The role of a Chief Creative Officer is a dynamic and influential role in the world of marketing and advertising.
You just know by the fancy title (it says “chief”, after all!) that they’re an important person on your team but …
Just what exactly do they do all day?
We’re happy you asked because today’s blog is going to lay it all down once and for all! Whether you’re just curious about the role this exec plays within their respective company or you’re looking for more information in order to fill an open position on your team, we’re here to help fill in the blanks.
Today, we’re going over everything that a chief creative officer does and why you need to have one on your payroll.
Let’s get started.
What is a Chief Creative Officer?
First things first …
The chief creative officer (CCO) is an executive-level role that is in charge of leading a company’s creative department and overseeing the strategy and execution of creative activities like advertising campaigns, brand development, and content creation.
It’s a big job, but someone’s got to fill those shoes and it takes a special person with a special set of skills to navigate the role effectively.
What a Chief Creative Officer Does Each Day
So, what does this person do all day?
Understanding the role a chief creative officer plays is important, especially if you’re in the process of hiring a new CCO for your organization.
You’re going to want the best candidates you can get, after all, and, to do that, you’re going to need an accurate description for any job postings you create.
To help you out with your search, we’ll break down a CCO’s responsibilities by the following categories:
1. Managing the Creative Team
A CCO should demonstrate excellent leadership skills because a huge part of their day is spent on people management.
The CCO works closely with their creative team, which, depending on the company, includes creative directors, art directors, designers, copywriters, video production experts, and whatever other creative is involved in the production of marketing assets.
The chief creative officer ensures that the content being created by their team maintains a high level of both creativity and quality and continuously aligns with the company's brand and messaging.
The CCO sets expectations, provides feedback, and fosters an environment where creativity can thrive. A good CCO guarantees that the creative department remains innovative, produces high-quality content, and consistently meets the company's objectives.
2. Shaping Brand Image
The chief creative officer plays a critical role in shaping and maintaining a company's brand image and identity.
They work closely with their creative teams to develop creative branding guidelines for the company and then act as quality control to make sure that all marketing materials, advertising campaigns, and content creations align with those guidelines and brand messaging for ultimate consistency.
This includes carefully overseeing the development of everything from visual elements like photos, graphics, and illustrations, to tone of voice, to the overall look and feel of the brand.
A good CCO works hard at maintaining brand consistency and ensuring that the brand's values and promises are communicated effectively to the company’s target audience.
3. Overseeing Creative Department Operations
Another responsibility of a chief creative officer is to keep the entire creative department running smoothly and efficiently, like a well-oiled machine.
This involves not only supervising the content creation process, but also includes creating and managing budgets, allocating resources where needed, and setting ambitious yet achievable goals to drive the department’s performance.
They conduct periodic performance reviews of their creative department to ensure that they are consistently meeting their goals and are often heavily involved in the recruitment process.
Another big aspect of running the creative department is keeping it staffed with talented and hard-working employees. CCOs can often be seen recruiting new talent, conducting interviews, and hiring on new team members like creatives or directors to join the department as a company grows and more production is needed.
4. Cross-Department Collaboration
Chief creative officers are not limited to overseeing just their creative department either; they are also integral to maintaining overall consistency and harmony within the company.
They collaborate with other departments to make sure that the creative team’s output aligns with the company’s long-term goals, brand image, and messaging.
Often, this includes working closely with the senior leadership of various departments, such as marketing, sales, product development, and more to guarantee that creative initiatives are consistent with the company's branding and values.
A company’s CCO plays a big part in helping a brand maintain a cohesive and unified approach to business strategies and achieving corporate goals.
5. Overseeing Advertising Campaigns
The CCO is also responsible for overseeing the creative direction and strategy of a company’s advertising campaigns.
They’ll meet with their team and other leadership to develop an advertising and artistic design strategy, decide how best to execute it, and then manage the campaign once the strategies are in place.
The CCO keeps the creative department collaborating seamlessly with the marketing and advertising teams, creative directors, and other experts on staff in order to create the most compelling and effective advertising assets to help the company maximize its marketing efforts.
Because a CCO wants to keep their company ahead of the competition when it comes to creative output and marketing strategy, they also keep themselves updated on industry trends and new technology, implementing it when they can to enhance their team’s effectiveness.
