Art Director vs. Creative Director: What is the Difference?

Art Directors and Creative Directors are often mixed up but their responsibilities and roles within the industry are quite different. A creative director is a creative leader, they pitch and present all the ideas to the client and materialize the vision of the project by handling the execution and following through with the ideas.

Creative directors handle both the creative and the business aspects of a campaign or project, they must build relationships with clients, stakeholders, and strategic partners and must be well versed in design, media, production, marketing, and branding. Creative directors are in charge of content development and successfully carrying out the projects on behalf of the client. Having vision & leadership is important in the role of the creative director, for they serve as a guide for the team members in their departments and help with fostering company culture.

Art directors are skilled professionals that provide conceptual ideation and design skills to a project, their artistic eye guarantee’s that the project will be aesthetically pleasing and will grasp the attention of the audience or consumer. They are in charge of the visual aesthetic of a particular piece of advertising or marketing material, whether it may be illustrations, graphic design, or motion graphics. Art directors manage other members of their team to make sure the project is being carried out in the way they intended, in short, they guide the whole vision into completion.

An art director is a creative mind that helps the project come to life. A lot of what they do is behind the scenes or before a shoot. Art directors put teams together, look for the photographer that is right for the campaign, write a brief for the project, and figure out the aesthetic for the overall project. While on set, they make sure that everything goes smoothly and that the vision of the project is materializing in a way that is aligned with the client’s mission.

In order to become a creative director or art director, you must study in order to prepare yourself for this highly competitive field. With a Master of Science degree in Mass Communications from Florida International University (FIU), you will become equipped with the skills any art director or creative director will need to be successful. FIU’s partnership with the Miami Ad School will allow you to build an impressive portfolio of work and give you the opportunity of having real-life experience before entering the field.

Learn More About FIU’s Global Strategic Communications – Creative Track Program

If you would like to learn more about the masters in Global Strategic Communications Creative Track program visit our website. You can contact Grizelle De Los Reyes, director of the FIU-MAS Creative Track Program by filling out our contact form and requesting additional information.