Marketing ideas must make it out of the strategy meeting and into the real world for brands to have an impact. Fortunately, entire teams are dedicated to developing marketing collateral and other content for customers to enjoy.

But, when you send something “to creative,” who exactly are you sending it to? In this article, we’ll look at some of the most important roles of a creative design team and how they influence a brand’s public image.

What is a creative team?

A creative team comprises people who use their creative abilities to help a company or organization. Writers, artists, designers, and others who can look at a problem and create creative content to help solve it are common members of creative teams.

The creative team’s main goal is to design and execute campaigns encouraging a target audience to purchase a company’s products or services. They’re also in charge of maintaining the company’s brand image through its look, voice, and messaging, utilizing an effective workflow management software tool for streamlined collaboration and project organization.

Each creative team member has a thorough understanding of the client’s or organization’s business goals, target audience, values, and vision. They use this information to develop innovative ways to package and present a new message, whether it’s on ads, emails, websites, billboards, or the product itself.

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Creative team roles 

The creative team will look different depending on which area your business operates. 

In an advertising agency, for example, a creative team will consist of copywriters, editors, graphic designers, developers, and producers and be led by a creative director.

Many other industries, such as high-tech, have an in-house creative team that is usually included within the marketing department. 

Besides having creative directors and copywriters, the creative team will also have developers and strategists who manage project timelines, and resources will also play an important role in this structure. Let’s look at all these creative team roles and responsibilities in detail. 

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1. Creative director

Creative directors are responsible for leading everyone in the creative department and heading the Creative Operations software. They set the tone for the work your team creates and ensure consistency across all developed content.

They frequently assist in the planning of larger campaigns, ensuring that all content, branding, and messaging are consistent with the campaign's mission and objectives. 

Creative directors also monitor key metrics to ensure that campaigns are hitting the targets required for success.

A creative director's job may also include project management elements. They may track project timelines and deliverables, but in most cases, this task is often delegated to an operations manager who is less concerned with creative tasks and more concerned with project management.

In short, the creative director is the most experienced member of the team and sits on top of the creative operations team structure. They set the vision and direction for the rest of the team.

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2. Communications strategist

The creative director is frequently asked to serve as project manager, creative lead, and strategy expert simultaneously. However, the best teams include a strategic communications strategist who works closely with the creative director. 

They understand each campaign’s unique requirements and the digital marketing and content marketing efforts required to meet them. Then, they create the campaign strategy, which will include:

• Mission
• Goals
• Target audience 
• Messaging
• Tactics (how to communicate the brand message to customers)
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Timeline 

The strategist then works with the rest of the creative team to develop content and complete the campaign.

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3. Copywriters 

Copywriters are responsible for creating content. That content can be in long-form or short-form formats included in the marketing plan — website copy, social media, blog posts, or any other messaging meant to persuade, entertain, or inform.

Depending on who informs the campaign plan, the creative director and strategist (and possibly other stakeholders within the organization) will provide copywriters with direction on the campaign’s intended outcome. The copywriters will then create content that meets these goals.

Depending on the organization's resources, copywriters can work as in-house marketing staff or freelancers.

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4. SEO specialist

While copywriters frequently understand search engine optimization (SEO), many teams have an SEO specialist on staff.

An SEO specialist conducts keyword research and monitors SEO trends to ensure that all the copy is search engine optimized. They examine the copywriter’s work and suggest additional copy to include (or exclude).

Having an SEO specialist on the team is invaluable as it helps you target an audience looking for a unique solution and helps you organically draw attention online.

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5. Art director

The art director performs similar duties to the creative director. The main distinction is that they are solely in charge of overseeing art development and production.

Whereas copywriters concentrate on the written word, art directors concentrate on the visual. The art director oversees all graphics, photos, and other visual support materials for the brand.

They provide guidance on the tone, look, and feel of visual artifacts to ensure they are consistent with the organization’s brand and goals. Additionally, they keep an eye on the work of the team’s other visual artists.

For instance, if a marketing department creates an advertisement, they may want to include the brand slogan beneath a compelling image. The art director would advise on the photo and any colors used in the ad.

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6. Graphic designers

Graphic designers are in charge of the visual aspects of the work of a creative team. They use color, imagery, font, and layout to amplify a brand’s message visually. 

Their role requires them to be creative while also ensuring that the “look” of any design is consistent with the brand’s style.

Graphic designers can specialize in a specific area of graphic design (such as print media or product packaging) or work as generalists on a wide range of collateral.

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7. Web designers

A website is the most important piece of marketing collateral for most brands, and many creative teams have dedicated web designers for the job.

Web designers create responsive websites that communicate a brand’s mission and vision using a combination of creative and technical skills.

They not only ensure that the designs are visually appealing and on-brand but also help users navigate the site easily and assist developers in putting their ideas into action.

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8. Web developers

Web developers create the layout and features of a website using custom code and in collaboration with web designers. 

Websites are also monitored and maintained by developers to ensure a good user experience and to keep them running smoothly.

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Wrapping up

The roles described above cover the most important functions of a creative team. However, no two creative teams are alike. Some organizations may combine or divide roles according to their needs. Many creative teams, for example, have multiple designers, each with unique skills.

Niche marketing requires specialized creative roles on other teams, such as illustrator, animator, or podcast producer.

No matter how organized, creative teams are all about collaboration. They bring together people with diverse creative abilities to transform marketing strategies from abstract concepts into tangible content.

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About Artwork Flow

Artwork Flow is an end-to-end project management tool that manages your workflow and simplifies workflow automation and asset management. 

It helps you create templates, workflows, and checklists to collaborate with team members and go to market on time. 

For more information on how Artwork Flow can help, check out the case studies, or contact us immediately for a free demo or trial.

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