Art Director

SixSpeed; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

SixSpeed is seeking an Art Director with 2–5 years of art direction experience to shape the visual look for brand communications and tell emotionally intelligent stories through words, images, and sounds. We’ll expect you to actively collaborate, inspire and guide partners and teams in creating exciting new ideas.

We’re a fast-paced, collaborative agency that values bold, adventurous brands. This full-time role offers a salary range of $70,000 to $90,000 per year and opportunities to lead

Qualifications

• 2-5 years in a brand advertising or marketing environment.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating ability to craft and build creative campaigns.
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, especially Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the visual look of a project or campaign.
• Collaborate with copywriters to generate ideas and concepts.
• Lead the collaborative visual development of projects and campaigns with clear direction.
• Concept and execute across all mediums with attention to detail.
• Maintain awareness of trends in culture and industry.
• Develop shot lists, treatments and vision for capture; present to clients.
• Travel to direct photo and video shoots to ensure vision is met.
• Select image assets and provide retouch direction to partners.
• Research client needs, brand, products, audience and competition.
• Find, recommend and select vendor partners (photographers, retouchers, etc.).
• Build positive working relationships with team members, vendors and clients.
• Provide clear feedback to improve creative output within budget and schedule.
• Articulate vision to peers and clients; respond constructively to feedback.

Skills

Adobe Creative Suite

Brand advertising

Portfolio development

Creative direction

Photography/video knowledge

Tools

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Lightroom

Bridge

Premiere

Job description

SixSpeed is looking for an Art Director with 2-5 years of art direction experience to join our team who will generate ideas, generate concepts and guide teams to develop the visual look for all brand communications. Not limited to just the consideration of visuals, we require an emotionally intelligent storyteller who thoughtfully creates structure and emphasis with words, images and sounds to not just connect with people, but drive them to act. We’ll expect you to actively collaborate, inspire and guide partners and teams in the creation and development of exciting new ideas and work that make adventurous brands impossible to imitate.

THE TASK AT HAND

• Develop and maintain the visual look of a project or campaign ensuring the work is consistent, distinct, appropriate, engaging and that communication is clear
• Collaborate with copywriters to generate a volume of ideas and concepts
• Lead the collaborative visual development of projects and campaigns by guiding teams, producers and partners with a clear direction from start to finish
• Concept and execute across all mediums with attention to detail and visual precision
• Maintains awareness of trends in culture and industry producing new thinking and looks for clients and the agency
• Development of shot list, treatment and vision for capture and present the vision and plan with producers and account partners to client
• Travel to direct photo and video shoots ensuring the vision is met and the shotlist is captured
• Selection of image assets post-capture providing retouch direction to partners and presenting for approval with account to clients
• Research and understand client's needs, brand, products, audience and competition
• Find, recommend and select vendor partners (e.g. photographers, retouchers, video production houses, editors, sound mixers and illustrators, etc.)
• Build positive working relationships with all team members, vendors and clients
• Provide clear, timely, and helpful feedback with partners to improve creative output and processes keeping work on budget and schedule
• Articulate vision, ideas and concepts to peers and clients—listening and reacting to feedback appropriately

WHO YOU ARE

• A visual creative with 2-5 years in a brand advertising or marketing environment
• Passionate about powersports and adventure
• Owner of a strong portfolio demonstrating an ability to craft and build creative campaigns driven by audience insights
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (Primarily: Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign)(Secondarily: Lightroom, Bridge and Premiere)
• A critical thinker, detail-oriented, passionate, motivated, ambitious and resourceful professional
• Organized, open-minded, and capable of delivering tangible results in a fast-paced and creative environment
• Positive, empathetic, collaborative and trustworthy
• Have eyes and ears for spotting creative opportunity—both large and small
• Knowledgeable of photography and video production along with a strong sense of typography, color theory, composition, print, broadcast and digital communications
• Ability and willingness to stay on top of current trends, industry knowledge, and develop new skills
• You’re confident when providing direction to partners and teams
• You’ve delivered work for multiple project teams in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• You can take and incorporate feedback constructively
• Willing and eager to prioritize diversity and inclusion, especially when working with external and internal partners

WHO WE ARE

To be what others can’t, you have to do what they won't. We are SixSpeed, a full-service advertising agency that is employee‑owned, audience‑first, and built to deliver big ideas at speed. We're here to make the world's most adventurous brands impossible to imitate.

This role offers a salary range of $70,000 to $90,000 per year. The final offer will be determined based on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position.