Task 5: Job Roles

Creative Director

P4(U24): Explain the behaviours and attributes required for a specific job role- the behaviours
and attributes both professional and personal that an ideal candidate would have to carry out
duties and wider responsibilities of the roles.
M2(U24): Explain how personal behaviours and attributes affect career development
opportunities within the media industry.
D2(U24): Explain the importance of etiquette when working on a media production-
demonstrate an understanding of position within the hierarchy of both the advertising
production process and the need for enabling others to complete the production successfully.

PASS TASK

Introduction

A Creative Director is solely the main creative lead, who works at advertising agencies in the design
department. They are the one that collaborates, discusses, and plans with their colleagues about
delivering a clear and creative vision for the clients. They can be found in a range of media sectors
including advertising and marketing, film, TV, radio and photography, music, performing and visual
arts etc. In terms of hierarchy, the Creative Director would be located at the senior level of a media
company. The senior-level is the highest title that can be attained, which suggests the job role’s
importance. To put it simply, the company will begin with the directors undergoing a discussion where
they will decide the job roles that are needed during the campaign. Each job role can be
sub-categorised into different sectors that have a specific duty and tasks. In this case, we are
specifically focusing on the Creative Director’s main responsibilities, personal and professional
attributes, etiquette, and behaviour throughout the entire production process. Besides, we will mention
production and management tools a Creative Director would use at certain areas creating their
product and indicate the significance and how it would either bring a positive or negative impact
towards the manufacturing process of the desired commodity. It is also a necessity to mention
alternative methods the Creative Director and their team could use if the initial production tool is
ineffective. We wish to state the specific personnel from distinct departments within the advertising
agency may collaborate with the CD and how their togetherness is significant. Importantly, to
conclude this, we will present our ideas as to why the Creative Director plays a crucial role throughout
the advertising campaign.

Why the Marketing Company would need a Creative Director

The marketing company will require the creative director as the leader of the design department
because they are the driving force of initiating visual and imaginative ideas, as well as, utilising their
colleague’s abilities to produce the media product. Without the role of the CD, the overall innovative
ideas and designs would not be considered by the marketing company. In the present day,
businesses need to develop a product that is visually appealing and accepting for consumers.
Therefore, a Creative Director is needed to direct the team, client, and colleagues about what is
happening throughout the design production process.
What a Creative Director does during the Pre-production Process

At the beginning of the production process, the CD would have a meeting with the client alongside the
director, producer, and other head bodies of the marketing agency. This is to bestow their thoughts on
the client’s requirements and suggest ideas that could be used to make the campaign successful as
possible. The initial criteria the company must follow is creating awareness of a brand, in this case,
Millennia wants to promote its latest range, Chill Luxe; to increase sales and achieve larger market
shares than existing competitors (the overall percentage of consumers who use a particular product),
and most importantly generate feedback from the audience. The CD specifically would begin to
generate some visual and concept ideas using the client brief as a guide to what the product should
include. Once the meeting has ended, the CD would review the notes of the brief and show them to
the design department where they can acknowledge what is needed to be done, for example, they
must create a poster that clearly shows the product and include graphics that are modern and visually
appealing to see. Very often, the Creative Director would solely be in control of creating production
schedules and other production documents where they plan out from start to finish the tasks,
personnel, resources that are needed. Examples of pre-production documents/ tools the CD may
need include:

● Mood boards
● Summaries
● Proposals
● Mind Maps
● Annotated sketched layouts
● Visual style plan
● Theme sheets
● Font styles
● Photography plan
● Graphic plans
● Production Schedule
● Gantt Chart
● Asset Log
● SWOT Analysis

It can be agreed that the use of pre-production tools is effective because it provides personnel with
the information that they will need to produce. Yet, there are some factors where pre-production tools
and documents cannot fully support the personnel’s needs. Negative factors of the use of production
tools/ documents could be that it's time consuming to create- since the team has a limited amount of
time with a specific deadline to meet, the planning process should be finished as soon as possible;
other factors include that team members may not agree with the certain tasks they are assigned to-
these disagreements could put a negative toll on how the personnel will perform.

