Shown Media: Hiring a Creative Strategist to Scale DTC Ad Volume
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Scaling Creative Output Without Sacrificing DTC Quality
As Shown Media scaled its client base, the team needed to increase the volume of ad concepts produced for clients running paid social at scale.
The challenge was finding a Creative Strategist who:
- Understood the DTC performance marketing ecosystem
- Had experience working directly with UGC creators
- Could support ad production by helping plan, script, and guide shoots
- Could operate within an agency environment supporting multiple brands
Candidates without hands-on DTC experience, or those coming purely from a creator background, would not have been able to support the strategic and executional needs of the role.
Finding a Strategist Who Could Bridge DTC Strategy and UGC Execution
Constant Hire focused on candidates with a proven background working with DTC brands and collaborating closely with UGC creators to produce performance-focused creative.
A key part of the process was aligning expectations early, particularly around compensation and scope, to ensure the role attracted candidates who were a true fit for Shown Media’s needs and growth stage.
During interviews, Constant Hire evaluated candidates on:
- Portfolio quality and relevance to DTC paid social
- Script writing ability for UGC creators
- Understanding of hooks, messaging, and ad structure
- Ability to translate strategy into executable creative guidance
A short test project focused on writing ad hooks and scripts helped surface candidates who could think creatively while staying grounded in performance outcomes.
PROCESS
- Submitted 17 qualified candidates for consideration
- Interviewed 8 candidates
- Ran a 3-round interview process
- Managed 2 internal stakeholders (co-founders)
- Conducted reference checks
- Interview process spanned approximately 60 days
A Creative Strategist Built for Agency-Scale Execution
- Finalists: 2
- Offers: 1
The selected Creative Strategist stood out due to a portfolio that closely matched Shown Media’s criteria, demonstrating strong script writing skills and a clear understanding of how to support UGC creators producing DTC performance ads.
Their experience working across DTC brands and collaborating with creators made them well-positioned to help Shown Media continue scaling creative output while maintaining quality across client accounts.
