CDs: a user’s guide
I’m not going to pretend I can dispense ultimate ‘how to CD’ advice.
There are people far better at the job than I who have been at it much longer.
But I think it’d be really interesting to hear from you about how you see the job: what makes a good one or a bad one; examples of illustrative CD moments; how important (or otherwise) they have been to you etc.
I’d love to hear from both CDs and those who have a CD about how the job is done, the difference it can make and how the things have changed for CDs in recent years (if at all).
I’ll kick us off:
I’ve worked for some pretty amazing CDs. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of seeing my work improved by David Abbott, Dave Dye, Peter Souter, Paul Belford and Nigel Roberts (I’m going to stop writing that list because I’m bound to leave someone out), but they’ve come at the task from different positions. For example, Peter ran the agency as well as shaping the work, so he had an overall perspective that was different to, say, Dave Dye (AMV vintage) whose only job was to improve the creative standard of the work. To me that made Peter a little more pragmatic because he had input from a wider range of influences, whereas Dave was single-mindedly focussed on just one task. Dave made me work harder but Peter gave me a fuller idea of when to push and when to hold back.
When I freelanced the relationship was different because it was inherently temporary, but it allowed me to see far more of the good ones in action as I moved round London and Amsterdam. Working into Paul Silburn was a real education in terms of how he handled those ever-encroaching voices from planning and account management. He had a great sense of when to incorporate those non-creative comments and when to ignore them. He also showed how to keep the creative voice strong when it’s under threat and his unfailing eye for what the public wants was/is also a real asset to improving the work.
From my point of view of doing the job (this whole post started because someone from India sent me an email asking for my take on it as he had just been promoted to the position), I think that what you are ultimately paid to do is make decisions: this is right or wrong; that person should work on that kind of brief, not that one; we should stop now or go another round; that line is or isn’t consistent with the tone of voice; that person does or doesn’t need a raise; this issue should be delayed a day or dealt with now…
This list goes on and on, but that’s what it comes down to: making decisions that result in better work and happier people. Tony Cox once said that being a CD was like keeping the drinks topped up at a cocktail party. There’s a lot to be said for that, although I’d suggest it’s like keeping the drinks topped up at 31 cocktail parties simultaneously.
But sod what I think; what do you think?
I always liked DDBer Roy Grace’s definition. “I take the garbage out”.
Very good.
I hate good guy cds: yep, that’s pretty cool, yes, that one works, too.
Bill Bernbach used to say it was his job to go through Helmut Krone’s wastepaper basket after he’d left at night.
The good ones are those you feel help make your work better. And those you learn something from – whether it be what tone of voice to use or how to handle yourself in a meeting. The bad ones are lazy, self important and, most of all, terrible managers of people. I have worked for a few of those. And 2 OCD ECDs. One who was a few degrees off being a full Aspergers dictator.
I agree about Paul Silburn, he’s good at it isn’t he? Managed to protect and improve the work without being a psycho weirdo or wanting his name on it. Which brings me onto another type of creative director…
Obviously, I think I am good at all aspects of the job. Mostly topping up the drinks. Although in my case, this is not a metaphor.
My partner and I got our first job just under a year ago. We’ve worked into a couple of ECDs and a few CDs since then, and there’s something in particular that we’ve found really beneficial from one CD team in particular. They never tell us how our work should be, they only ever ask us questions.
On one campaign in particular, I remember our ECD asking us to show a CD art director an ad to get his opinion on it. For 15 minutes or so, he told us exactly how the ad should look. Picking every detail of it apart and telling us why it was wrong. Not offering solutions, just pointing out the problems. He was so prescriptive about it that we felt that it almost wasn’t our ad anymore, and there was very little space for our own creativity.
When we showed the other CD team, they didn’t tell us how it should look, they just asked us a series of questions, “Do you think it would look better in this typeface?”, “what would happen if you got rid of that element?”, “Maybe you could simplify it doing this..?” and so on.
When we walked out of their office, we felt energised and excited to go and push the ad and make it better, which was a very different feeling to the one we had after speaking to the other bloke.
Straight talking and talented.
I’m not that arsed about the rest. Someone with the courage to be themselves too. Snivelling board rats and fashion victims do my head in.
I recently asked my ‘career mentor/father in law’ a similar question, as i was interested in the relationships between CD’s and the management teams they have to assimilate into (or fight against)
I’ve lazily copied some of the conversation below..
In my experience there are two types of Creative Directors ( yes there are always subtle variations but for the sake of this advice, go with it.)