Below are a few examples of images that show distinctive design/ planning production tools the CD
may consider using during the pre-production process, and a description that tells the advantages,
limitations, and alternatives of the planning method.
Mood Boards- A mood board visually stands for a collection or a collage that consists of images,
texts, and samples of objects that may link to a given idea. Mood boards are useful because it
generates ideas and gives an overall ‘feel’ to what the product may look like. The CD would use this
to show the colleagues, which can then influence them to incorporate areas from the mood board. A
CD may not consider using a mood board because the team members may incorporate too much of
the collage, which may lead to unoriginality of the product.

Visualisation Diagrams/ Mock-up Designs​- this is another visual tool like the mood board. However,
this presents a mock design or a draft piece of the product where it is depicted as a still image or
interface. It also features the products colours scheme, format, and brief annotations consisting of
justifications of the decisions/ choices made. A Creative Director may use this as it supplies a
reference for personnel reminding them of the essential features included, and often at times it helps
those who do not specialise in design production on the vision and justifications for the mock-up
design. However, it can be limited as the annotations lack detail, and the first design may be
unrealistic for the creative team to produce.

Mind maps- another visual tool that highlights a large variety of different options for ideas, as well as
requirements from the client brief. A Creative Director may use this because it guides their team to
generate ideas, which are then linked together to stimulate more ideas and discussions. Although it
gives the colleagues plenty of direction, mind maps can become too complex especially if it was given
to the client.

A creative director may also need a range of software and equipment that will specialise in design.
Graphic designers, for example, may require graphic tablets and large computer screens so they can
use apps like Pixlr, Wacom Bamboo, Visual CSS Tools or Adobe Creative Suite to produce graphics
for the product. This is essential because it will allow the CD and their team to enhance their creative
vision, using the intricate editing/ design tools provided in the apps. Using software for designing the
product may be better to use in comparison to using physical hand-drawn designs because it saves
time and money.

Collaboratively, the team members would consider a USP that will display characteristics of a product
that identifies as being distinctive compared to other competitors on the market. This is important
because it will make the product stand out to both current and new consumers, therefore, it will be
likely that the product will sell well compared to others. The team may also wish to research the gap in
the market, which will allow new opportunities for customers alongside commissioners to take interest
in the team’s products or services.
The CD with their team and other sectors within the advertising company will also conduct research
using primary and secondary sources- this is useful because it will inform staff on a variety of aspects
that may influence and figure out what sort of item they will create. There are three main types of
research the team must consider, these include:

● Audience Research- this is where the chosen target audience/ demographic is collected
and analysed. It provides the team with information about the audience’s interests, traits,
habits, hobbies, tastes, likes, and dislikes. Often market researchers will carry out this
research in both primary (i.e., questionnaires, online surveys, interviews, focus groups)
and secondary (i.e., books, journals, websites, documentaries etc).
● Market Research- market research would often help guide market researchers to look at
products that are like the first idea, the types of features the service/ product will have,
how much revenue the company can accumulate and name the gap in the market.
● Production Research- once the audience has been found and finalised, the team must
consider doing extensive research on resources needed for the product to be set up. This
would be beneficial as background checks and testing before buying the desired
materials will be cost and time effective.

Another main priority that the CD must consider is budgeting. The CD may work with an accountant
who handles ensuring that transactions are documented, present a clear summary of the current
financial statuses, makes sure that all tax forms are exact and have been addressed to the authorities
on time and ensures there is financial security for the company. An accountant will be beneficial for
the Creative Director because it will enable them to make wise decisions on what exactly they need to
invest in during the designing process.

