How many projects should you include in your creative director portfolio? (Trick question! Read on to learn why…) 

If you’re reading this, you’re probably in the trenches of working on your creative portfolio and need to know how to stand out when applying to your dream advertising agencies. Maybe you just graduated from college. Maybe you’re looking for a career change. Don’t worry, we got you!

The advertising agency is a complex building full of many overlapping departments, positions, and titles. It’s like one big smattering of Venn Diagrams. So titles at these places can get a little confusing sometimes. 

But here’s how it works:

Most advertising creatives get their start at a portfolio school of some kind, where they sit beneath the sorting hat and become either an Art Director or a Copywriter. Then, they create fake advertising campaigns for real brands, put all of that spec work onto a website (or back in the day, a literal ‘book’), and send it out to the agencies they wanted to work at. 

If their portfolio stands out amongst all the rest, they ride off into the sunset as either a Junior Art Director or Junior Copywriter. As time goes on and their real, out-in-the-world campaigns get produced, they work their way up to a Senior Art Director or Senior Copywriter, and then to a Creative Director, constantly updating their portfolio to show how far they’ve come.

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What Does a Creative Director's Portfolio Look Like? (And Why That’s the Wrong Question)

So here’s where that question tricks so many people: agencies don’t just hire Creative Directors, they hire Junior Creatives—who are Art Directors and Copywriters that grow into the role!

So if you’re wondering how many projects you need in your Creative Director portfolio, but you’re not yet an Associate Creative Director with 5-10 years of experience in the industry, the title you’re actually shooting for is Junior Art Director or Junior Copywriter. 

And we can definitely help with that! 

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What Goes in a Junior Creative Portfolio, You Ask?

So, how many projects should a junior creative include in their portfolio? It’s a common question—and an important one. Too few, and it’s hard to show range. Too many, and it risks feeling unfocused. Let’s break down the sweet spot.

Include five to six advertising campaigns. 

• Each campaign shown should showcase your writing or design skills through Print, Social Media, Brand Activations, TV or Radio scripts, etc. 
• It’s all about quality over quantity here. Recruiters and hiring managers would MUCH rather see 5 great ideas rather than 15 mediocre ones. 
• Too few? You risk looking inexperienced.
• Too many? Recruiters won’t get through them all, or they’ll click on one of your “good” projects instead of one of your FANTASTIC ones. 

Hiring managers scan portfolios quickly—they’re looking at dozens and dozens of candidates at a time. You want to stand out right away. The best work should be featured, and every piece should answer: would I hire this creative based on this work? 

A few tips:

• If you’re a copywriter, focus on ideas, headlines, and brand voice.
• If you’re an art director, highlight layout, typography, and concept execution.
• Your portfolio school work will align with industry expectations.
• Think through the order and flow. We like our students to lead with their strongest piece, but also end on a memorable note! 

Once you’ve nailed down the essentials, it’s time to think about range. A well-rounded portfolio doesn’t just show what you’ve done—it shows what you’re capable of.

Diversity Matters: Show a Range of Work

Your portfolio should reflect not only what you’ve done—but what you can do. A diverse body of work shows your versatility, creative range, and ability to adapt across different mediums, industries, and briefs. This is especially important if you're applying to roles that value conceptual thinking and multi-platform execution. Give creative directors and recruiters a reason to linger.

Include a mix of:

• Campaign work. Highlight a variety of campaign types across print, digital, social media, and OOH. If you’ve done integrated work, even better. Show how your ideas scale across platforms.
• Branding projects (if applicable). If you’ve had a hand in brand identity, tone of voice, or positioning, include those pieces too. It demonstrates strategic thinking and a grasp of brand consistency.
• Passion projects or personal projects (if they show your creative thinking). These can be just as powerful as paid client work. Personal projects show initiative, creative curiosity, and your voice as a creative.
• A solid ‘About Me’ page. It’s been heard through the grapevine that sometimes Creative Recruiters will go straight to the ‘About Me’ page before even looking at your campaigns. It’s not about listing all the wonderful things you’ve done in your life or writing a short novel about yourself. Show your humor, wit, and personality instead! Whether it’s one line or one paragraph, see this as your first impression and have fun with it. 
• A résumé. While the creative work you show is the proof of the pudding, your résumé should also be included either as a link or on the about me page.  
• A way to contact you! Make sure to include your personal email on your page where it’s easy to see, not just a ‘Contact Form’ for visitors to fill out. No one wants to dig around for your info.

Your portfolio isn't just a showcase of your work—it's a reflection of how you think, create, and communicate. The more thoughtfully it's put together, the more clearly it tells your story before you even get in the room.

Tell a Smooth Story 

TLDR; if you’re reading this and you realize you either don’t have a creative portfolio or you have one but it’s not in line with the type of job you’re wanting, you should think about a Portfolio School. That’s us!

We’re book180, a 6-month, women-owned, virtual portfolio school where you’re taught by real creatives in the industry to help you land a job as an Art Director or Copywriter. Check us out and see our most recent grads’ finished portfolios! 

Ready to craft a portfolio that turns heads? book180 can help you create one that lands the job.

This blog post was written by book180 Instructor Taylor Smith, freelance Senior Copywriter in Austin, TX.

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