Expert: Peter Gabany - 9/4/2009

Question
Hi. I recently asked you some questions about advertising and I'm not sure if you got my last few follow-up questions. Who runs an advertising agency? Is the creative director in charge of the agency as a whole? Is it ever possible to go from Account Executive or Creative Director to an executive position in the company? What can a person be promoted to when starting out in those positions? Thanks again

Answer
It happens that a CD (Creative Director) will migrate to the account side, less of a chance of that happening the other way as being a creative director takes talent that may not befall an account person (but it does happen). This sort of structure works for many creative agencies including graphic design agencies.

The account ladder is such:

account coordinator
traffic coordinator
Account executive            Media coordinator
Account manager              Media planner/buyer        Strategist
Account supervisor
Director of account service
VP - (name position) Research, strategic planning, client service, interactive, etc
President
CEO

On the creative side:
Jr designer                       Writer
Int. designer
Sr. designer    Art Director
Creative director - art           Creative director - writing
Director of Creative Services
VP - (Name position) Creative services
President
CEO

This is not every agency - some are far too small and some have far more layers and positions.

I hope that this helps,

Pete