What a Creative Director does during the Production Process

After planning and finishing off their final drafts, the Creative Director may meet with the client and
director to showcase the final idea. This is an effective way to discover differing opinions from another
perspective where they can check for any inaccuracies or misinformation of the product draft. The
Creative Director may also consider collaborating with the market researcher who will help gather
feedback from the target demographic/ audience. Primary research such as focus groups is
significantly valued as an effective way to gain qualitative and critical responses from a sample group
of the desired target audience/ demographic. However, the downside of this includes it being costly to
conduct as well as time-consuming. Collecting extensive feedback can also put a strain on the time
the team may have as again, it will be time-consuming to read, analyse and acknowledge the target
audience’s opinions. On the other hand, secondary research methods can be quickly and cheaply
conducted to collect data that relates to the target audience’s interests. Examples of secondary
research methods like websites would be recommended for those who have limited time to complete
a project, and since there are hundreds of materials online, the team will have little trouble
researching for ideas.

Once everything has been approved by the client and marketing team, the Design Department will
start to begin the creation of the product. Under the Creative Director’s supervision, the advertising
designers will start to create, edit, and manipulate the advertising product where it must be
eye-catching for the client and the audience. They are also responsible for communicating with
management, especially the creative director to update them on areas where they have completed
and address added plans during the production process. An advertising designer may also collaborate
with illustrators, typographers, photographers, and artists who are either working for the advertising
company or are freelancers. Creative Directors will also be intricately connected with copy editors,
proof-readers, image retoucher/ image manipulator, a content producer who are also part of the
design department. Throughout the production process, the creative team may again, work with the
market research team to carry out focus groups, interviews, and questionnaires to collect the target
audiences’ opinions on the overall feel of the product.

What a Creative Director does during the Post-Production Process

During the post-production process, the CD and design team will finish off any other needs to the
product. Overall, they will conduct a meeting where they will analyse, judge, and conclude the
production process. Once satisfied with their work, they will conduct another meeting but with the
client and the advertising directors and other sectors within the advertising company to show the
finished product. This is important because it will allow the client themselves to acknowledge whether
their product will sell well from the promotional content the Design Department has produced. If the
client does not accept nor like the finished product, the design department may have to reconsider
starting the project from scratch, or the marketing company will lose the client, which would have been
a waste of money, resources, and time. However, if the client is genuinely happy and approves of the
finished item, the Creative Director can then start to discuss with the Distribution Team about how the
product will be promoted and shown to potential consumers. A Distribution Team’s personnel would
usually consist of a distribution executive, publicist, marketing manager and assistant, sales agent
and in some instances a public relations officer. A sales agent specifically is important for the
advertising company because they are heavily responsible for representing the product on a variety of
platforms such as social media or websites. Their commercial awareness is essential as they are
capable of understanding and predicting the market both locally and internationally. In the simplest
explanation, the Creative Director will continue to follow up on the updates on how successful the
product becomes as soon as it is distributed and exposed to the public.

Personal & Professional Attributes

An attribute is a quality of feature representative of a person or thing. It is pivotal to not lack character
when it comes to the advertising business as it will decide how successful you and your peers are
going to be in terms of developing a product. Having great character helps build the trust that is
needed when it comes to leadership and teamwork. Bringing a steady, impactful, and influential
mindset will therefore inspire your employers and employees to continue to dedicate themselves to
work diligently. Below are lists of personal and professional attributes that a Creative Director may
have, and a brief statement to why these attributes are important.
Personal Attributes

Personal attribute refers to the traits found in an individual thought to result from a specified cause,
i.e., calm, collective, risk-taker etc. In this case, a Creative Director may have the following personal
attributes, which include:

● Being a problem-solver: under pressure, they can find solutions to problems, which is
important because the production team must be quick to respond to any issue that may
come about,
● Having a deep passion in art, design, the media, and advertising is a vital part of a CD’s
personal attribute because acquiring an innovative mindset will benefit the creative vision
of the advertising campaign.
● Attention to detail: It is essential for Creative Directors to take everything into
consideration- even the simplistic and niche ideas or creations should be at least in
perfect detail and should have high-quality standards. This is to make sure that the client,
stakeholders, managers and importantly the consumers are completely satisfied with the
intricate attributes of the product/ service it provides.
● Confidence- exerting your confidence to employers- whether its maintaining eye contact,
speaking clearly and loudly, or putting your abilities in practice, (I.e., doing a presentation,
discussing the creative ideas you and your team have produced)
● Adaptability- in cases where other sectors require you to attend their meeting, it is
important that you can adapt in their work environment and meet up to their standards of
working.
● Positivity- positive attitude and mindset can benefit not only you but others within the
department.
● Politeness - having manners and avoiding disrespect towards those in other hierarchies is
a pivotal attribute because it shows you are a welcoming, approachable, and workable
individual.

