Contract
Freelance Associate Creative Director
Critical Mass
1,001-5,000 employees
Digital experience design and marketing solutions
No salary listed
Toronto, ON, Canada + 2 more
More locations: Calgary, AB, Canada | Vancouver, BC, Canada
In Person
 Creative Production |
|---|
- Eight years visual communication education.
- Eight years design, marketing, and communications interactive work experience.
- Eight years art direction experience.
- Passion for design and eagerness to collaborate with other creative people.
- Solid knowledge and appreciation for the distinction between creative expression and commercial reality.
- Experience developing Internet commerce, electronic marketing, and online brand management and integration, with demonstrated results.
- Contribute creative solutions and innovations.
- Build and guide the creative team around account and company needs and vision.
- Drive creative discipline, operational, and industry vertical excellence and expertise to promote continuous improvement and a culture of excellence and accountability.
- Perform strategic account planning with senior management in vertical marketing groups.
- Conceive and create experience design solutions that fulfill strategic business objectives.
- Effectively communicate creative ideas and strategies to all project stakeholders.
- Lead and partner with multidisciplinary teams.
- Provide regular team mentorship and constructive feedback on all accounts.
- Develop, monitor, and modify creative department staffing strategies and plans, including team compensation and performance, skills, training, and mentorship.
- Develop, implement, and monitor quality standards across all creative department artifacts and deliverables.
- Improve upon creative department methods, problem-solving models, and best practices.
- Set and meet expectations for deliverables, estimations, and project plans.
- Support and lead human resource initiatives with a focus on performance management.
- Understand, embrace, and communicate corporate mission and values.
- Conceptual and systems thinking to turn complex AI topics into clear, scalable ideas that enterprise audiences can understand
- Strong narrative and communication skills to shape clear concepts, content structures, and messaging across platforms
- B2B and enterprise experience, with an understanding of how large organizations evaluate, adopt, and scale technology
- Data literacy, able to use insights and performance signals to inform creative and strategic decisions
- User-centered mindset, ensuring concepts remain grounded in real human needs and use cases
- Leadership experience, guiding multidisciplinary creative teams and aligning them around shared goals
- Account and delivery awareness, able to oversee multiple projects, timelines, and resourcing without losing quality
- Client-facing experience, confident presenting, defending, and evolving ideas with senior stakeholders
- Collaboration skills, working closely with strategy, technology, product, and account partners
- Curiosity and continuous learning, staying current with AI, digital platforms, and industry shifts
- Quality judgment, with a clear ability to distinguish good work from great and raise the overall standard
Critical Mass is a digital experience design agency that builds websites, marketing campaigns, and data analytics tools for brands in sectors like automotive and healthcare. The agency works by collaborating directly with clients to design and develop custom digital solutions that simplify complex technical challenges into user-friendly interfaces. Unlike many competitors, Critical Mass integrates specialized talent development programs like Trailhead and CM AIR to foster internal creativity and ensure a steady pipeline of emerging industry talent. Their goal is to use comprehensive digital strategies and creative partnerships to deliver impactful online experiences that connect brands with their target audiences.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
M&A
Total Funding
$238K
Headquarters
Calgary, Canada
Founded
1996
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Generative AI tools accelerate 30-40% faster UX design iterations.
- Voice AI interfaces adoption by 60% enterprises boosts service demand.
- Omnichannel personalization lifts customer lifetime value 40%.[1]
What critics are saying
- AI automation replaces 30-50% design work in 12-24 months.
- Client consolidation cuts vendors to WPP, Publicis in 12-24 months.
- Omnicom cost-cutting erodes autonomy, loses $50M revenue in 18-36 months.
