Art Director

About Ogilvy 

Memac Ogilvy is one of the leading creative networks in MENA with its flagship office in the UAE and a strong local footprint in the GCC and North Africa. It is part of the formidable worldwide Ogilvy network. It’s the only truly integrated comms network – with beyond Brand & Advertising, a deep PR & Influence, Social Media Performance and Customer Engagement & Digital capability under 1 P&L and under single leadership. Memac Ogilvy is about Making Brands Matter. We deliver on this by combining expert and new capabilities for modern marketing solutions (we are not a traditional advertising agency anymore) with solid project management expertise for agile and effective delivery as well as through a passionate talent agenda.   

The agency is the most awarded Middle Eastern agency in Cannes as well as a big winner at the local award show Lynx. It counts over 600 staff members.   

What You’ll Do:  

Creative Management: 

• Think creatively and devise imaginative and intelligent advertisements based on client briefs. 

• Push boundaries of original thinking to explore new creative solutions. 

• Communicate creative ideas effectively to a wide audience of varying levels of creative knowledge. 

• Translate the strategic creative concept into different creative executions to be presented to the client. 

• Execute creative ideas to the highest standard involving and communicating with the necessary creative team. 

• Modify initial ideas into workable concepts until the client is satisfied. 

• Align the copy with art direction and vice versa. 

• Deliver work to brief on time and on budget, to the highest quality. 

• Develop smart, single-minded ideas that are on strategy. 

• Maintain proper layout and conceptual execution throughout all phases of campaign. 

• Develop creative ideas and concepts, often in partnership with the creative team. 

• Present ideas to colleagues and clients. 

• Update digital media with snappy, timely content. 

• Amend, revise or redevelop adverts or campaigns in response to feedback from the creative director, account team or clients. 

• Oversee campaigns through the production stage to completion. 

• Work on several campaigns at once, sometimes under pressure and often to tight deadlines. 

Responsibilities: 

• Deliver work to brief on time and to quality standards and quantity required. 

• Grasp the concept of idea versus execution and understand ideas when identified by others. 

• Identify ideas in own work and explain it clearly. 

• Push boundaries when it comes to execution and finding new techniques in Art direction. 

• Articulate their own creative ideas to other team members with support from managers. 

• Understand and appreciate the nature and value of brands. 

• Approach all activity within the context of 360 Degree Brand Stewardship. 

• Act in the best interest of the brand at all times. 

• Generate lots of fresh, original ideas from a brief. 

• Push boundaries of original thinking to explore new creative solutions. 

• Begin to develop a basic knowledge of creative formats. 

• Align the copy with art direction and vice versa. 

• Work collaboratively with creative partner. 

• Collaborate and communicate with team members at all times regarding deadlines, revisions, quality control and new work. 

• Work well under pressure. 

• Be highly motivated and well organized. 

• See other people's point of view, accept and address feedback. 

• Assume all administrative responsibilities for making given duties feasible. 

• Actively seek inspiration from the external environment to influence creativity. 

• Familiarize themselves with the product and competitor activities in the market. 

• Be proficient in discussing the client's core message and target audience. 

• Build key relationships with Account Management, Planning & Traffic departments. 

• Meet regularly with relevant departments to discuss the client's requirements and core messages. 

• Portray a helpful and innovative image for the Creative Department. 

What You’ll Need: 

• Strong listening skills to fully understand the brief. 

• Familiarity with Typography and a good feeling for its appropriate use. 

• Practical knowledge of Photography. 

• Good knowledge of artwork preparations and its appropriate use for reproduction in various media. 

• Solid knowledge of required languages and their relevant design skills. 

• Ability to remain up-to-date with new ideas, techniques and styles (i.e., art, films, TV programmes, music, fashion, trends etc.). 

• Understanding and appreciation of the nature and value of their clients' brands. 

• Ability to generate lots of fresh, original ideas from a brief.