The Creative Department of an Advertising Agency

The Creative Department of an Advertising AgencyThe Creative Department of an Advertising AgencyAlthough every department is essential in an advertising agency, the creative department is the one that defines it. If an advertising agency has a product, it is creative work. And that is done by the talented people who work in the creative department. Everything from print ads and direct mail, to broadcast ads, websites, social media, and guerrilla campaigns are conceived here. Without the creative department, there is no agency. In fact, many people consider the creative department to be the engine of the machine, although, without the other departments to support it, there would be no work anyway. Although it varies a little from agency to agency, the creative department is generally made up of similar roles who perform similar duties. Creative Directors If the creative buck stops with anyone, its the creative directors (CD). It is their job to ensure that the work the teams are d oing is on brief and of a certain quality. Creative directors also decide which teams will work on which projects, the time needed to solve it, and will often be there to present the work to the client, alongside the team that devised the campaign. When the occasion arises, CDs may have to help with a schwierigkeit, or even solve it if no other creative person can. Its for this reason that the CD is often called the last line of defense in the creative department. With a background as a copywriter or an art director, and sometimes a designer or account executive, the creative director steers the work, and if successful, is instrumental in making the agency a financial and critical success. Creative directors like David Abbott, Bill Bernbach, Lee Clow, and alexanderplatz Bogusky shaped their agencies in this way. Some agencies have several levels of creative director, starting with the associate creative director, creative director, senior creative director, and finally, executive cr eative director. Copywriters There are many levels of copywriter in an ad agency, depending on its size, client base, and the types of projects in which it specializes. For example, an agency that focuses on direct marketing and web content will have more writers on staff than an agency focused on packaging and point of sale. Copywriters usually work in conjunction with art directors or designers, a workflow devised by Bill Bernbach of Doyle Dane Bernbach in the late 1950s. That model is becoming less popular these days, as agencies staff up or down with freelancers based on workload. At the low end of the rung is the junior copywriter. After a year or so, that position changes to copywriter, then senior copywriter, and then associate creative director. Junior writers work on the low-level projects, and are coached by more senior staff until they find their footing. Copywriters work on anything from the smallest erreichbar ads and banners to full-blown integrated campaigns. And they are not just the creatives who come up with the words- copywriters are usually strategic, creative thinkers, proposing as many visual ideas as art directors and designers. Art Directors Just like copywriters, there are art director levels within agencies that range from junior to senior and finally to the art director role. An art director works alongside copywriters and designers to craft a campaign, and is as much of a creative thinker as the writer. Although art directors have the word art in the title, drawing skills are not required. This is a job of creative problem solving - execution can be handled by other people. When the art director takes on a project, he or she will work hand-in-hand with the creative director to establish the look and feel of the campaign. Most art directors have excellent computer and design skills, but that is not always necessary. If the agency has a team of top designers, art directors can direct them to implement their vision. Designer s There are many types of designers, including those proficient in graphic design, web design, and even product design. However, most agencies have graphic designers on staff to assist the art directors and copywriters with campaign materials, and also to work on jobs that require pure design without the need for a concept team. Designers are valued members of the team, as they can take ideas to the next level and give the finished work a polish that the creative team could not add. In smaller agencies, designers may not be on staff, but are hired as freelancers as required, or will work at a design studio whose services are requested from time to time. Web Developers Working alongside the designers and art directors are the web developers. With so much emphasis being placed on digital, it is a role that has become invaluable to most agencies. Some digital agencies employ a whole team of developers, while others have just a couple of staff to assist on digital portions of the c ampaign. Web developers job is to help design the online experience, code it, modify it, and sometimes maintain it. They should have excellent user experience (UX) skills, and be proficient in clear navigation and user-friendly platforms. Production Artists Production akrobats have the sometimes thankless task of preparing campaigns for print. This job includes setting the files up for the printing press, creating versions of one ad for multiple publications and media, and also creating updates to existing campaigns. Although its not a job that requires a lot of critical thinking, it does require great attention to detail and a studious disposition. Sketch/Storyboard Artists Some agencies, especially those that do a lot of TV and outdoor advertising, have a sketch artist or wrister on staff. This is someone who can quickly and skillfully sketch storyboards for TV shoots, or for image campaigns. In the past, sketch artists worked with pencils and markers, but these days its j ust as quick, and easier in many respects, to use a tablet, as digital sketches can be altered and colorized many different times based on client feedback.