What makes Critical Mass unique
- Critical Mass excels in uncompromising design standards and customer focus.[1]
- Artist-in-residence program fosters unique creative talent development.[1]
- Global 12-office network delivers full-service digital ecosystems.[1]
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Your Connections
People at Critical Mass who can refer or advise you
Benefits
Professional Development Spending Account that can be used for conferences, courses, subscriptions, books
Competitive pay and benefits
Match charitable donations up to $100USD
Flexible, reasonable work-from-home arrangements whenever possible
Company News
Navigating the evolving landscape of advertising and workplace success. The advertising landscape is undergoing significant transformation as companies increasingly embrace innovative strategies and a renewed focus on employee well-being. Recent developments have highlighted shifts in workplace culture, marketing approaches during major events, and the evolving dynamics of digital platforms. As organizations strive to enhance their engagement and effectiveness, understanding these trends is essential for industry stakeholders. Top insights today. * WorkLife Awards showcase a new paradigm of workplace success. * Coca-Cola's World Cup campaign emphasizes unity in divided times. * Google revamps its mid-market agency strategy with a seasoned executive. * Ritz prepares for the Super Bowl with a humorous teaser featuring Bowen Yang. * Uncertainty surrounds TikTok creators following major ownership changes. WorkLife Awards showcase a new paradigm of workplace success. This year's WorkLife Awards honored companies like Critical Mass, Rare Beauty, and Olipop, reflecting a significant shift in how success is defined within corporate environments. The emphasis on learning, creativity, and employee well-being suggests that organizations are recognizing the importance of nurturing a positive workplace culture. Notably, the winners have adopted new technologies to enhance collaboration and growth among teams, signaling a departure from traditional metrics of success. Coca-Cola's World Cup campaign emphasizes unity in divided times. Coca-Cola's latest advertising campaign for the World Cup leverages the shared excitement of fans, underscoring the beverage giant's strategy of tapping into the unifying emotions of sports. Set to a cover of Van Halen's "Jump," the campaign is particularly poignant in today's politically fragmented climate. By aligning its messaging with the spirit of togetherness that sporting events engender, Coca-Cola aims to resonate deeply with consumers, fostering brand loyalty during a time of division. Google revamps its mid-market agency strategy with a seasoned executive. In a strategic move to enhance its mid-market agency operations, Google has appointed a veteran advertising executive to lead the charge. This shift signifies a recognition of the unique needs and challenges faced by mid-market marketers, who require tailored solutions and support. By focusing on this segment, Google aims to strengthen its partnerships and improve overall service delivery, demonstrating a commitment to evolving with market demands. Ritz prepares for the Super Bowl with a humorous teaser featuring Bowen Yang. As anticipation builds for the Super Bowl, Ritz crackers has launched a playful teaser featuring comedian Bowen Yang. This promotional strategy highlights the brand's intent to engage audiences with humor while capitalizing on the cultural significance of the Super Bowl. By leveraging celebrity endorsements and relatable content, Ritz aims to capture viewer attention in a crowded advertising space, showcasing the importance of creativity in marketing initiatives. Uncertainty surrounds TikTok creators following major ownership changes. The recent shake-up in TikTok's ownership has sent shockwaves through its creator community, leaving many scrambling amid chaos and uncertainty. This transition raises concerns regarding platform stability and the future of monetization opportunities for creators. As TikTok navigates this ownership change, it remains crucial for the platform to maintain creator trust and provide clarity on its operational direction to mitigate disruptions in content creation and engagement. As Danieldiosi analyze these developments, it is evident that the advertising and workplace landscapes are continuously evolving. Companies must remain agile and responsive to the changing expectations of both employees and consumers. The emphasis on unity, creativity, and technology-driven solutions will likely define the future trajectory of marketing strategies and workplace cultures, highlighting the need for organizations to adapt and innovate in order to thrive.
The Courageous Conversation Global Foundation worked with Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Critical Mass and The Mill to develop a prototype for such a car.
According to Statista, Canada is one of the largest advertising markets globally. Their digital ad expenditure is expected to increase from CAD 8.45 billion to over CAD 12 billion in just four years. In honor of Canada Day, DesignRush, a B2B marketplace connecting businesses with agencies, recognizes the best digital marketing companies in Canada that help organizations target and convert their online audiences successfully
This rebrand has been the result of a strong ongoing partnership between BlackSquare and Diageo, and in close collaboration with the talented team from Critical Mass that was responsible for the striking new design.
On December 13, 2021, The Critical Mass (TCM) released a new research report, “Contaminated Trust: Public Health Disinformation and Its Societal Impacts in Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine,” which provides front-line perspectives on how medical disinformation impacts healthcare decision-making in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.