Expert: Peter Gabany - 9/3/2010

Question
What is the structure of a typical Creative Advertising Agency? What are the
different departments? How does this structure differ from a full service agency?

Answer
As far as we're concerned there is no difference in structure from a creative and full service agency. Being in the business for nearly 25 years we have seen boutique (creative hot shops, or do anything agencies), mid-size (agencies that do all the grunt work) and larger, full service agencies operate in various forms of structure.

Back in 93 Geoffery Roche launched THE new model of agency - away with all suits - no account execs - in fact in the press conference they reportedly marched in a coffin stating death to account managers.

About the same time Paul Lavoi of TAXI had created a creative agency in Montreal whcih to me was… never mind what we say, watch our feet and they changed the way advertising was approached but introduced graphic design to their business mix.

And then enter Rethink - a samll Canadian West Coast agency that approached things differently again - all of them awarded agency of the year several times each, but as they won so too did the large agency models.

So what was the structure of any of these winning, leading agencies?

A strong figurehead with superior, entreprenuership, management or creative prowess (actually a blend of each) - this being Chris, Paul or Geoff of the agencies mentioned above.

Below that they all had their generals - people that can manage the business in the case of Chris of Rethink, he has Tom, Geoff had Andy or Paula (not sure who is there now) and Paul of Taxi at one time had Heather (new person now).

So we have a creative head, a strong business manager and now you need the people that do the work. So typically the structure is such and the larger the agency, the more people to fill in the various positions.

Here is the heirarchy (every agency has variations of the same)

       President - business manager
Creative director       Account supervisor
Art director            Account manager
Designers               Account executive

Media planner, buyer    Account planner
Public Relations        Strategic planner
Online Manager

Great question, please feel free to contact for more info

Pete