Creative differences are as common as coffee cups in a design studio, but they can sting when your own Creative Director doesn’t see eye to eye with your style. If you’ve ever had your work pulled from a project because your vision didn’t align with theirs — even when your peers backed you — you’ll know how disheartening it can feel. This article unpacks practical advice on how to handle these clashes without losing confidence in your craft. With insights from Aimee Davies (mental health expert and Founder of Hey Mate), Andy Wright (Founder of Never Not Creative and CEO of Streamtime), and Simon Lee (Chief Creative Officer & Partner at Enigma), you’ll find reassurance and strategies for staying objective, constructive, and resilient when taste and direction collide.
Creative disagreements are part of the ride when you work in a team — especially in an industry where taste and style can be so subjective. It’s tough when your own Creative Director doesn’t align with your vision, even if your peers love what you do. So how do you handle being pulled from projects if your Creative Director doesn't agree with your style?
This question was answered by Aimee Davies, Founder of Hey Mate and mental health expert; Andy Wright, Founder of Never Not Creative and CEO of Streamtime; and Simon Lee, Chief Creative Officer & Partner at Enigma.
Simon began by reassuring us that, "The disagreements of this kind really are part of the course in any agency. You're definitely not the first person to be experiencing this and you definitely won't be the last." Disagreements happen because design is subjective — and frequent rejection is, unfortunately, part of the territory. "It's about the work, not about you," Simon reminded us.
Both Simon and Andy emphasised how important it is to come back to the brief. Simon explained, "The difference between being a CD and being a regular creative is actually having the responsibility for deciding what's right." He shared an example: "Anyone with half decent sensibility can take a great photo now and again, but it takes a true professional to be able to deliver the perfect photo for the brief at hand."
Andy added that objectivity is key: "If you make things subjective, it will get very hard and very personal very quickly. If you can try and keep conversations objective, then it's a much easier and probably smarter conversation to have."
If you genuinely believe your design is right for the brief, Simon suggested you could ask your CD to present your work alongside other concepts to get the client’s perspective: "If you're a hundred percent confident that your own creative ego isn't getting in the way, then you could consider suggesting to your CD that maybe they present your work alongside the other routes and get the client's take on it."
Finally, Simon reminded us that your turn will come: "If you play your cards right, one day you may well be the CD. At that point, the problem will go away, sort of — except you'll then have an ECD and maybe a CCA to worry about!"
If you’re feeling disheartened about being pulled from projects because of style disagreements, remember you’re not alone — and you’re not necessarily in the wrong. Come back to the brief, try to keep things objective, and keep honing your craft. One day, you’ll be the one making the calls.
CCO & co-owner of The Hallway, creating ideas with real-world impact. Led the Boys Do Cry campaign, reaching 100M+ and inspiring men to seek mental health support. Mentor, speaker & dad of two.
A mental health educator and counselor, combining years in the creative industry with nearly five years in therapy, now runs The Hey Mate Project to provide tailored support for creative professionals and organisations.
Founder of Never Not Creative, CEO of Streamtime & co-chair of Mentally Healthy, driven to make the creative industry fairer & more human. Believes great work should never cost wellbeing.
