Art Director - Web jobs in Cleveland, OH

VMLY&R COMMERCE is WPP’s newest end-to-end Creative Commerce Company. Built on the commerce expertise of Geometry and scaled through VMLY&R’s connected brand promise, we help modern brands grow by unifying marketing strategies around commerce.

We believe the space of commerce holds the most untapped creative potential to grow brands and people. Living CommerceTM is our proprietary approach and platform that guides how we work. By understanding how, when and why people buy, we deliver the most engaging and culturally-relevant creative commerce experiences across Retail, Experience, Design and Innovation. We do this as part of a network of 13,000 specialists across 80 countries, everywhere life intersects with commerce – this is end-to-end.

Develops and executes creative marketing ideas to solve client challenges. Focuses on the visual side of the creative product, including design, layout, type, photography, color and overall visual esthetics. Collaborates primarily with a copywriter to generate ideas and create concepts and visual designs that are on strategy, on brand and achieve client objectives.

Responsibilities

• Attend project kick-off meetings with senior creative team members, account, strategy, and project management
• Take notes based on creative brief discussed
• Ask clarifying questions to understand the assignment and any specific creative requests
• Confirm role on the project
• Participate in creative brainstorms
• Provide input on concepting the ideas based on knowledge of current trends, pop culture, and current and past design themes
• Bring own original ideas to the meeting and share with team
• Build upon other participants’ ideas
• Constructively critique ideas discussed
• Partner with a copywriter to design and create agreed upon concept per brainstorm meeting
• Create designs based on strategy, target audience, brand, brand guidelines and retailer
• Design logos and sketch out ideas or layouts
• Search for photos to be used in the design
• Identify the correct font and imagery that works best with the idea
• Understand usage rights of purchased items, such as stock photography and fonts
• Use color appropriately to facilitate the idea or direct the eye
• Work within the industry standards and follow company procedures and protocol
• Present work to the senior creative team members
• Further explore and/or revise concept per creative lead’s direction
• Interpret feedback and adjust design accordingly
• Ensure the design is on strategy
• Prepare and package files for transfer to the next phase (i.e. transitioning a file to the studio)
• Follow specified guidelines to store files properly
• Ensure files are properly labeled and placed in the correct folder on corresponding server
• Mentor junior art directors and/or interns
• Enter time reports at minimum once a week and expense reports within 10 days of incurred expense
• Handle other duties as assigned by supervisor

As part of the WPP Group, VMLY&R COMMERCE offers one of the best overall compensation packages in the business.

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in advertising, design or relevant field
• 2-5 years of experience as an art director, preferably in an agency or in-house creative department
• Proficient in Adobe Create Suite applications
• Basic understanding of advertising and marketing principles
• Functional knowledge of typography, layout and design principles
• Knowledge of current trends, pop culture, current and past design themes
• Able to communicate clearly, thoroughly and succinctly both verbally and in writing; can clearly articulate an idea and the reason(s) behind a specific creative direction
• Able to accept constructive feedback and apply in work
• Current knowledge and understanding of where and how people interact with media, including at home, on the go, while shopping, mobile, broadcast, print, event, etc.
• Collaborates well with others, demonstrated by partnering with other creatives to successfully brainstorm and concept ideas
• Anticipates potential problems and obstacles to project success, communicates concerns and develops solutions
• Proactively seeks out additional projects during lull periods

VMLY&R COMMERCE is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. VMLY&R is a M/F Disabled and Vet EEO/AA Employer.