Tip #9 ∞ Agency Roles ∞ Tip #9

To help you get more for your advertising dollar, it might be worthwhile to understand how advertising agencies are typically organized. In my experience, you would have the following people working on your account:

Account Executive
Media Director/Media Buyer
Creative Director
Art Director
Copywriter
Graphic Designer
Production Designer
Traffic Manager

What does everyone in the list actually do?

Account Executive - Liason to client; between agency and client. Main job: Insulate creatives to allow them to be creative, "sell" the work, but also represent the best interests of the client to the agency. Would also work closely with traffic managers and in general serve as project manager for any type of project.

Media Director/Media Buyer - Research, plans, and buys any/all media on behalf of a client.

Creative Director - manages creative team including Art Director/Graphic Designer/Copywriter - sometimes comes up with the "big picture" creative strategy for client.

Art Director - "Directs" the creative development of a project; manages selection of artwork for any particular project.

Copywriter - writes ad copy for the ad - works closely with Art Director and/or Graphic Designer to "get the messaging" right - sometimes dreams up imagery to accompany the copy. But usually this is done as part of a brainstorming session of the team.

Graphic Designer - does the layout and graphic design - might create imagery or place selected imagery as directed (and purchsed) by art director in an appropriate way. Sets all type - chooses fonts, colors, look, feel of any project. Manages the development of comps for the client to view and make decisions from.

Production Designer - makes sure that what the Graphic Designer has created can actually be produced in whatever medium is being used. Sometimes the Production Designer must re-do the design in "real" terms. Works closely with printers, media, etc., for best reproduction/broadcast of any project.

Traffic Manager - keeps track of what stage the project is in and helps AE stay on task. Also keeps track of media placements and various other management of moving pieces within an agency where multiple people touch any one project.

While this is an abbreviated list of the people who work on projects, and some agencies have other skill sets or "disciplines" and some agencies may have one person that fills multiple roles (Like GWiz does), I think this is a pretty close proximity for how most agencies work.