Advertising Creative Career Profile | Career Advice and Help Australia CareerNav

Advertising Creative

Last modified: November 07, 2011, 01:25 PM

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This is an ideal career for creative thinkers. Advertising Creatives come in the form of Writers and Art Directors. Their role is to think of brilliant advertising ideas in response to the creative brief and consumer insights they are given by the client. The Writer and Art Director usually work in two-person teams to develop the concept and then see the job through to production regardless of the medium – tv, radio, on line, print, ambient or experiential.

Typical Career Progression

	Position	Remuneration	Experience	Education (Optional)
Start Position	Junior Writer/Art Director	$40,000-$50,000	None or work experience	Degree
1st Promotion	Writer/Art Director	$60,000-$90,000	2-4 years	Degree
2nd Promotion	Senior Writer/Art Director	$100,000-$140,000	4-8 years	Degree
3rd Promotion	Creative Group Head/Creative Director	$150,000-$300,000	10+ years	Degree

**The above table should only be used as a guide

Typical accountabilities and responsibilities

Junior Writer/Art Director	Supports senior creatives and may work independently on some small briefs.
Writer/Art Director	Working on briefs, from concept development through to material despatch, usually across a number of different clients.
Senior Writer/Art Director	May be dedicated to specific clients as well as working on all important briefs.
Creative Group Head/Creative Director	Ultimately responsible for quality of creative output of department. Can sometimes work on specific important jobs but mostly guides creative teams.

**The above table should only be used as a guide

Career Path options & Employment

Finding a partner to work with when you’re starting out is often difficult but it is preferable to applying for individual roles. It’s easier for a Creative Director to appoint teams.

If a team works well, they often move together throughout their careers. For many, the ultimate goal is to become a Creative Director, but such opportunities are rare. There are many very successful, very senior creatives who simply enjoy doing what they do, without the potential headaches that go with the responsibility of management.

About the Author

Christine Barnes

Chris is a highly respected member of the advertising industry. She’s served on the National Board of the Advertising Federation of Australia, was the Victorian Chair and ran a mentoring program for young women in the industry.

Catapulting from account service secretary to Managing Director of a Top 4 Melbourne agency, Chris has enormous experience. Her passion for great work and the results it delivers makes her as enthusiastic about the industry today as she was when she first entered it.