Full-Time
Associate Creative Director
Antisocial
Posted on 9/19/2025
Thinkingbox
51-200 employees
Global creative agency producing brand videos
No salary listed
Toronto, ON, Canada
Hybrid
This is a hybrid position.
 Creative Production |
|---|
- 6-8 years in a creative role within an agency or fast-paced creative environment, with a strong portfolio showcasing campaign work and art direction.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide creative teams while balancing multiple projects and priorities.
- Strong strategic and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate insights into breakthrough ideas.
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and a strong understanding of design fundamentals.
- Comfortable leading client presentations and articulating creative rationale with clarity and confidence.
- Familiarity with on-set practices and collaboration with production crews.
- A natural collaborator who thrives in a team environment and elevates those around you.
- Solid understanding of branding, marketing, and social media best practices.
- Chronically online, tapped into all facets of culture both in and outside the realm of social media marketing.
- Partner with Creative Directors to develop innovative concepts and campaign strategies that inspire both the team and our clients.
- Drive brainstorming and ideation sessions, translating client objectives into compelling creative platforms and social-first ideas.
- Provide high-level creative and design oversight, ensuring visual excellence and consistency across all work.
- Work closely with strategists, copywriters, producers, and account leads to craft integrated campaigns.
- Confidently present work, lead discussions, and build strong relationships with clients by offering smart, strategic creative solutions.
- Partner with production teams to maintain the creative vision throughout shoots and final deliverables.
- Guide and inspire junior and mid-level designers/art directors, providing feedback that helps elevate both their work and their careers.
- Stay ahead of culture, design, and social trends to keep ideas fresh, relevant, and impactful.
Thinkingbox is a global creative collective that produces high-quality digital content to help brands tell their stories. It offers services in video production, animations, and digital media across North America and other regions through localized content. It partners with brands to develop and execute campaigns from concept through post-production, earning revenue from project-based work and ongoing collaborations. Its approach combines scalable end-to-end storytelling with localized content to help brands build recognition, engagement, and growth.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Vancouver, Canada
Founded
2009
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Chicago office expansion strengthens U.S. presence serving major North American clients like Adobe and Verizon.
- Alex Panousis as Chief Growth Officer brings 20+ years media experience to accelerate client acquisition.
- Corey Hankey's COO appointment enhances operational efficiency supporting multi-office growth across North America.
What critics are saying
- The Mill's shutdown inflated payroll costs through 30+ ex-staff hires, straining margins and integration.
- Rival agencies deploy AI-driven content tools cutting production costs 40%, eroding Thinkingbox's project revenue.
- Generative AI platforms automate video and animation production, threatening core craft-based business model viability.
What makes Thinkingbox unique
- Integrated creative collective spanning digital, experiential, content, and social services across North America.
- Established client roster including Apple, Adobe, Starbucks, Riot Games, and Nike demonstrates premium market positioning.
- Craft-focused production model emphasizing timeless experiential design differentiates from AI-driven competitors.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Health Insurance
Company News
LOS ANGELES, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heist, a Thinkingbox company known for pushing the boundaries of brand storytelling through animation, motion, and live-action, today announced a significant expansion with key creative and production hires from The Mill. The move includes the opening of a new Chicago office to support the continued growth of The Heist and its parent company, Thinkingbox.Leading the expansion is Patrick Coleman, who joins The Heist as Executive Creative Director. Patrick brings an award-winning portfolio and a team of long-time collaborators from The Mill, marking one of the most significant team transitions in the design and animation space in recent years. He will oversee creative operations across North America, with a primary base in Chicago."I'm beyond excited to join the Heist family," said Coleman. "It's an incredible opportunity to bring along so many talented friends to strengthen an already thriving studio and help elevate it even further. The creativity, warmth, and 'can-do' attitude truly resonate with me—I'm thrilled to see what we do together!"Also joining from The Mill are Blake Nickle, now Director of Production, Chicago, and Jason Esser, Creative Director at Thinkingbox
To bring more of an AI-first mindset to the role, Clark joins from Thinkingbox, where she worked for nearly a decade, serving as managing partner, focusing on operations and production.
Today, Thinkingbox, the experience agency shaping the future of brands through craft and curiosity, announces Corey Hankey as its first-ever chief operating officer (COO).
Creative experience agency Thinkingbox has tapped Alex Panousis to take on the role of chief growth officer within the collective.