Creative Director: The Vaguest Job Title Since ... (shrugs) I dunno.

This one goes out to everyone hiring a Creative Director.

You know who you are, and so do I, mainly because I probably just applied to your company.

Fellow Creative Directors, feel free to jump in and mock, ridicule, or agree.

The Enigma of the Creative Director

I think high fashion ruined it.

If you’ve ever seen Zoolander, you’ve got a pretty good idea of how the world views Creative Directors—misunderstood geniuses with a taste for the finer things, the ones who know exactly how everything should look, feel, and maybe even smell. Kanye is a Creative Director. So is Lady Gaga.

They’re the taste-makers, the visionaries, the ones who can tell you whether that new sneaker needs a bit more "oomph" or if your branded corporate purple scarf is just the wrong shade of existential dread.

The title "Creative Director" is so broad that it could mean anything from picking out font sizes to designing the next great American ad campaign to just being really super creative. It’s a role so misunderstood that it could rival "color namer" at Crayola Corp.

Example: Inchworm. This vibrant green color is named after arguably one of the cutest worms in the animal kingdom. A Creative Director probably came up with that.

The reality is that being a Creative Director is an important job—but maybe not for all the reasons people think. Sure, there’s a certain allure to the title, but many of the responsibilities, when laid out, might seem, well, a bit mundane on paper. But don’t let that fool you. The impact a Creative Director has on a brand is anything but boring.

What Does a Creative Director Actually Do?

The title "Creative Director" can sometimes feel like a catch-all, encompassing a wide range of tasks. It’s not just about conjuring up ideas—it’s about orchestrating the entire creative process. Think of it as preparing a gourmet meal: you’re not just cooking; you’re choosing the dinner playlist (Chet Baker Sings, FYI), designing the menu, and making sure the table centerpiece doesn’t light on fire when cousin Angie leans in with those long, flowy sleeves she likes to wear on weekends.

It's things like:?

1. Brand Identity Management: Ensuring your brand looks polished and professional, without any design disasters.
2. Creative Ideation: Crafting standout concepts that make people stop scrolling and actually pay attention.
3. Team Leadership: Guiding a team of creative minds to collaborate and create without descending into chaos. This is not easy, and you don't need to have led great creatives to know this—just ask your talented friend what movie to go see.
4. Project Oversight: Keeping everything on track from start to finish, ensuring that every detail aligns with the vision. Others call this "project management," and it ain't sexy.
5. Client Relations: Decoding vague client requests like "make it pop" and translating them into something concrete, effective, and, yes, directible.

Having held positions as CD and ECD (think "Creative Director" with the word "Executive" in front of it), I've been thinking a lot about the gig and what it really means.

This may be because I've been on the hunt for a new CD (or ECD) gig myself lately, and my brain is spinning with what does it all mean-ness. As I've stated, I'm also brewing up a new platform for the CD - something between the "gig model" and the "fractional model."

Based on that, I decided to nuke my own job search by asking a few questions.

Do you really need a full-time Creative Director? If so, when?

Here are five situations. There are more.

1. Complex Branding Projects: When your brand is having a mid-life crisis and needs a complete makeover.
2. High Volume of Creative Work: If your team is churning out content faster than Starbucks can brew pumpkin spice lattes in October, you’ll want someone to keep things consistent.
3. You Just Need a Leader: When your creative team is full of talent but lacks direction, a Creative Director can provide the vision and leadership needed to turn good ideas into great results.
4. Product Launches: When you’re introducing a new product and need to make sure it’s wrapped in the right creative packaging, from visuals to messaging.
5. Rebranding or Repositioning: When your company is shifting direction and you need to ensure your brand’s new identity resonates with your audience.

Do you really need a full-time Creative Director? Maybe not. Here are five situations where you might not. There are more.

1. Smaller Projects: For those one-off tasks where hiring a full-time Creative Director is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
2. Tight Budgets: When you’re counting every penny and need to keep things lean—like, ramen-for-dinner-again lean.
3. In-House Talent: If your team is already a well-oiled machine, you might just need someone to give it a little push now and then.
4. Temporary Needs: When you have a short-term project that doesn’t justify bringing on a full-time Creative Director.
5. Clear Strategy in Place: If your creative direction is already set and your team just needs to execute, you might be able to get by without a full-time CD.

The Evolution of the Creative Director

As much as I love the idea of a full-time Creative Director striding around the office with grand visions and a carefully curated Spotify playlist--especially if it's me--the reality is that the role is changing. With automation, AI, and subscription models for creative services becoming the norm, the traditional full-time Creative Director could be changing.

Company brass: Before you make any decisions, it’s crucial to understand what the role actually entails. Creative directors: You might not want to take a full-time position where you could get bored.

Stick around as we explore the shifting landscape of creative direction. It’s a ride filled with insights and absurdity—because sometimes, the best ideas come from not taking things too seriously. And yes, it's all leading to something exciting.

See my work at dmcmotion.com.

Your Man in the South Pacific,

//dm