance in unexpected occasions and spaces throughout the year, whilst staying rooted in the indulgence and playfulness that define Baileys.

We’re also seeing a broader cultural shift towards neo-hedonism. As pressures on time, money and energy increase, people are finding comfort in smaller, more accessible forms of escapism.

This helps explain why little treats matter. Whether it’s a coffee ritual, a shared dessert or a familiar flavour enjoyed in a new way, it’s less about excess and more about choosing moments that make the everyday feel richer, and our job is to make sure that Baileys is at the heart of these experiences.

^{Nielsen (Off Trade); CGA (On Trade). Data Asset - Retail Sales (based on Nov-December 2023 sales period)}

Rooted in heritage, built for versatility

Baileys is the world’s first cream liqueur, and that heritage has been a powerful asset as we’ve evolved the brand. It gives us an inherent versatility - allowing us to show up as a drink, a mixer or an ingredient - and to meet people wherever they choose to treat themselves: over coffee, in cocktails, in dessert-inspired serves, or simply on ice.

What matters is that this stretch hasn’t come from reinventing who we are. Instead, we’ve embraced creative consistency. We’ve focused on expressing our most recognisable qualities - creaminess, generosity and a sense of indulgence - in new and unexpected ways. By staying consistent to these core cues, we’ve been able to innovate across formats, flavours and occasions while still feeling unmistakably Baileys.

A prominent example of this approach is our partnership with Caffè Nero in the UK and Tim Hortons in Canada. Bringing Baileys into premium coffee occasions extended the brand into daytime and year-round occasions, turning a familiar ritual into something more rewarding. It’s a reminder that relevance doesn’t always come from doing something entirely new - often it comes from showing up differently, in the right places.

Flavours as an invitation to treat differently

Flavour plays a deliberate role in how we invite people to enjoy Baileys in new ways. Alongside the original, flavour innovation allows us to unlock different moments and moods - from coffee-led occasions to desserts, cocktails and seasonal serves.

Limited-edition flavours give us permission to be more playful and expressive, responding to the rhythm of the year. Summer launches like Baileys Colada bring a lighter, more relaxed feel, while winter favourites such as Terry’s Chocolate Orange tap into warmth, comfort and nostalgia.

Importantly, flavour innovation is about relevance, not novelty. Each new expression is designed around a clear moment of enjoyment, reinforcing Baileys’ role in both everyday treating and special occasions.

Bringing little treat culture to life

Experiential activations play a key role in turning little treat culture into something people can experience. These spaces invite people into the Baileys world - to taste, share, capture and indulge.

A standout example this festive season is The Baileys Treat Stop at Dublin Airport. Running through December 2025, the Treat Stop offers travellers a curated line-up of Baileys-inspired drinks - from hot chocolate to espresso martinis - paired with complimentary chocolate truffles.

Alongside exclusive limited-edition festive bottles and gifting, the activation creates a multisensory experience that elevates travel moments into memorable indulgences. It reinforces Baileys’ role not just as a drink, but as a small luxury, one that can elevate even the most everyday moments.

Showing up where people already celebrate

Ultimately, people are looking for small moments that feel good. Little treats that are easy, enjoyable and worth sharing. That’s exactly what we’re building with Baileys’ little treat culture - by staying true to who we are, using our versatility thoughtfully, and showing up in everyday moments that matter.

The result is a brand that continues to own its biggest seasonal moment, while using deep consumer insight to earn a role in both big and small celebrations throughout the year - from planned moments of togetherness to spontaneous, everyday treats.

Quick-fire questions with Sarah Blake

01.

What’s your go-to Diageo drink?

Baileys espresso martini.

02.

What’s your favourite bar snack?

Roasted almonds.

03.

Fill in the blank: Marketing at Diageo is ___

Marketing at Diageo is about harnessing consumer insight, data and outstanding creativity to spark demand and drive growth.

04.

What’s one thing you’re reading, watching or listening to right now?

A podcast from The Diary of a CEO. I'm focusing on the topic of the rise of AI and there is an amazing episode with Geoffrey Hinton, the godfather of AI.

05.

What’s your most used emoji in your work messages?

Flexed bicep, it's a symbol of encouragement - just go for it!

06.

What’s your favourite bar to go-to?

The Westbury in Dublin is magical at Christmas. I love seeing how Baileys shows up, equally, the people watching is amazing!

07.

What’s a marketing buzzword you secretly love?

Let's double click on that.

08.

What’s a marketing buzzword you non-so-secretly loathe?

Circle back.

09.

If you were a Diageo brand, which brand would you be, and why?

Well, obviously Baileys - making moments warmer and sweeter. I try not to take life too seriously.

10.

If you could swap jobs with someone in Diageo for a day, who would it be?

I’d love to step into the shoes of Farmer Joe on the Baileys farm. one of the 1,500 farms that we partner with in Ireland. Spending a day behind the scenes with our Baileys ladies (cows) would be great content to capture and share.