The Design of Your Workplace Can Impact How Innovative Employees Feel

The Design of Your Workplace Can Impact How Innovative Employees FeelThe Design of Your Workplace Can Impact How Innovative Employees FeelThe Design of Your Workplace Can Impact How Innovative Employees Feel ConlanDoes your office inspire your employees to be more innovative and creative? Is it a place that generates workplace productivity?A survey by Gensler, a konzeption firm based in San Francisco, cites a connection between the design of work spaces and the level of innovation employees say they feel a part of. Not surprisingly, a well-considered work space helps drive creativity and a culture of performance.The goal is to enable employees to perform their daily work routines and leave room for creative inspiration.You never know when, or where, the next big idea will strike, says Cory Grosser of Cory Grosser + Associates, a design studio based in Pasadena, California. Workplace design is increasingly reflecting this realization by providing more variety, Grosser says.Here are so me ideas on how to structure your workplace design and cultivate creative innovation at your company.Delineate Spaces to Allow Collaboration and FocusThe open-plan workplace, once the darling of forward-thinking and dynamic employers, is starting to fade away. Why? It tends to increase distraction, not to mention transmission of illness.Instead of an open space floorplan, experts say, think about separate spaces for group and individual work. The Gensler report found that innovative companies are five times more likely to have workspaces that prioritize both individual and group workspaces.Collaborationmay be the buzzword of the decade for workplace design, but without its counterpart worker focus productivity may actually decline, Grosser says. Providing both private offices and workstations that are visually and acoustically separated from larger spaces that facilitate group work is important.Build for FlexibilityA rigid, unchanging environment can feel stagnant and put a damper on creative efforts. Spaces that are dedicated to only one use could have an effect on creativity and innovation by enforcing routines or locked-in work groups.Look for multiple uses for spaces. A lunch roommight also serve as an ad hoc meeting room, casual client presentation area or all-hands engagement hall, says Heidi Hendy, managing principal of H. Hendy Associates, an interior and architectural planning firm in Newport Beach, California.Hendy says this approach can often reduce the need for space. Many newer buildings have shifted cores that allow for flexible layouts, which result in increased occupancy and more productive space utilization, she says.Bring on the Bright ColorsBeware of 50 shades of tan when decorating, says Susan Robertson, who teaches creative thinking at Harvard University and is the founder of Sharpen Innovation, a consulting firm based in Orlando, Florida. Offices that are entirely neutral can stifle creativity.Visual stimulus is a sure-fire way to enhan ce creative thinking, Robertson says. Bring in some splashes of bold color. Put some interesting art on the walls and sculptures in the hallway. Robertson also recommends encouraging employees to customize their own spaces.Keep in mind that an uncomfortable environment physical or emotional will significantly detract from creative thinking,she adds. So encourage people to add an extra cushion on the back or their chair, or bring in a plant or a personal picture.

Job Searching in a Rural Area Consider Flexible Work

Job Searching in a Rural Area Consider Flexible WorkJob Searching in a Rural Area Consider Flexible Work6Many flexible work options allow you to do your job from anywhere and to stay fully engaged with your employer and work colleagues. Perhaps best of all, you dont have to relocate to exploit the world of remote job optionsthat are available, no matter where you live.In addition to remote jobs, you may want to consider employment options close to home to capitalize on all of the employment possibilities that are out there. Think about the following suggestions as you go about job searching in a rural areaBroaden your mental horizons.Embracing the idea of working remotely can open up all sorts of new career possibilities, while letting you retain the quality of life that rural or small-town living offers. Take a good hard look at your resume and think about ways you might revise it to highlight talents that emphasize your ability to work from home (e.g., use terms such as highly orga nized, home-based office, team player, collaborative, and self-motivated). Begin searching out companies that may not have been on your radar before.Sharpen your technical skills.Make sure your technological and communication skills are up to speed. Working from home requires, at the very least, a good comfort level with technology. And of course, social mediais an increasingly critical tool, especially for employers that are looking for home-based workers. If youre happily living in the boonies, your geographic location wont make a difference to employers that understand the best tech-savvy candidate for the job doesnt have to be someone in its own backyard.Consider the great outdoors.Living in a remote region often means having greater access to nature and the environment. If working in a natural environment is something that has always held appeal for you, think about looking for jobs that will get you away from a desk and into the outdoors. Environmental and green jobs can be a great way to capitalize on making the most of where you live.Dont rule out your local network.Your local connections may offer a wealth of opportunities for finding flexible work. While technology enables you to go far afield in your job search, your network of friends, family members, neighbors, and colleagues can work just as powerfully in your favor. Consider volunteering with local organizations, seeking out part-time jobs that allow you to get your foot in the door, and asking around to ferret out opportunities that may hiding in plain sight right under your nose.Focus on jobs that let you work from anywhere.At , we break down our flexible job listings by location, including state, city, international location, and jobs with no location requirement. Some companies that offer telecommuting jobs only require you live in a specific state or region, and others dont care where you live at all. Check out listings in your region of the country, or jobs that can be done anywhere in the U.S. or the world, to broaden your scope and find more leads.Readers, are you job searching in a rural area? Tell us your tips that have helped you find job search success