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How much do strategy directors make these days?
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Production designers are wildly bad recently. At my last agency, I couldn’t go a single project without at least 3+ rounds of studio feedback for bad framing, weird resizing choices, or brand guideline breaches. And my hero artwork and main files are so clean and easy to follow for most studio teams.
I have a background in graphic design. I don’t enjoy it as much as pure art direction, but I find myself having to do more design work at some agencies just to help level up studio.
^ Same and mostly from the most senior production designer 😵💫😵💫
What exactly is a Production Designer? It feels like a newly invented title. Traditionally, production staff handle production and designers handle creative. Most “Production Designer” roles I’ve seen read like junior graphic design positions.
Is this simply a way to blur responsibilities, or are companies cutting costs by folding production into lower-level design roles instead of hiring experienced production professionals?
Yes. This is exactly it.
And when did strategists become Copywriters and account managers Creative Directors?
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ACD 1 is using chatgpt to write their copy lol
I can count on one hand how many designers I’ve met within the last 10 years that even know how to use a grid properly.
They really don’t teach the basics anymore.
And some people called label themselves with these titles and don't have any training or background at all so there's that...
I can’t answer your question fully. But I did work at an agency that wanted to hire an art director once but didn’t have the budget, so they hired a designer instead (ADs typically out earn designers) and gave them art director responsibilities. It was pretty evident the designer was struggling early on, had a breakdown at work, and went on a stress leave. They never came back. I assume a lot of recent cross hiring comes from shrinking budgets.
As for production designers. They basically just do what they’re told. It’s like they’re told to turn off the logical reasoning side of their brain. They act like they don’t get paid enough to do that or care.
It is what it is.
They were being asked to be conceptual, come up with ad ideas, etc. When their focus was on design. Didn't work out.
But there's overlap sometimes, so some agencies just hire a low budget art director which could be a designer.
Leo Burnett Toronto used to hire Designers and they worked as Advertising Art Directors.
https://strategyonline.ca/creative-report-card/2025/?cp=person&t=cd
When did creative directors outgrow their usefulness
This feels like “old man yelling at clouds” post… but I also have been feeling this way very much in my role. I never see any craft put into details like kerning etc anymore. I Unusually ask “should I clean up the typesetting?” and get told no a lot; either because things are rushed or I have ruffled feathers just by asking.