Creative directors work closely with copywriters and art directors to develop the concepts for either an individual advertisement or entire campaigns. They lead brainstorming sessions (sometimes called gang bangs) and provide inspiration for the creative team. Once a concept is determined, the art director and copywriter work together to tie the words and graphics together. The creative director will then work alone or with a graphic designer to create thumbnail layouts, or possible design approaches, and bring the top choices to the account executive, who will take them to the client for approval. The creative director then supervises the process from rough layout to presentation format through final completed piece.

To get to the creative director level, you would begin as a junior art director or copywriter, then move up to senior art director/copywriter. After proving that you can consistently come up with good concepts, inspire co-workers, and lead your staff, you would move up to art director and then creative director. Because creative directors need to have a balance between creativity and knowledge of the business, it is not uncommon to see people become CDs after working on the account side for some time.

Copywriter

Copywriters work on teams with art directors to think up slogans and the wording for print and broadcast advertising. The words must go with the images from the art director and follow the inspiration handed down from the creative director.

Copywriters must have a true facility with the language. Their words have to motivate people to act -- whether this be to buy something or to support something. Most copywriters have taken specialized courses in copywriting, marketing, and advertising theory. (While different from journalism, some copywriters start out as journalists or writers and move into copywriting positions at advertising firms.) To get a job as a copywriter, you need to have a portfolio featuring sample ads with compelling copy. You might get in as a junior copywriter, but if you dont have your own book, you might try to get in as a proofreader or editor and move up to the copy department.

Graphic designer

Graphic designers deal with the actual arrangement of the elements that make up an ad. They work on two-dimensional elements such as magazine and newspaper advertisements, catalogs, brochures, and annual reports, and flex their structural design skills for anything 3-D, including package design, store displays and set design.

Producer

After the account executive and the creatives agree with a client on the ad's creative concepts, the producer comes in. The producer helps selects directors and production companies to work on the commercial (which is in storyboard form at this point). He or she is in charge of all the coordination work involved in the production of a commercial.

Producers also set project deadlines and price out projects that are performed by outside contractors such as photographers, printing companies, illustrators, or typesetters. Hiring outside contractors can also be handled by an art buyer.

Photographers and illustrators

Few agencies have in-house photographers or facilities. It's very expensive to build and maintain an in-house photography studio complete with equipment and darkroom facilities. Outsourcing the work lets agencies use photographers with different styles to serve different clients.

Advertising photographers work on projects determined by the art director. They may be able to contribute ideas and opinions, but the final word belongs to the art director. When it comes to the technical elements, however, the photographers expertise is paramount.

Most photographers begin by assisting established photographers, from whom they make their contacts and learn the basics about working with agencies. The goal, of course, is have ones own studio someday -- along with a roster of patron agencies.

Film producer/videographer

TV spots were once shot exclusively on 35mm or 16mm film, edited, and then transferred to videotape. Because the quality of video has risen in recent years, however, many commercials are produced entirely on video. It's less expensive than film, so agencies can offer clients high quality ad spots on a lower budget. Film production, however, is still used by clients who can afford to use it, as it still beats video in clarity and color quality. But as video quality improves, video's cost-effectiveness will likely increase its popularity.

As with photography services, most agencies farm out film and video work to outside production studios. People interested in making commercials usually get into the business by working for a film or video production company.

Typesetter

Typesetters arrange the type used in print ads, brochures, catalogs, annual reports, logos -- anything that contains printed words. The designer/typographer designs the page format and makes sure the copy fits the page. Until the 1950s, most typesetting was done by hand using type made of lead. A printer would use fonts (the complete set) in various sizes to do each job. But technology has transformed typesetting over the past 20 years. Most people now use a graphics program, essentially eliminating the need for a typesetter. And now that typesetters use computers for digital typesetting, it is much easier to create more elaborate effects.

To get into typesetting, graphics-oriented people often get basic training through six- to eight-week typesetting programs. In-house typesetting is more popular nowadays, because it allows for last-minute changes. The type can be sent via e-mail or on disk to a linotronic printer, which produces typeset quality work. Now well take a look at the major positions on the business side of the advertising industry.