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What about Italy? Anyone working there?
Going in house is the move, right?
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The REAL answer is simple:
Agencies throw inexperienced people like that big titles and less salary than a legitimate person of that title would command.
It allows the agency to bill clients at a legitimate ACD or CD salary, then pocket the difference of 10’s of thousands as profit.
And we wonder why so many clients don’t trust agencies and find those team managers utterly incompetent 🤦🏻♂️
Lol AD2
This is an American phenomenon. In the UK a senior creative is literally someone with many years in the game, not one step above junior as it is in the US. ACD doesn’t really exist. CCO is a relatively new title too, up until a few years ago the ECD was the person running the whole creative department. America just loves titles. Says the ACD who knows it’s a bulkshit title.
Yes
Yes. And it’s a problem.
I’m an ACD. I’m 54.
Good for you
They fired me and gave them my job for a little less money since I’m over 45
Go to Doner. You’ll find plenty. They lay off young, fresh creatives who question the status quo and increase the paychecks of old geezers dripping with incompetence, sexual harassment and microagressions.
I’m a senior cw and I’m 41. Def old man over here. Hell, my CCO is like 45
Everything’s inflated. ACD today is the equivalent of a junior creative back then. CCO today is a CD. That’s why everything is meh.
An ACD is a junior creative? 🧐 That doesn’t seem right. I’d say at least a senior, no?
I’m 36, 10 years experience, decent portfolio, lead many projects, mentor youngins… still a senior. Lol
I got into "in house'/ brand side at 35. Titles are different from agencies. Never made it to art director title, but pay is close to creative director.
I guess title doesn't matter, $ does.
Yep I am a Sr AD brand side, I make a CD salary, and my work is what an ACD would do.
Rising Star
Not everywhere. But at most places, yes.
And then imagine being in your late 40’s reading this post.
Somehow I’ve avoided this to become a rare 30-something mid-level writer.
Same
I’m an ACD at 28 and have the exact same question! Regardless, I’m here for it.
Until there is consensus on the role, and standardized testing, yes.
Until then promotions in title are cheaper than raises
I’m 30 and a group art sup and am actively resisting moving up too fast cause I don’t want to peter principle or burn out of the industry like a friend of mine did already. I’ve had a lot of people try and recruit me into an ACD role but like I’m only really a year into GAS. I have a creative partner my age who’s ACD copy and I have zero jealousy. I don’t want to be a CD by 35 and miserable.
This was always my philosophy … I’m still a senior at 36 and I’m only now finally feeling the itch to move up to ACD.
The advertising industry hands out titles like candy. And young creatives feel “entitled” to ACD after 3-4 years experience. They get vERY angry if you tell them otherwise 😂
These days it depends on the discipline, size of the shop and the business that is brought in.
If someone is persuasive with clients and selling ideas then the business is happy with that.
Also I would wage that they are on a lower salary band than an experienced CD.
I remember a great design firm i was at lost a packaging job because another bidder had a title “sr packaging designer” so thats who won it—despite that person being nowhere close to as good as a junior at the other firm.
Any client that dumb would be a nightmare for your team. You dodged a .50 caliber bullet