Creative producer

Briefly explain what you do for a living.

I am a creative producer by profession, which means that I produce various marketing communication content and campaign packages for Sanoma's corporate clients. The content I produce can be found both on the companies' own channels and in Sanoma's media network, such as Ilta-Sanomat, Helsingin Sanomat and various magazines.

My job as a producer is really varied: planning campaigns and helping clients to clarify their core messages, arranging interviews and filming, briefing reporters and sometimes writing stories myself. I mainly produce native content, i.e. advertisements that fit into the news flow of different media channels, in a journalistic style.

How have you ended up in the profession of your choice?

I've worked in both journalism and marketing communications, and I love both. I think well-written native content combines the best of both worlds: it provides the reader with information and entertainment in the same way as a newspaper story, and is therefore also very valuable as an advertisement for a company. After all, native ads last much longer than conventional print or digital ads. I was fascinated by the idea and that's why I ended up in my current job.

Before that, I was editor-in-chief of a magazine and in charge of a large team of journalists and assistants, so I became interested in a more independent type of job. Now I'm largely in charge of my own projects and schedules, which suits my nature perfectly. However, I still get to use the project management skills I’ve developed in my previous jobs.

Describe your typical working day or week.

During any week, I usually have 10–15 client campaigns on my desk, each at a different stage of the production pipeline. The process starts with a production meeting, where I plan the campaign and related content with the client. After that, I get down to the practical arrangements, such as interviews and filming. Once the texts and images are ready, we work together with the client to fine-tune the whole package for publication. I agree on production schedules early on, so I can be sure that each campaign will go well, even if I have many running simultaneously.

Each campaign involves many different people: the media agency booking the campaign, the client's own contact person, the digital strategist preparing the publication plan, the journalist conducting the interview, the photographer, the graphic designer and the data specialist measuring the effectiveness of the advertising. I’m the contact person for these people on all matters related to the campaign, so most of my working days are spent writing e-mails.

Fortunately, I also get to do some genuinely creative work every week. I like to design and write my own ads if my schedule allows. Sometimes I also get to design the visuals with our graphic designers.

What kind of work environment or working hours do you have?

I visit our office in Sanomatalo near Helsinki train station two or three days a week. I love going to the office because I derive energy from seeing my colleagues. Often, we'll toss around story ideas and headline options among a group of producers, even though we all have our own campaigns. Nothing beats a good brainstorming session.

On the other days, I work from home. I try to schedule creative work that requires concentration on these days, because it's easier to write, for example, in the peace and quiet of my own home.

Sometimes I also get to go out in the field for stories or film shoots. For my work, I've test-driven a sports car and photographed the antics of a wildly cute school dog, among other things.

My working hours are flexible, but I'm most productive first thing in the morning, so I usually work a very typical 8-to-4 day.

What kind of competence or qualities are required in the profession?

Iron-clad project management and scheduling skills are the be-all and end-all of a producer's job. With so many campaigns and different contacts and assistants, all the threads need to be held together with 100% certainty. Schedules may not always work, and creative problem-solving and improvisation skills are needed.

Because I deal with dozens of different people every day, communication skills are important. All clients and assistants are individuals, and I need to be able to adapt to their ways of working in order for us to work well together.

As we producers have no specific sectors of responsibility and we run advertising campaigns for all kinds of companies between heaven and earth, curiosity, a willingness to learn and information-gathering skills are also invaluable. I've learned about issues such as inheritance law, energy efficiency ratings for air-source heat pumps and make-up trends.

Diversity's the best thing about the job. There's always something new to learn and find out. Although the production process is already routine, each campaign has its own exciting challenges.

What is the best thing about your profession?

The best thing is to see your work in Helsingin Sanomat or in the magazine section of a grocery store, for example. Often the content I produce is part of a wider marketing campaign, and it's fun to see ads for the same product on the street or on TV, for example. It gives you the feeling that you’ve been part of something big and important.

Because my work is creative and requires a lot of active brainstorming and thinking, it's hard to leave it at the workplace. Even if I don't switch on my computer again in the evening, I think about future interviews and spin content ideas in my head in bed and in the shower. Sometimes the best ideas are born outside working hours.

What are the downsides of the profession or what seems challenging?

It can be difficult to take up the job of a creative producer without previous experience in communications or journalism. Practical skills need to be at a good level in order to be able to apply them in a fast-paced working environment, serving the needs of many different customers at the same time.

What would you tell a person considering the profession of a creative producer?

For those who are easily bored and thirsty for a challenge, the job is a perfect fit. Every working day is different and, at the end of one campaign, there are always two more to come. You never have to stay still, and you can constantly develop yourself and your skills in new areas and sectors.

How do you see the future of your profession?

It's predicted that artificial intelligence will replace creative professionals, but I don't see that happening for a long time yet. Only a person can know what is uplifting and inspiring for someone else. However, AI-based productivity tools will speed up and facilitate brainstorming and text production. I don't see this as a bad thing in any way because it saves time for other things.

Photo: Patrik Lydman