1. The Bullys.
They rant and rave at Creatives to show how passionate they are and how they will stop at nothing to achieve the very best.
They generally need to see lots of work to choose from and quite often
change their minds. They are the Roberto Mancini of Advertising and
while they do often have success they are usually not long term and
very rarely help build a “club” or team ethic.
then there’s..
2. The Leaders.
Jeremy Bullmore once told me the hardest thing about being a Creative Director is giving away ideas. The strength to nurture teams, help, advise and even give them Direction so that they
will return with work and you have to say
“What a great idea you’ve had.”
When you’re brought up to scream
“ME ME ME ME ”
I prefer the latter, the Mr Hegarty’s of this world who have a way of working and encouraging that doesn’t change . Win, Lose or Draw, play your own game.
Where as the former CD’s are initially fun for the Management to work with “Our CD’s a bit of a nutter”, they soon tire of trying to manage
them. It’s this conection between Management and CD’s that is so vital to
the future success of any venture.
(this is the hardest thing to get right as I came to find out at a couple of agencies early on in my CD’ing career )
It’s important to be “what they are not”,
Creative and passionate, but if that comes between you, then you haven’t played it right.
You have to keep smiling and saying yes to them. The moment you look at them with an expression of “you’ve really let me down and I won’t feel the same working with you again”, you’re in trouble. And more than likely, so is the agency.
Sadly the onus is on the CD to understand their Business problems,not the other way round.
As the Hollywood Producer once said “It’s called Show Business, not Show Show!”
‘Work INTO’? Is that to avoid saying ‘work FOR’? It’s horrible. Please stop it.
Re Avey:
Touchy feely questions are all well and good but I bet the first CD was bang on.
Feelings might get hurt but early in your career it’s better just to hear what’s wrong. From people who probably know the answer.
Smile and suck it up.
Wow, so much I’d want to add to the debate…but I’ll just pick one thing that I think’s interesting. Someone once told me that the essence of creative directing is “saying no in an inspirational way.”
@ Scamp. Agree. One CD I worked for had a Jedi technique for driving you on which was: ‘I’m going to say no, because I know you can do better.’
His other mantra was ‘No rejection without direction.’
Being a good CD is harder now. In the past you could sack people willy-nilly to create a non-dissenting power base. People with dangerous opinions of their own could be air-brushed out of the set-up leaving you free to enjoy the fawning company of your newly-hired bessie mates from your last agency.
Nowadays, you are expected to accommodate other points of view and tolerate mediocrity, often writing the ideas for ‘lifer’ semi-retirees who spend all day signing up for office pilates/the bake off/”what can we do to make this place greener” initiatives/”who left the floater in the 2nd floor loo?” email chains.
I tried a more touchy-feely approach here recently, but HR soon put a stop to it.
…..I used to explain to my creative staff that they were in the S.A.S. and NOT the Brownies…and they used to call me Uncle Fester.
These days, everyone in the department seems to CD something. I am not sure this is a good thing, as I suspect chucking a title at someone is easier than giving them more money.
I worked for a CD who used to read the scripts over a bin. For every one that stayed in his hand, nine* would spin like dead leaves to join the mouldy half-eaten apple, recently finished bottle of Macon Verze and empty packet of bacon crisps.
*probably closer to forty-nine
And do you do this now?
I think the lack of comments here says the most about how shitty the role is these days.
CDs used to have all the power in return for taking all the responsibility. These days, the power has been taken away; only the responsibility remains.
Err, yes, I do. The teams love it.
The wine is more plonky though and I prefer Quavers. Which is your choice of pub snack?
I never actually wanted to be a CD, but it sure helps keep you employed compared to being ‘a senior creative’. They’re the first to get the bullet when the bean counters can’t put their hefty salary next to an account they run.
Avey, if you want help with crafting from a CD then you should do the leg work first. Bring 20 different versions of your ad to the table, not just one.
The worst ECD’s are guys who have executed lots of great work as a team, get brought in to run a department and fire every fucker in the room because those ‘losers’ didn’t go through the business and win tons of gongs like they did. They bring in their mates, piss off clients, win awards in the short term but zero new business – which ultimately is what counts if you really want to change the culture of a lesser agency. They get fired after about two to three years (watch this space one wanker ECD team is probably going that way soon) having spread carnage and leaving the agency wishing they’d spent the extra money on the really experienced guy they really wanted in the first place.
Rant over, the best ECD I ever worked for said you know when you’re a proper Creative Director when you look at the work a team places in front of you and instead of thinking, “I could do that better”, you say “here’s how you guys can make that better.” Loved that guy.
wonder which agency your referring to…