I have an eye opening experience last week.

In an e-mail to my students I asked what I thought was a simple question, “do you consider yourself a writer or an art director?” I have an entire department of creative folks, all started as either writers or art directors (with a few stray designers mixed in.

Of my 14 students — 9 consider themselves ‘creatives’ – neither writer or art director. Most say something like ‘hybrid’ creative or ‘digital conceptual thinker.’ Which led me to think are our traditional titles in advertising relevant to today’s industry? As we expect everyone to have traditional print, tv, radio, outdoor knowledge and digital, social, web expertise.

Should be be looking for Tradigital creative thinker?

People who don’t attack problems from the printed page. People who only think multi-channel because they’ve only known multi-channel their entire lives. People who embrace technology not because it’s cool. But because it’s the best medium to reach a specific audience.

This effects everything. How we teach in school. How we recruit as an agency. How we post jobs. How we create out website. How we talk about ourselves. How we think.

I’m intrigued by the possibilities.

In fact, the only reason why people hang on to the old ‘titles’ at agencies – is so people at OTHER agencies know how to recruit them, steal them, pay them. I know what to pay an Associate Creative Director. I have no idea what to pay a tradigital design concept creator.

But perhaps we have to stop thinking in the past. Stop worrying about the old ways. And start worrying about the future.

Because the next generation of students won’t care about the old ways. Just like they don’t care to call themselves a writer or an art director.

1.16.12