Do you think a company as great as Apple was once so profitless that it could have shut down?
There were a lot of reasons – the failed leadership, the chaotic product line, the mismatch between the founder’s vision of the company and the management, growing competitors, etc. But the major reason was the inconsistent efforts to market the product without a clearly defined purpose. There were 25 different commercials running for 14 different products.
Can you see how confusing it might have been for the consumer to understand what Apple essentially did?
So what was done to overcome this challenge? It was Steve Jobs to the rescue. Along with the creative director of the Agency he hired, they started working on a campaign called “Think Different”. First, the product line was reduced from 14-4, synthesized the target audience, and changed the brand image from a computer company to a company that was dedicated to creative thinking.
After the advertisements emphasized how innovative Apple was and how its customers’ creativity might alter the world, the business won back the trust and celebrated its first profitable year in two years.
This is how a creative director makes a difference in the company. Lee Clow, the agency’s creative director, helped Steve jobs bring order to the chaotic Marketing efforts of the company and helped the company survive. Continue reading if you are interested to know how to become a Creative Director and help companies market themselves.
A company’s advertising and marketing initiatives are overseen by a creative director, a professional in the advertising industry. They create brand standards while creating commercials, monitoring promotion campaigns that utilize the resources of their organization, and updating presentations as necessary.
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A Creative director usually requires a bachelor’s in design or marketing. However, these are the choices that you need to make post your 12th. Therefore, you can choose any subject in your 11th grade. One of the unsolicited pieces of advice here would be to either choose subjects you like studying or take up Humanities as it will expand your way of thinking.
If you are not so sure of a Career as a Creative Director, you can test-drive by taking various online courses which are usually pocket-friendly and take up less time. Additionally, they don’t require any eligibility criterion, therefore you can also take them post your 10th grade.
| Certificate Course | Institute offering the course | Duration |
| From Brand to Image: Creating High Impact Campaigns that tell brand stories | IE Business school through Coursera | 1-3 months |
| Creative Problem Solving and Decision Making | Alison | 1.5 – 3 hours |
| Creativity Tips for all Weekly | LinkedIn Learning | 7 hours 28 mins |
| Best Instagram Marketing Strategies to Follow and Implement in 30 days | Alison | 3-4 hours |
| Creative Thinking Strategies for Leaders | LinkedIn Learning | 1 hour 20 mins |
| Creativity Boot Camp | LinkedIn Learning | 48 mins |
| Jr. MBA in Branding and Design | Clever Harvey | 15 hours |
| Innovation Through Design: Think, Make, Break and Repeat | The University of Sydney through Coursera | 1-3 months |
| Brand Management: Aligning business, brand, and behaviour | the University of London through Coursera | 1-3 months |
How to become a Creative Director after the 12th?
A) Undergraduate/ Diploma Courses in India
Considering that creative directors need industry expertise, the undergraduate degree also differs depending on which field you are interested in. Here are some options that you can pursue depending on which one interests you:
| Undergraduate Degree | Duration |
| Commerce: –BBM –BBA (in Marketing/Advertising) –BMM (in Journalism) | 3 Years |
| Fine Arts –B.Des (Bachelors in Designing)- either in Fashion or Graphic Designing –B.Sc in Graphic Designing –B.A. (in Fashion/Graphic/Photography) | 3-4 Years |
You can even pursue some diploma courses in your area of interest that will help you upskill yourself. It is advisable to pursue these courses either in the last year of college or after completing graduation since you will be better equipped to understand the course.
B) Top Colleges in India:
What to Study Abroad to become a Creative Director
A) Undergraduate/ Diploma Courses
The following are some undergraduate courses that you would want to check out to become a Creative Director:
| Undergraduate Course | Estimated Duration |
| BSD- in Graphic Designing | 48 Months |
| B.A. (Hons) in Graphic Designing with Marketing | 36 Months |
| Bachelor of Design in Graphic Designing and Illustration | 36 Months |
| BFA- Design Concentration in Graphic and Information Design | 60 Months |
| Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing | 48 Months |
| BBA in Marketing | 48 Months |
These courses might be named differently and the course duration might differ depending on which country you apply to.
B) Top Colleges:
Your job title as a “Creative Director” will take time as it requires years of experience. However, there are certain preparation tips that you can consider while applying for jobs.
A creative director can work in various industries like fashion, marketing, Advertising, Photography, Publishing, etc. Now it is up to you which industry excites you the most and lets your creative juices flow. Internships and courses like Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA in Design and Branding will help you analyze your interests.
Entry-level positions in graphic design, fashion, or marketing work for you to develop the skills required to become a creative director. Additionally, try taking up leadership positions in whatever capacity you can in order to develop effective communication skills.
A portfolio is a crucial collection of work that reflects your skills and sense of style. Include a variety of formats and styles of work, including print layouts and web marketing. Many jobs just want an online portfolio, thus it is important to have a strong online presence.
As a fresher, you won’t get a job as a Creative Director. It requires years of experience. However, on average you can expect to earn between 15-17 LPA.
The pay also varies depending on the geographical location. The following are the highest paying cities in India:
The scenario abroad remains the same. However, a general overview of the salary abroad is given below:
| Country | USA | UK | Australia | Canada | Germany | Ireland | Switzerland |
| Average Salary/ year | $136,193 | £86,284 | $134,000 | $104,425 | €80,287 | €66,602 | CHF 124,182 |
Being a Creative Director is definitely not an easy job. But it is a very satisfying and rewarding career if you are a design thinker. Growing above the conventionality of consuming a product and asking “why” is what a creative director requires. Obviously, this kind of thought pattern is not easy. Therefore such a position is held by individuals with years of experience. However, if you are intrigued by this career you can start preparing early.
It is frequently necessary to have a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, fine arts, visual communication, typography, or a similar field. An advantage could come from having a postgraduate degree in these fields.
For training as a creative director, you need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, or a related field and 7–10 years of experience. A creative director might make a good major in graphic design, graphic art, or marketing.
The average yearly income for a creative director in India is 15.9 lakhs, with salaries ranging from 4.1 lakhs to 40.0 lakhs.
Creative directors have the potential to make large wages while working in managerial positions. Directors who have a significant body of work and have expertise in developing projects for several media, including digital, may have more career opportunities and earning potential.
An art director, by definition, is just concerned with aesthetics, whereas a creative director is responsible for strategy, campaign execution, art direction, and other duties. An art director will know the names of the fonts that would work, whereas a creative director can ask for a bold font to convey strength.
Creative directors are the leaders of the creative teams of an advertising agency or within a company’s marketing division. They collaborate with the creative team to develop, plan, and implement a client-centred strategic vision.
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