Creative Strategists: The Operators Bridging Brand, Growth and AI
13th Jun 2025
Creative Strategist - it’s a title that’s exploded onto LinkedIn headlines, but what does it actually mean?
If you think it's just another term for a Brand Planner with a Canva subscription, think again.
Creative Strategists are the new linchpins in high-growth teams. Equal parts brand thinker, content architect, performance hawk, and AI operator, they’re the people who can actually turn strategy into traction
Here’s why...
The Problem with Traditional Creative Roles
The marketing landscape has changed, fast. Brand alone can’t be a mood board. Performance alone can’t be a spreadsheet.
And yet, many businesses still hire like it’s 2016.
Creative = art directors or content creators. Strategy = comms planners or insights teams. Growth = separate altogether.
But today’s best marketing is deeply integrated. TikTok ads are now brand campaigns. A content series can be your best-performing funnel. Distribution is creative.
In this world, siloed roles stall momentum. You don’t need ten specialists — you need one person who can hold the vision and get scrappy with the execution.
Creative Velocity: The New Competitive Advantage
This is where the best Creative Strategists pull ahead.
Creative Velocity is the ability to generate, ship and iterate ideas fast, without getting stuck in the swamp of overthinking.
If you’ve got 10 hours to spend on a campaign, the old playbook might tell you to spend 30 minutes on the idea, then 9 hours polishing, debating and “perfecting” it. Then finally, launch.
Here’s the problem: by the time it’s live, the moment’s passed. You’ve got one data point. And if it flops? You’ve wasted your window.
Now flip the model.
Spend 30 minutes on an idea, and launch. Then spend the next 9.5 hours generating 10 more variations, testing formats, switching angles, iterating based on real-world feedback.
The teams who embrace this speed, this creative muscle, win. Because momentum beats perfection. And testing trumps theorising.
Creative Strategists get this. They don’t worship “the big idea.” They value testing, learning and compounding wins.
What a Great Creative Strategist Looks Like
At Pivotal, we’re placing more and more hybrid roles, often under titles like Creative Strategist, Content Strategist, or Brand & Growth Lead.
The best ones we meet tend to:
- Think in systems: They build campaigns, not just concepts. They map journeys, design for virality, and think cross-channel from day one.
- Sweat distribution: They don’t just make content. They get it seen. They're fluent in creator partnerships, paid amplification, and SEO fundamentals.
- Use data as a creative tool: Not just reporting, but curiosity-driven, experimental thinkers.
- Play with AI: Operators, not dabblers, using GPTs, Midjourney, Webflow, Zapier to scale faster.
- Translate brand into action: They bring voice, tone and visuals to life in market. Their work builds equity and drives conversion.
Creative Strategists as 'Growth Artisans'
Josh Lachkovic, Founder of Growth Agency Ballpoint, explains why Creative Strategists are so important now in the marketing space. Watch the full episode of Pivotal's podcast with Josh.
When You Should Hire a Creative Strategist
We’ve placed Creative Strategists into everything from Series A subscription startups to £200M+ DTC juggernauts. Where they shine most:
- You’re building a content engine and need someone to own it end-to-end
- You’re scaling performance but your creative is underdelivering
- You’re stuck between brand and growth, and need someone to bridge the gap
- You’ve got budget for one great hire, not three average ones
This isn’t a junior role with a fancy title. It’s a commercial hire with creative edge. And in today’s market, they’re worth their weight in ARR.
Looking to Hire a Creative Strategist – or Be One?
We’re constantly speaking to top-tier talent in this space, from agency-side crossovers to brand-side hybrids with serious shipping power.
If you’re hiring, we can help you scope the right brief, not just fill the role - get in touch.
And if you are a Creative Strategist looking for your next challenge, we want to hear from you.