Here’s a list of advertising’s most common acronyms.
ACD
Associate creative director. Also known as creative group head. A creative who has responsibility for a group of accounts or creative teams.
AD
Art director. An ad agency creative who generally works with a copywriter; the two together forming a “creative team.” Along with the copywriter, is responsible for coming up with the ideas for adverts. Has the additional responsibility of supervising the visual appearance of their executions.
AE
Account executive or, in some countries, “account handler.” Person within an ad agency who acts as a liaison between the client and the rest of the agency, and has overall responsibility for the agency’s business with that client.
CD
Creative director. Has overall responsibility for an agency’s creative output on a specific account. Main duties include giving direction to the creative teams who are working on a brief.
CSD
Client services director. Person within an ad agency who is in overall charge of that agency’s relationships with its clients.
CW
Copywriter. An ad agency creative who generally works with an art director, the two together forming a “creative team.” Along with the art director, is responsible for coming up with the ideas for adverts. Has the additional responsibility of supervising any copy that is required.
DP
Director of photography. Supervises the lighting of a commercials shoot. May also operate the camera.
ECD
Executive creative director. In overall charge of the agency’s entire creative output. Also responsible for the hiring and firing of creatives.
T&E
Travel and entertainment. Term for an amount of money allocated to an account or an individual for travel, taxis, lunches, and corporate entertainment. Not as much as it used to be.