Professional Attributes

Professional attributes refer to the various traits of an individual’s demeanour within a professional
organisation or community. A Creative Director may have the following personal attributes, which
include:
● Participation and collaboration with work colleagues and other professionals in the market
business- this is important because it will expand relationships and support throughout
the various sectors of the advertising agency.
● Effective stress management- under stressful circumstances and situations, it is important
to maintain your stress levels so that other peers are not affected by your emotions.
Expressing frustration towards colleagues could deteriorate the work environment and
atmosphere.
● Time-management- creating production schedules, setting deadlines and being aware of
time is essential as it shows that you are organised and have prepared the project in
advance.
● Teamwork- Having the ability to negotiate, plan, collaborate with peers is important
because it provides them with the needed support and advice throughout the production
process.
● On-budget- being self-aware when it comes to the financial aspects of production can
save a hefty sum of money.
● Open communication- committed to communicating with co-workers if they need aid or
guidance.
 ● Attendance/ being punctual- attending work and being available for personnel is important
as it shows you are committed to working.
● Prioritising safety and security- Ensuring yourself and your colleagues are safe within the
environment they are working in is important as it avoids potential dangers such as
injuries from equipment.

Negative Attributes and Its Impact Within the Workplace

Below is a list of negative attributes that should not be found in a Creative Director. The following
factors could significantly affect the relationships towards peers, the work environment, the
performance, and the success of the product. It is unlikely that employers would employ individuals
who do not show commitment to working for their company. These factors may include:

● Complaining about work and your colleagues- portrays you as a negative individual,
which could adversely affect the work environment.
● Making excuses and avoiding doing set tasks from executives.
● Lacking enthusiasm and interest in creativity.
● Independent- often working alone and not collaborating with your peers.
● Distracted- not able to focus on the tasks.
● Lack of Growth- not showing your employers that you have grown nor gained experience
from your given role.
● Irresponsible- not taking accountability despite you overseeing the production.
● Unwilling to Ask Questions- not asking questions does not only limit you to your
knowledge in terms of business, but directors will also assume you do not wish to develop
further.
● Gossip- this leads colleagues to become off-task and distracted. This could lead to the
production process to take longer than expected.
● Unhelpful towards others.
● Untruthful towards your peers.

The possible impact of these factors (shown above) include that the employer (director of the
advertising agency) may discharge the employee (creative director) because they do not meet the
standards they should have followed. Now, if this were to occur during the production process, it will
jeopardise the workforce as they no longer have a leader nor do they have the time to look for another
leader to replace the earlier one. This may be because the company has a deadline to complete the
product or service. Having no longer a leader to guide and mentor the rest of the workforce could
undoubtedly cause a grave issue in terms of the relationship between the peers alongside the
outcome of the product or service they were assigned to create.

MERIT TASK
Discussion of Development

Personal Development

Personal development is the attempt to re-evaluate and reflect on your current skills, and then finding
ways to improve. This is an acceptable way to rediscover areas that require additional training and
experience so, in the future onwards, they can join new career opportunities.

Building and improving professional relationships: As the Creative Director they will spend copious
amounts of time working along with their team members in both the design sector and in other
sectors. It is important to develop a strong relationship with them and communicate with each other
easily. This factor could potentially lead to the success of your project simply because each person’s
role can affect the performance of the workplace. Examples to enhance communication would be to
maintain your contacts with your team members via email or communicable devices; to focus on ideas
from your peers and taking them into consideration; have awareness of how you present yourself, for
example, having a relaxed posture will make others perceive you as an approachable individual, and
most significantly, is to express your gratitude which helps foster a positive work environment.

