Top 5 Skills Every Creative Director Needs to Have

People who love playing with all forms of media often find their dream careers as creative directors for advertising agencies. Creative directors need to know how to combine good business sense with the ability to lead creative teams. You will spend some of your days directing writers, photographers, designers, and videographers to develop a brand’s presence and influence. Other days will be spent breaking down cost and benefits for business leaders.
 
Striking this balance means developing a broad set of skills. Here are the top skills every creative director needs.
 

Copywriting (or Copy Editing)

 
Creative directors are often brought a selection of copy options from which they may choose. Finding the best one means knowing what type of copy sells, and why.  Becoming an effective copy editor starts with becoming a strong copywriter. When you fully understand the process of brainstorming, drafting, and revising ad copy, you will train your eye to spot good work.
 

Strong Intrapersonal Communication Skills

 
Creative directors need to know how to work with business types and creative types. They need strong intrapersonal communication skills in both verbal and written form. They should be expert networkers.
 

Problem Solving in Business and Creative Domains

 
Creative directors need to be able to recommend an action plan for a client who wants to reduce their advertising budget or a creative team that has run into a roadblock with a piece of work. If you know how both creatives and business people think, you can solve problems in both domains.
 

Current Knowledge of the Latest Creative Trends

Your knowledge of the latest creative trends will help you push your creative team to evolve. Creative directors also need to know about world news and current events. Many advertisements run between news stories. If you know the latest stories, you can avoid awkward ad content or inappropriate product placement.
 

Strong Organizational Skills

 
Creative directors juggle multiple budgets for different accounts. You need to track how far along you are with multiple creative projects. You need to know your budget for each project. You need to know about the last time you had contact with a client. You will have a maze of files and folders, all of which need to be kept organized.

How to Prepare for a Fulfilling Career as a Creative Director

 
One of the best ways you can get yourself on track for a fulfilling career as a creative director is through education. Florida International University and Miami Ad School offer you a world-class advertising education. This program has created a cadre of alumni who have impressed ad agencies all over the world with their work. You get to study on campus, and in Wynwood, the beautiful art district of Miami, South Florida. Wynwood is home to many global art festivals, giving you the perfect environment for staying on top of the latest creative trends. Students of FIU-MAS get many opportunities to build their portfolios with hands-on advertising projects. Email Grizelle De Los Reyes, Director of the FIU-MAS Creative Track Program at gdelosre@fiu.edu or fill out our contact form to learn more.