Company Description Merkle is a global data-driven, technology-enabled performance marketing agency and the largest independent agency in the US for CRM, digital, and search. For more than 28 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with us to build and maximize the value of their customer portfolios. We work with brands like Dell, Chase, Samsung, Geico, Regions, Kimberly-Clark, AARP, Lilly, Sanofi, NBC Universal, DIRECTV, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, and many others to build and execute customer centric business strategies.
Job Description
The Associate Creative Director is responsible for developing work that has meaningful and measurable impact, achieves marketing/strategic goals, and satisfies client brand requirements. They help lead the copy, design, tone and direction of work from concept to execution. An Associate Creative Director must seek out new messaging innovations and technologies to cultivate new concepts and promote exciting new ideas. They ensure the timely execution of plans, campaigns and projects to assure earnings, growth and profit goals are achieved.
Key Responsibilities:
CREATIVE DIRECTION, DEVELOPMENT, & CONCEPTING
- Develop consistently superior visual and messaging content to support a retail media network
- Show leadership in executing fresh, innovative concepts that enhance response strategies and achieve client objectives
- Work with Creative Directors, senior team members and client teams to create appropriate, workable ways to express and enhance the client’s communication needs and achieve key strategic initiatives
- Guide teams through creative concepting, execution and delivery in accordance with departmental processes
- Meet all timelines and deliver executions for Creative Directors, account staff and client review per project schedules
- Know all pertinent industry, channel, client, and product information, such as audience insights, product benefits, offers, KPIs, brand standards and production specifications
- Responsible for current knowledge and understanding of emerging trends and technologies and the ability to institute best practices for digitaland traditional marketing products
CLIENT CONTACT
- Develop, present and help sell creative concepts to clients
- Communicate creative rationale to clients, defend the work and articulate reasons behind each choice.
- Work with client teams to move their agenda forward and provide solutions
- Participate in pitch strategy and demonstrate an ability to articulate those strategies
CREATIVE TEAM LEADERSHIP DUTIES
- Collaborate with Account Executives and team members to identify questions and pertinent project information needed to execute assignments
- Work with Creative Directors and Project Managers to assign work
- Manage creative staff and freelance to ensure their work meets the agency standards, including the ability to clearly articulate feedback and provide constructive oversite that elevates the creative product
- Mentor and inspire teams to perform at the maximum of their abilities and foster reputation as problem solvers
- Assure that creative work meets client objectives, follows strategies aligned to the brief and meets deadlines on budget
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree
- 4+ years managing creative services in a direct marketing agency or a
- combination of agency/vendor side experience
- 5+ years Media creative experience
- Must have strong digital display and social media work
- Superior strategic thinking and creative skills (written, visual and conceptual)
- Ability to meet aggressive deadlines and juggle multiple priorities
- Excellent client service and presentation skills
- Self-motivation and a positive interaction with a wide range of individuals is expected
- Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite; must be highly skilled in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
- Moderate knowledge ofSketch and Microsoft Office
- Broad understanding of typography, color theory, current design and advertising trends
- Experience in retail copywriting and design
- Strong corporate identity and branding experience
- Extensive knowledge of digital display, video, paid social and web site technologies, development methods and user experience
- Knowledge of principles and best practices for all marketing channels including a strong understanding of WCAG and ADA requirements
Candidate must be available to be on-site up to 5 days a week in Wellesley, MA.
Additional Information
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
