This is the first of a multi-part video roundtable. Look for part 2 on Feb. 28.

The creative director’s job was never an easy one, but changes in technology and client relationships have morphed a once straight-forward job description into a role of all things to all people. Not everyone has adjusted to the change happily, or successfully.

The Feb. 28 issue of Marketing, on stands now, explores some of what’s been happening to high-level creative roles in the “Rumbles in the Jungles” cover story. To sate the chatter and interest generated by the piece, Marketing partnered with Ron Tite, former creative director at Sharpe Blackmore Euro RSCG, to host a roundtable of some of Canada’s best creative directors.

Sitting down with Tite were (left to right) Jon Freir, senior vice-president and creative director at MacLaren Momentum; David Houghton, CD at Two Headed; Virginia Magaletta, ECD at Twist Image; Israel Diaz, EVP and COO at Young & Rubicam Canada; and Glen Hunt, former CD at Dentsu Canada.

In a wide-ranging discussion, the panel explored how well creative directors “get” new social media, whether clients are getting too involved in agency processes, and whether hiring creatives in a new media world is as easy as it was when television remains unchallenged.

At the centre of it all is Tite’s question about the high-level creative turnover at agencies: “Are people unhappy?”

Cartilage Digital oversaw production of the round table video with help from Seneca College volunteers.

Marketing is expanding its editorial coverage of the industry to include way more video reports. Editor-in-chief Tom Gierasimczuk said the dedication to video reports is all about audience engagement.

“We’ll tell great stories and converse with our audience in print and with video,” Gierasimczuk said. “We’ll sky-write if that’s more convenient for our audience. A great story is a great story, and as Canada’s hub for the marketing, media, creative and PR industries, we’re committed to helping our readers do their jobs better in whatever way we can.”

The magazine’s new video channel is launching with AOL Canada as its sponsor. “AOL as a company is making a lot of investment in video, both as a sales offering and a content perspective,” says Laura Pearce, AOL Canada’s director of marketing. “Video is a great way for us to express our brand and let people see how different it can be.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5