Creative Director

What is a Creative Director?

Similar Job Titles:

Art Director

Below an Executive Creative Director is a Creative Director. Creative Directors can work within an in-house or agency environment. These individuals often oversee a team of creative professionals by providing guidance and management on various projects. They coordinate work among a team of designers and/or creative professionals as well as ensure that the concept is designed properly within the development phases to meet brand consistency.

What does a Creative Director do, typically?

• Provide guidance and leadership to a team of designers and/or creative professionals
• Help a creative team overcome obstacles that arise within a project and offer solutions
• Give updates on the progress of each project and stage of their development and creation phase to executive creative leadership
• Provide project management, professional development, and department growth opportunities

Here’s more information about what Creative Directors do:

Defines the creative vision

A Creative Director defines the creative vision for brands, advertising campaigns, and marketing messages. They may work within a traditional, print environment, with digital projects, or, they may do a mix of print and digital. More importantly, Creative directors need to have a holistic understanding of the entire creative process. They need to recognize great copy, design, and fresh approaches to selling goods or services.

Ensures a cohesive look and feel

The job is to maintain a cohesive look and feel of a project. Creative Directors ensure that the visuals, messaging, and interactive elements of a project are properly aligned with the creative vision and brand standards.

Establishes budgets & timelines

A Creative Director also establishes budgets and timelines. They establish schedules for short-term and long-term projects, plan tasks accordingly, and ensure goals and deadlines are met. Creative Directors are also charged with ensuring that the execution of all creative work stays within budget.

Leads the creative team

Leading a team as a Creative Director is a lot of responsibility. Creative Directors mentor, motivate, and supervise the creatives on their team. They nurture their creatives’ ideas and monitor their overall performance. Plus, they assist in hiring and managing freelance and full-time Copywriters, Graphic Designers, and other members of the creative team.

Creative Directors are not Art Directors

While the Creative Director establishes the creative vision behind a project, the Art Director is in charge of executing the vision. Art Directors carry a project through the production department as well as through other creative stages, including editing and printing.

They also articulate the creative vision to a team of artists and determine how to best represent the concept expressed by the Creative Director. This may include determining which artistic components to use and other duties such as reviewing and approving photography, design, and copy. Generally, Art Directors are active in the execution process and help create images, illustrations, and copy for projects.

Important metrics for a Creative Director

• Lead Time Per Project
• Estimated vs. Actual Project Time
• Estimated vs Actual Project Budget
• Client Satisfaction Ratings

Creative Director Salary

US Based, employer-reported data for a Creative Director:

• 25th Percentile $105K
• Average $129.2K
• 75th Percentile $150.7K

Creative Director Job Description

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