What does a Creative Director do?
The job of a creative director is to lead a team that may be composed of graphic designers, artists, or other creative professionals. They would be involved in every aspect of a collaboration from the idea phase to the execution. During a project, they supervise and guide copywriters, artists, and designers to create a work, such as a website, an advertisement, or an email campaign. They report to a chief marketing officer (CMO) for major decisions and approvals, but they do most of their work independently, using their professional judgment to manage the day-to-day details of their projects.
Creative directors usually possess a bachelor's degree or higher in a background relevant to their industry. For instance, a creative director leading teams to create commercials may have a degree in marketing or graphic design. Professionals in this industry must work well under pressure as they manage diverse teams working on multiple projects under strict deadlines.
- Mentor and encourage creative team members to foster a positive work environment
- Shoulder the responsibility of the quality and completion of all work projects assigned to members of the creative team
- Participate in and provide regular opportunities for professional development and growth to team
- Report progress of projects at major stages of their conception, creation, and execution
- Ensure designs and content reflect consistently and positively the brand image and company ideals
- Work with internal and external strategic partners to create products using the most current industry best practices
- Serve as a liaison between the marketing and creative team and between the creative team and individual clients
- Anticipate problems that may impede a project from completing on time and implement solutions
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Familiarity with a variety of software programs, such as Photoshop, InDesign, and Flash
- Knowledge of how to develop brand identities through multi-channel marketing
- Good comfort level interacting with high-profile clients and industry professionals
- Evidence of participation in ongoing professional development opportunities in the areas of graphic design or social media
- Recent hands-on experience with applying design, copy, or web best practices
- Professional business skills, such as negotiation, project management, and leadership
- Web design experience an advantage, especially using HTML5 and WordPress
- Talent in presenting information concisely and accurately, with keen attention to detail
Creative Director Salaries
Average Base Pay
Creative Director Career Path
Learn how to become a Creative Director, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Creative Director Insights
Loyola University New Orleans“You get to make your own schedule and the faculty are really nice and understanding.”
McCann Worldgroup“Friendly place but not really motivate you to grow because it is difficult to have some space to develop himself.”
Preloaded“Everyone I worked with had so much enthusiasm and passion for the project which was really great to see.”
Dropbox“I get a lot of ownership of my work and many opportunities to create and drive initiatives.”
“Work Life Balance but it's because you want to achieve the best work you can do in your life”
Capital One“Work life balance is one of the top 5 mentions I would add to my list”
BYJU'S“Good salary if you have good experience.. Can learn a pipeline work style..”
The Beachbody Company“Owners is good guy but not interested in any ideas other than his own which unfortunately make sink the ship.”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of a Creative Director
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