First-Time CCOs Talk About What It Takes to Helm a Creative Department

Becoming a chief creative officer is a privilege and a challenge. It often takes many years or even decades to rise to the leadership role. Some CCOs work their way up from junior copywriters and designers to the top of the ladder while others take a less linear path to the role. But once they become CCOs, the importance of the work ratchets up a few notches. They must not only build a creative vision and direction of a particular agency, they must also be good leaders. No easy feat for sure. The Modern Chief Creative Officer Must Lead Through Inspiration and Communication Adweek talked with several newly minted chief creative officers about how they got there, how they approach their craft and the challenges and rewards of the job. How they got the job Whether they were elevated in an agency they worked for or were hired from the outside, taking the top creative position is something these CCOs took on with both enthusiasm and trepidation. “It was honestly unexpected. I never applied for it. I never campaigned for it. I just kept my head down, did my job with a little swagger and embraced every aspect of the ad world,” said Rob Canales, CCO at health and wellness agency The 3rd Eye, who was elevated to the newly created role thanks to his hard work and determination. Canales, who has been in advertising close to a decade holding multiple roles, learned his craft by “obsessing over learning the nuances of the industry.” He said he felt a sense of imposter syndrome being named chief creative because of the weight of the role, but ultimately had the confidence to take it on. “I took the opportunities this agency gave me and made the best of it. That mentality is what got me here today,” said Canales. Samira Ansari, who was named chief creative officer at Deutsch New York earlier this year, said she was nervous at first, but received great advice from fellow CCOs. “My favorite was ‘to make friends with the CFO,’” said Ansari. Better as a pair Leisa Wall and Peter Vegas are co-CCOs at FCB New Zealand, and they stated that making the jump to the CCO role was a bit scary but having two of them in the role made it a little easier. Wall and Vegas have been a creative team for eight years, though both have decades of experience in the business. “It’s not super common to have co-CCO’s but FCB has done it in a few offices in the network, so they were happy for us to have a crack,” said Vegas. Another duo is Laundry Service’s newly anointed co-CCOs Danny Nunez and Matt Walton. Unlike Vegas and Wall, Nunez was already with Laundry Service while Walton has served in creative positions at agencies, as a freelancer and in the music space. “Stepping into the CCO role, there was a burst of urgency from day one that I anticipated and welcomed. The environment creates a tight, interconnected bond across every brief that you can’t find outside agency culture.” Walton told Adweek. Keep the ego in check Those who are new to the role learn early on to be confident but not overly so. Zack McDonald, CCO at creative agency B-Reel, has only been in the position a few weeks, rising from associate creative director through the ranks. “This is one of those jobs where there is no instruction manual. The best creative leaders are the ones who remain themselves regardless of what big, fancy title they’ve earned,” said McDonald. Harris Wilkinson, CCO at Omnicom agency The Marketing Arm, thought he was ready to take on the new role at the agency but was initially overwhelmed, especially since he had the pressure of defining it and making it work. He praised the support he had from the agency and its parent company. “Everyone rallied around our creative-forward mission,” said Wilkinson, who started as a copywriter, worked in film and TV and then joined TMA as a group creative director. Ian Grody was recently named CCO at Giant Spoon and learned early on that he needed to kill his ego, “because creatives with glass jaws only make it so far.” In his new role, the former ecd for Giant Spoon realizes that, in addition to ensuring the integrity of the work, he must now have a greater awareness of his responsibility to the bottom line. Chris May, CCO at IPG agency Elephant, said taking the role after working at the agency for five years felt seamless and the perfect scenario at the right time.“I see this role as a continuation of what I helped define over the years. At the same time, it’s also been a moment to question things,” May told Adweek. Biggest challenges The tasks of the CCO are many, from leading creative teams to creating a brand philosophy for the agency, fostering a positive work environment, working with clients to carve out a brand’s creative direction and finding new business and creative opportunities for the agency. Nunez said a big challenge for first time CCOs is reconciling their reputation. “When there are difficult decisions to make and little time to deliberate, you must still carry yourself in a way that doesn’t betray what people say they love about you when you’re down the hall,” said Nunez, adding that CCOs must also find opportunities for their creatives and maintain a culture that welcomes all perspectives to encourage young creatives to be bold with their ideas and opinions. May sees a challenge in embracing new responsibilities while playing an active role in shaping the agency’s creative work, and that involves inspiring creatives to do great work. “As a CCO, you have to decide when to take off the suit and put on the jersey,” said Grody. “I’m trying to create a world where [the creatives] even more empowered but also set up for success,” said Grody. Canales said that the role requires CCOs to be the biggest beacon of inspiration, not just for designers and copywriters, but for the entire agency. He said that CCOs must be more prepared and look to the future, stay on top of trends and establish the value you bring to the job as a leader. Paving the way for the next generation of creatives While the job has its challenges, the new CCOs see their job as ultimately rewarding and one where they can accomplish their goals. “My hope is to build and grow an agency that does world-class creative. Work that does more than just moving the needle for our clients. And to build a culture where people love what they do and are constantly challenged,” said Ansari. Canales has a goal that extends beyond just his agency. “I want to help spearhead the transition of this industry from my generation to the next one. They are growing up in a culture where creation is as natural as eating. Rather than treat them the way older generations treated mine, I want to learn from them and help them through their dues,” said Canales. Vegas set a lofty-yet-realistic goal for himself and Wall. “We are trying really hard to create a relatively bullshit free environment where people feel safe. If we can create a space like that, we believe the good work will follow and we will be leaving FCB in a better place when we eventually scoot off to start our artificial indoor palm rental business,” he said.