Career Profile: Creative Director

Why Is Creative Directing a Job of Tomorrow?
Creative directors are needed to successfully push companies in the right direction in terms of targeting their ideal customers and pricing their goods and services accordingly. Employment opportunities for creative directors are expected to increase 6 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Creative directors earn an average salary of $98,720 annually.

What Does a Creative Director Do?
Creative directors handle a client's marketing strategy, looking for ways to push the organization's brand name into the public arena for potential customers to see. They work with the copy chief, art director and all associated staff to determine the best method of product presentation in packaging and advertising. Creative directors work primarily in the aesthetics of the product or service. Many work in multiple forms of media, applying their skills to video advertisements as well as printed materials. They determine whether the copy, or text, on an advertisement or box represents the product inside and conveys the right message. In advertising, the creative director must determine the best way of expressing what the client wants to sell.

What Kind of Training Do I Need to Become a Creative Director?
Creative directors should have at least a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on marketing or a degree in graphic design. However, many employers now seek applicants who have completed a master's degree. A bachelor's degree takes four years to complete, and a master's degree takes an additional two to three years to earn after first obtaining a bachelor's degree. Courses in business administration cover consumer behavior, sales and market research. Although it is not required, prospective creative directors may seek certification to increase their marketability to employers.