Art Director, Social And Paid Media Content

POSITION TITLE: Art Director, Social and Paid Media Content

REPORTS TO: Creative Director

POSITION SUMMARY:

American Eagle is looking for an experienced and digital, social-first art director who is well-versed in the nuances of social platforms and paid media marketing to join our team as Art Director. This role will help with the ideation, creative and narrative strategy, content production, and execution of asset creation across many company initiatives. Therefore, this role requires a high level of nimbleness and organization. The ideal candidate should be able to quickly ideate, design and/or shoot photos, videos, design layouts, and pitch concepts as needed. This role collaborates closely with several stakeholders across the company to bring these projects to life.

The ideal candidate is proactive, highly creative, and collaborative. They should be skilled in design, on the pulse with photo and video trends, and be as obsessed with Gen Z internet and IRL culture as we are. This person should have relationships with photographers/videographers and artists to collaborate with on projects. They should be a great problem-solver and flexible to adapt to the ever-evolving climate of social media. Additionally, the ideal Art Director for this team should be able to execute storytelling moments that speak to American Eagle's Gen-Z audience, and that help in our mission to elevate and evolve the brand.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

CONCEPT & EXECUTION:

• Produce sketches, storyboards, mood boards, and mockups to visualize ideas and concepts for photo and video projects aligned with seasonal launches, promotions, collaborations and partnerships.

• Oversee the lifecycle of projects from concept to content distribution, ensuring all assets are accounted for, on spec, and on time.

• Ensure consistency in visual branding across media placements.

• Provide design direction for campaign assets, ads, and banners for seasonal campaign launches.

CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT:

• Oversee the visual aspects of seasonal campaigns to ensure alignment with objectives and storyboards.

• Review and select photos from shoots, ensuring they meet quality standards, brand guidelines, and campaign objectives.

• Collaborate with brand production and business strategy teams to ensure sample requests for seasonal photo shoots align with media specs.

• Analyze campaign performance and adjust creative elements as needed.

• Ensure content is properly cataloged and organized for easy access and distribution.

• Manage organic content capture alongside seasonal campaigns as specified.

ON-SET ART DIRECTION:

• Provide on-set art direction on photo and video shoots, working closely with photographers, videographers, stylists, and crew, both internal and external.

• Assemble and manage shot lists, storyboards, and visual direction while on set, and ensure content is captured to spec.

• Ensure that all visual content is social-first, on-brand, and of high quality.

SOCIAL CONTENT CREATION:

• Pitch, capture, and edit real-time, spontaneous social content to keep the brand's social presence fresh and engaging, as needed.

• Work with the Creative Director to develop visual standards/codes (including art direction, tone, graphics, typography, video, curated UGC, commissioned and on-trend content) specific to platforms.

• Stay up-to-date with emerging trends in social media and design via platform relationships and personal usage, incorporating them into our content development effectively and creatively.

• Be passionate and proficient in all things social, ahead of the curve in social ideation.

COLLABORATION & COMMUNICATION:

• Partner with the media team to provide them with the necessary visual assets to support their initiatives and associated media strategies.

• Guide the post-production of assets, ensuring a smooth hand-off of field notes to video editors.

• Work with the cross-functional partners and Creative Director on marketing objectives, presentations, and assembling decks or creating mock-ups for presentations.

QUALITY CONTROL & PERFORMANCE MONITORING:

• Partner with the paid media teams and media AOR to evaluate creative performance and help identify opportunities for testing assets.

• Monitor visual content performance and make strategic adjustments to optimize engagement specific to social media platforms and drive business results.

• Account for platform-specific strategies when developing content.

TEAM LEADERSHIP & MENTORSHIP:

• Manage and mentor a team of graphic designers to ensure high-quality, on-brand visual content, that support both paid and organic sides of media.

• Establish efficient workflows for the team.

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, maintaining organization and efficiency in a fast-paced environment.

• Additional responsibilities and projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design or related field preferred.

• 5-8 years of experience in design and content creation, preferably within a large brand or agency.

• 2+ years of experience in social media, with a strong understanding of platform dynamics and best practices.

• Avid use of social media platforms: Tiktok, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, etc.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and other relevant design tools.

• Experience with video editing software such as Premiere Pro and After Effects, a plus.

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate creative concepts and provide and receive constructive feedback.

• Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.

• Applicants will be required to provide a portfolio of work as well as professional references.

PAY/BENEFITS INFORMATION:

• Actual starting pay is determined by various factors, including but not limited to relevant experience and location.

• Subject to eligibility requirements, associates may receive health care benefits (including medical, vision, and dental); wellness benefits; 401(k) retirement benefits; life and disability insurance; employee stock purchase program; paid time off; paid sick leave; and parental leave and benefits.

• Paid Time Off, paid sick leave, and holiday pay vary by job level and type, job location, employment classification (part-time or full-time / exempt or non-exempt), and years of service. For additional information, please click here.

• AEO may also provide discretionary bonuses and other incentives at its discretion.