CREATIVE DIRECTION

Traditionally, “creative director” was a title given to someone heading the creative department of an ad agency or graphic design firm. But these days the title is used everywhere — at film production companies, big fashion labels, tech unicorns, in-house marketing teams, you name it.

When I’m employed as a CD, I often work as a creative-for-hire under the leadership of (or in tandem with) an existing creative director. Other times I’m asked to custom assemble a team of fellow freelancers to tackle a project. Occasionally I’m also brought in to lead in-house creatives.

Then again, when people are simply looking for me to work as a copywriter or designer, that’s fine, too.

Good creative directors not only encourage team members and make the work better, they also provide counsel about how to wisely spend marketing budgets.
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Fun fact: Back in 2003 a friend came to my studio on a rainy afternoon in February and asked me to name a company he was starting in his basement. I called it Avalara. Fast forward to 2020 and the company has more than 1,500 employees with offices i… — Back in 2003 a friend came to my studio on a rainy afternoon in February and asked me to name a company he was starting in his basement. I called it Avalara. Fast forward to 2022 and the company was sold to Vista Equity Partners for $8.4 billion.