ART DIRECTOR
The Creativ Grid | Advertising & Brand Communications
About The Role
The Creativ Grid is looking for an Art Director with 4 years of experience in an advertising agency who can combine strong visual craft with sharp conceptual thinking.
We are looking for someone who doesn't just make things look good, but understands why an idea should exist, how it should communicate, and how it can be translated into a powerful visual language across platforms.
You will work closely with Copywriters, Creative Directors, Strategists, Account Teams, filmmakers, photographers and other creative partners to develop ideas and execute campaigns for brands across categories.
This is a role for someone who can move comfortably between ideation and execution — from a campaign thought on a blank sheet of paper to the final artwork.
What You Will Do
1. Concept & Ideation
- Participate actively in creative brainstorming and campaign ideation.
- Develop original visual concepts for advertising and brand communication.
- Work closely with Copywriters to develop integrated copy + visual ideas.
- Translate strategic briefs into distinctive creative territories and campaign ideas.
- Think beyond individual posts and executions to develop campaignable ideas.
- Contribute ideas for integrated campaigns across digital, social, print, outdoor, video and experiential.
- Develop visual storytelling approaches for films, digital campaigns and brand narratives.
- Present and articulate creative ideas clearly to Creative Directors, internal teams and clients.
2. Art Direction
- Establish the visual direction for campaigns, brands and individual communication pieces.
- Develop moodboards, visual references, treatments, layouts and design directions.
- Define typography, composition, colour, imagery, illustration and overall visual language.
- Ensure consistency of visual identity across multiple touchpoints.
- Art direct photographers, filmmakers, illustrators, designers and production partners when required.
- Participate in shoot planning, including references, treatments, frames and visual execution.
- Develop storyboards and visual references for films, digital videos and branded content.
3. Design & Execution
- Create high-quality visual work across:
- Social media
- Digital campaigns
- Print advertising
- Outdoor / OOH
- Brand identity
- Presentations
- Brochures and publications
- Campaign key visuals
- Films and video content
- Experiential and activation assets
- Take ideas from initial concept through to final execution.
- Maintain a high standard of design craft, typography, composition and visual detail.
- Adapt master creative ideas into multiple formats and platforms without compromising the core idea.
4. Adobe Creative Skills
Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud is essential.
The candidate should be particularly strong in:
- Adobe Illustrator — essential
- Adobe Photoshop — essential
- Adobe InDesign — preferred
- Adobe After Effects — advantageous
- Adobe Premiere Pro — advantageous
The ability to work confidently with AI-assisted creative tools and emerging design technologies will be an added advantage.
What We Are Looking For
Essential
- 4 years of relevant experience in an advertising / creative agency.
- Strong understanding of advertising and brand communication.
- Excellent conceptual and visual thinking.
- Strong command of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Ability to develop ideas, not just execute supplied layouts.
- Strong understanding of typography, composition, colour, imagery and design principles.
- Experience working on integrated advertising campaigns.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with Copywriters and Creative Directors.
- Ability to work across multiple mediums and formats.
- Strong presentation and communication skills.
- Ability to work under tight deadlines without compromising creative quality.
- High attention to detail.
- Ability to take feedback positively and improve work through iterations.
Portfolio
An impressive portfolio is mandatory.
The portfolio should demonstrate:
- Campaign thinking
- Conceptual thinking
- Art direction
- Strong graphic design
- Brand identity work
- Digital and social campaigns
- Print / OOH work
- Visual storytelling
- Strong typography and composition
- Ability to take an idea from concept to execution
We are more interested in the thinking behind the work than the number of designs in the portfolio.
A portfolio containing beautiful designs without evidence of conceptual thinking will not be enough for this role.
We are looking for someone who
- Gets excited by a blank page.
- Can turn a strategic brief into a visual idea.
- Looks at advertising beyond individual social media posts.
- Has strong visual taste and knows what makes work feel premium.
- Is curious about culture, design, advertising, photography, film and popular culture.
- Can challenge an idea constructively.
- Is comfortable collaborating rather than working in isolation.
- Can explain why a particular visual solution works.
- Is equally comfortable brainstorming with a Copywriter and sitting down in Illustrator to execute the idea.
- Is constantly looking for ways to make ordinary communication more interesting.
Nice To Have
- Experience working on recognised brands or large-scale campaigns.
- Experience across FMCG, lifestyle, technology, education, real estate, hospitality or corporate brands.
- Experience in campaign development and integrated communication.
- Basic motion graphics / animation skills.
- Basic video editing skills.
- Photography or art direction experience.
- Experience working with AI creative tools.
- Experience presenting creative work to clients.
- Experience mentoring junior designers or art team members.
Key Competencies
Creative Thinking
Ability to generate original, relevant and campaignable ideas.
Visual Craft
High standards of design, typography, composition and execution.
Advertising Understanding
Ability to understand the role of creativity in solving a communication or business problem.
Art Direction
Ability to establish and maintain a strong visual direction.
Collaboration
Ability to work effectively with Copy, Strategy, Accounts and production teams.
Presentation
Ability to sell an idea, explain the thinking and defend creative choices.
Adaptability
Ability to work across different categories, audiences, mediums and visual styles.
Speed & Ownership
Ability to manage multiple projects and take ownership from brief to final delivery.
Experience
4 years of relevant experience in an advertising, creative or brand communications agency.
Candidates with exceptional portfolios and slightly different experience profiles may also be considered.
Location
Sricity
Work Mode: Work From Office
Compensation
₹ 7 – ₹ 9 LPA, depending on experience, portfolio quality, conceptual ability and overall fit.
Exceptional candidates may be considered outside the stated range.
How To Apply
Please share:
- Updated CV
- Portfolio / Behance / personal website
- A short introduction
- Current CTC
- Expected CTC
- Notice period
Subject: Application – Art Director
The One-Line Definition Of This Role
We are looking for an Art Director who can think like a creative, design like an art director and execute like a craftsman.
Pay: ₹700,000.00 - ₹900,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