Another personal development to consider is problem-solving skills. It is inevitable for the creative
director and their co-workers to face a series of issues throughout the production stages- an example
being that there are technical difficulties with equipment or problems with online communication. The
CD should stay calm, collective when they meet obstacles and assess their options to find the most
reasonable solution.

Ways that a Creative Director could improve their personal development skills include:

● Overcoming fears- the fear of progressing and developing to become a better leader can
prevent you from accessing valuable life opportunities. Taking risks, for instance, could be
a daunting idea, yet, having a mentor could help make you choose better, life-changing
decisions.
● Reading- Reading journals, books and articles that specialise in the business sector can
widen knowledge and vocabulary, keeping you informed on current affairs.
● Asking for feedback- requesting for feedback by those who may have a similar role can
be beneficial because you can learn the areas of your skills that need improvement and
adjustment.
● Observing from others in your workplace.
● Networking- going online, connecting with other creative directors that specialise in the
advertising industry will be helpful for the Creative Director as it allows them to seek
advice relating to management skills and working within the advertising industry.

Professional Development

On the other hand, professional development refers to the continuation of training and academic
studies. Its reason is to allow the individual to keep up to date on contemporary trends and extend
their knowledge which will potentially lead them to new career/ employment job roles. In some cases,
courses/ programmes relating to professional development are mandatory that are fully created by the
employer of their company. Below are the following examples of professional development and a
summary of why the Creative Director may acquire these.

One aspect of professional development includes management training which offers those with roles
of leadership a series of training schemes, where its individuals can gain knowledge of how to
manage a team of employees, negotiate with your partners/ colleagues, planning projects, time
management, compliance, coaching and mentoring, decision making etc.

Interpreting knowledge from conducting research is another way of developing skills. Types of
research may include, data analysis, cohort study, case study, supporting or refuting a theory,
longitudinal study, and controlled experiments. These are all designed to enhance your knowledge
making you aware of a series of key information that could be then used during the role as a leader.

Moreover, some agencies like the IPA (The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) offer the
MBA-level IPA Excellence Diploma, which is recommended to those who have 3 to 5 years of
experience within the advertising sector, who want to develop and broaden their understanding of how
the industry works. The IPA also offers a range of short courses, lectures, and seminars for those who
are experienced. A Creative Director could take on this to widen their skills and a bigger opportunity in
future employment in large industry sectors.

An employer may favour an individual who prioritises in personal and professional development
because it shows that the employee is destined to learn more, develop a better understanding of their
role within the workplace, and to potentially expand their career pathways.

Job Opportunities

There are many opportunities within the creative sector where individuals like a Creative Director can
move up the hierarchy, taking on larger roles and responsibilities.

There are possibilities where a Creative Director could do a two-year stint in a different market sector,
which will benefit them with plenty of experience and skill. Overall, it allows the CD to see how other
companies work variedly compare to their own, and to seek any areas of abilities, practicality or skill
could be considered for future roles.

A Creative Director could then take on the role of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). However, to
achieve this role, it requires at least a qualification such as a master's degree in Marketing,
Management or a similar field that is relevant to marketing. They should also have an abundant of
years' experience in marketing; having a customer-centric mindset; experience with software
specialising in the marketing field, such as Google Analytics, Google Adwords, HubSpot, Salesforce,
WebTrends, etc, and have the competence to regularly produce and present reports. Eventually, they
could then become a CEO (Chief Executive Officer), where they take on prestigious roles such as
creating and implementing the organisation’s overall direction.; advising, mentoring, and guiding from
a Board of Directors; formulate plans that will guarantee swiftness and flow in the company, and
taking part in a variety of marketing-related events or associations to enhance leadership skills as well
as the company’s reputation for future success.

Below, are a collection of examples of applications and job descriptions relating to the role as a
Creative Director. Similarly, these applications require those who want to apply as a CD to send
information such as your CV resume, a link to a portfolio and contact details.
DISTINCTION TASK
Importance of Etiquette

Etiquette is the code of conduct and conventions for polite behaviour within a society or amongst
members in a field of profession. It is important for the Creative Director to present themselves as a
person who is polite, respectful, and well-mannered. This will make them seem easy to approach
within a working environment and could make a positive impression on peers.

