Associate Creative Director, Art

Who We Are

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

Who we are looking for

VML is seeking an Associate Creative Director (Art) to lead and elevate the visual identity of a dynamic fitness and athleisure brand. You’ll shape the look, feel, and creative direction across campaigns, product launches, digital experiences and in-store storytelling. This role blends art direction, visual design and team collaboration to bring bold, energetic creative to life.

What you’ll do

Big idea thinking

Divergent thinking that leads to the creation of unique experiences across all existing and new channels that drives conversion and brand love.

Manage

Ensure all creative work aligns with brand standards, meets performance goals and resonates with diverse fitness and lifestyle audiences.

Concept

Lead visual concepting and execution of integrated brand campaigns—including seasonal stories, product drops, retail activations and social-first content.

Create

Direct and participate in photo and video shoots, ensuring consistency in lighting, composition, styling and brand tone.

Craft

Ensure a cohesive, modern and elevated visual identity across digital, retail and experiential touchpoints.

Client Facing

Regularly connect with the clients to create a partnership—building trust in our thought leadership and ideas.

Collaborate

Collaborate with creative leads, copywriters, strategists, producers and social managers to bring ideas to life.

What you’ll need

Minimum 7 years of experience in a creative advertising agency.

A portfolio that shows strong conceptual thinking, art direction and versatility across digital, social, traditional and everything in between.

Strong knowledge across multichannel retail and how storytelling shows up in e-commerce, social, email and in-store environments.

Ability to handle a high-volume environment with rapid turnaround times and manage multiple tasks and project details.

Practiced time management skills and a strong work ethic.

Obsessed with culture, lifestyle, brand devotion, trends and the ever-evolving social landscape.

Passionate about movement, wellness and the cultural conversations shaping today’s fitness and athleisure landscape.

Retail, activewear, fashion or lifestyle brand experience a plus.

What we offer

Passionate, driven people

We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.

Consciously cultivated culture

We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.

Competitive benefits

What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar‑for‑dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.

Growth‑minded opportunities

We aim to nurture a culture of real‑time feedback, growth‑oriented mindset and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is $75,000 — $180,000 USD. Individual compensation varies based on job‑related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package; WPP Benefits for more details.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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