Why a Chief Creative Officer is Important to Your Team
If your brand wants to have its marketing efforts and assets be as effective as it can and truly help the company achieve its goals, then you’re going to need a leader to make that happen.
The CCO acts as quality control, keeps everything consistent and on brand, and ensures that the creative department is operating efficiently and staying on budget.
When you have the right person for the job, your chief creative officer ensures that the creative department is getting the highest ROI it can on content creation and marketing campaigns.
How to Hire a CCO
If this all has convinced you that you absolutely need to have a chief creative officer on your team, then … mission accomplished!
You do need a professional who is capable of taking on all of the responsibilities listed above. And if you’re ready to start writing up that job posting to get this special someone on your team as soon as possible, we’ll show you how to do it.
Necessary Skills and Qualifications
First off, you’ll want to know the skills and qualifications any CCO candidate should have before they even walk through the door.
Someone who is looking to take on a chief creative officer position typically has a bachelor’s degree or higher in design, marketing, business, or any related field.
They also should have 10 or more years of experience working in the creative field, whether as a designer, a copywriter, or any other kind of creative position, along with years of experience in some kind of senior management position.
Because many of these folks have held positions like art director, graphic designer, or something similar, this makes them ideal candidates to manage a company’s creation team and oversee content creation to ensure that all marketing material and collateral is top quality, effective, and on brand.
Where to Look for Your New CCO
Once you know who you’re looking for, it’s a good idea to know where you should look. Here are some great places to put your feelers out and attract quality candidates:
LinkedIn or Other Online Platforms
Using professional networking platforms like LinkedIn or perhaps any industry-specific networking site is a great way to search for potential CCO candidates.
These sites are often full of experienced professionals with thorough profiles and documented work history to streamline your search. Either comb through potential candidates who are searching for a new position or create a job posting and let the candidates come to you!
Professional Networking
Many companies have an existing network and helpful connections in their industry. Put the word out that you’re seeking out a chief creative officer for your team and let your connections fill you in with insider referrals and recommendations.
If there are industry events or conferences coming up on your calendar, those can also be valuable resources to help you quickly fill your CCO position with the right candidate.
Recruiters
Or if don’t have the time in your day to dedicate to searching, you can consider partnering with a headhunter or other search firms or recruiters who specialize in filling creative and executive roles.
They have resources and connections that your company may not have and can quickly identify quality applicants for you to peruse. Often, their prices are reasonable, and the price is worth the time it saves you.
Post on Your Website
Another way to attract quality candidates without spending hours of your day networking and searching for applicants is to post the job on the Careers section of your company website.
This can save you some time and attract candidates who are specifically interested in your company and its culture, which would lead to a better fit than a candidate who is well-qualified but perhaps has never heard of your brand.
Or Stop Your Search Now
Alternatively, if you’re reading this article on Designity’s website, you may have already found the perfect place to hire your next chief creative officer.
Designity’s Creative Directors have all of the same qualifications as a Chief Creative Officer and their services can be acquired for just a fraction of the price it would take to pay the salary of an in-house CCO (approx. $161,500/ year, not including benefits).
Our Creative Directors have 10+ years of experience and are experts in design, marketing, project management and so much more.
They’ll source and manage the right Creatives (from our pool of the top 3% of US-based creative talent) for all of your marketing projects, ensuring that you have someone with the exact skill set your project requires to get you the final results you want.
With a Creative Director at the helm, you can be sure that the marketing material you need, whether it’s printed collateral or online ads, eBooks, or other digital media, is on brand, of the highest quality, and optimized for your success.
Check out our portfolio and see what we’ve been able to do for other brands just like yours and when you’re ready, give Designity a try.
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How it Works
Signing up with Designity is simple!
Here’s how it works:
- Book your demo call. Designity offers all new clients a chance to try out our platform, our method, and our services with a no-obligation, two-week trial.
- We’ll assign you the Creative Director whose personality and skill set best match your brand and your creative needs.
- Schedule a Kickoff Call to meet your Creative Director and explain your company, your goals, and the scope of services needed for your marketing projects.
- Your Creative Director gets to work building out a timeline for all of your projects and sourcing the perfect creative talent to get it done!
Remember, you have two whole weeks to enjoy our services! If you find we’re not a fit, then no hard feelings! Cancel anytime during the duration of your trial and walk away owing us absolutely nothing.
Ready to get started? Why not book a demo call today and start your two-week trial today?
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