The main conventions of etiquette include standing up straight and making eye-contact. These
principles are consequential because bad posture can make you seem like an indolent who does not
look after themselves. Poor eye-contact will make colleagues seem as though you do not wish to
communicate nor focus, which could lead to difficulties in activities/ tasks that require full engagement
and attention (I.e., meetings, collaborative projects, business events, etc.).

When working with personnel who are either in the same department as you or completely different, it
is etiquette to learn the names of them, otherwise they will think that you do not value them as
important. As the creative director, it is likely that their workforce is large which will consist of
designers, artists, editors, creative assistants, copywriters, photographers, etc. Yet, to be a
successful, respectful leader, they must learn and acknowledge everyone, simply by acquiring their
name and the role they take. For those who are incredibly important like the CEO and the client, it is
very well-advised to acknowledge who they are and what they expect from you. Otherwise, they will
assume that you are an individual who tends to alienate away from peers and not understanding their
position nor their significance in the workplace.

Making value judgments on people’s importance within the workplace also goes against the code of
conduct. Devaluing a peer who may be at the bottom of the hierarchy of a company may affect the
individual's emotional, psychological state which could then lead them to underperform their job role.
The creative director must ensure to show respect for others whether it is their co-workers, employers,
or customers, they should have the same treatment and support.

In terms of communicating, it is advisable for the creative director to return phone calls and emails
from colleagues as soon as possible. Responding to their emails or voicemails quickly shows that you
are always available to help them and take their queries or feedback seriously. It is another priority for
the CD to use formal language and check for grammatical or punctual errors in emails, especially for
those that need to be sent to the higher-ups of the advertising agency.

A creative director’s physical appearance is an added form of etiquette that requires attention to
detail. This will supply the very first chance to make an impression on someone. Putting effort into
your appearance will reflect how much you take your job role and the relevant peers seriously. Ideally,
the creative director should wear formal clothing on serious occasions such as meetings with other
directors from different sectors of the company, as well as the director and client.

It is important for the creative director to understand etiquette when working at an advertising agency.
Good etiquette builds a healthy relationship with those around you- whether it is your co-workers,
employers, clients, or customers, you tend to develop greater relationships when you are trustworthy
and upright. Etiquette allows a CD to nurture a harmonious environment meaning that displaying
common courtesy alongside acquiring a positive working environment/ atmosphere could result in an
increase of teams and individual’s productivity. Besides, showing business etiquette skills enables you
to prove your self-control and understanding – portraying you as an individual who does not lose
composure and knowing exactly when and what to say.
The ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) applies a series of rules regarding consumer and trade
promotions alongside promotional elements of sponsorships. This helps regulate the nature and
administration of promotions for a service or product. A Creative Director should take this legal advice
into consideration and follow all relevant legislation and regulations, including the Intellectual Property
Act and the Copyright Designs & Patents Act 1988.

The following are examples of rules ASA have issued for promotional marketing; these include:

Source: ​08 Promotional marketing - ASA | CAP

These rules allow those who work within the marketing industry understand the behaviours,
considerations, and etiquette they should adhere to. Failure to comply can cause a great
disadvantage for the company’s reputation and success as it can lead to monetary loss, loss of
business and loss of clients and consumers. A Creative Director and their team specifically, should
make sure to avoid using graphic and inappropriate material because it will lead to distress for young
and vulnerable viewers. The body copy of the product should also avoid using offensive or misleading
content. This is because certain cultural groups and societies will find this offensive or believe they
have been alienated. An ideal CD would focus on ensuring the visual aspects of the product or
service to be inclusive, respectable, and appealing for all demographics.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Creative Director is essential personnel who handles the shaping and development
of the product in a creative, visual way, whilst supporting their co-workers- driving them with
encouragement to succeed. Having a keen eye for the creative arts and business will maximise the
company’s profitability as well as enhancing the skills of their colleagues within the design
department.