Marketing and creative teams often find themselves at odds, even when they’re striving toward the same goals. The growing pressure to launch faster, scale bigger, and create more can strain relationships and processes. But at DolFinContent, we believe one simple truth: teamwork really does make the dream work.

That’s why Eliott Wahba, CEO of DolFinContent, teamed up with creative leaders across industries—like Marie Kare, Head of Creative at Reddit, and Ellen VanderWilt, Growth Marketing expert and former Adobe leader—to explore how marketers and creatives can finally break through barriers and create unstoppable campaigns together.

Here’s what we discovered.

Marketing vs. Creative: What’s Really Different?

At a glance, it’s easy to lump marketing and creative together. After all, both are responsible for brand messaging, campaign execution, and audience engagement.

But dig deeper, and their core purposes—and pain points—diverge:

• Marketers focus on driving growth, leads, brand recognition, and ROI.
• Creatives are responsible for the assets, designs, and messaging that make campaigns not just happen, but stand out beautifully.

Still, true success hinges on one key element: collaboration.
Yet collaboration doesn’t just "happen." It requires structure, understanding, and mutual respect.

Who Works With Whom?

In many organizations, creative briefs flow from marketing → creative.
This can create a power imbalance where creative teams feel like order-takers rather than strategic partners.
But at DolFinContent, we’ve proven: when creative teams are empowered, brand consistency, innovation, and performance skyrocket.

What Motivates Each Team?

• Marketers chase data: conversion rates, brand lift, new customers.
• Creatives chase impact: visual storytelling, brand integrity, emotion, and meaning.

One works in spreadsheets; one works in sketchpads. But both need each other to truly succeed.

How They Measure Success

For marketers, it’s simple: ROI.
For creatives, it's about producing exceptional work efficiently and with minimal rework.

When alignment happens, the results are exponential:

• Faster campaign turnarounds
• Higher creative satisfaction
• Greater campaign performance

How to Build a True Collaboration Between Marketing and Creative

1. Give Everyone a Voice

Marketers and creatives need a seat at the same table, from ideation to execution.
When creative teams influence briefs early, marketing efforts become more visually aligned, emotionally powerful, and brand-consistent.

"Creatives aren’t just ‘executors.’ They’re collaborators. Treat them that way."
— Eliott Wahba, CEO of DolFinContent

2. Create Work Everyone Is Proud Of

Tension leads to rushed work, too many revisions, and burnout.
Mutual trust, clear briefs, and respect for timelines enable marketers and creatives to produce projects both sides feel proud of.

3. Let Results Speak

When collaboration is strong, the campaigns themselves tell the story—through higher engagement, better leads, and industry recognition.

The Barriers That Still Get in the Way

Despite the best intentions, major obstacles persist:

Differing Expectations

Marketers often need things fast—Creatives need time to create brilliance.
Tight turnarounds don’t naturally produce "magic," and rushing creatives often backfires.

"Creatives can’t turn out excellence on a dime if strategy isn’t clear."
— Marie Kare, Head of Creative, Reddit

Mistakes Happen When Communication Fails

Creative errors often come from vague briefs, last-minute changes, or unrealistic deadlines—not from a lack of talent.
More dialogue upfront means fewer "fix it in post" disasters later.

Biases and Mental Barriers

Assuming marketing just "sells" and creative just "draws" locks teams into silos.
The truth? Both sides are strategic. Both sides are vital. Both sides innovate when trusted.

"Seeing each other as adversaries kills innovation."
— Ellen VanderWilt, Growth Marketing, ex-Adobe

How to Break Through the Barriers

Collaboration isn’t magic—it’s methodical. Here’s how teams can truly thrive:

Recognize Each Other’s Strengths

A marketer’s strategy brain and a creative’s visual storytelling skills are two sides of the same coin.
Each should enhance—not overpower—the other.

Lead with Empathy

Creating campaigns under pressure is tough—for everyone.
When deadlines are brutal, or creative concepts aren’t landing, empathy can bridge the gap.
Walk a mile in your collaborator’s shoes. Understand before you critique.

Remember: You’re on the Same Team

Marketers + Creatives = Brand Builders.
You win together. You lose together.
There’s no "us vs. them" if the real goal is to create unforgettable work.

Bringing It All Together

Marketing and creative teams are stronger together.
The best campaigns happen when collaboration is not an afterthought, but a strategic priority.

Whether you're a growth-hungry marketer or a visionary designer, your success is tied to your ability to build creative trust across teams.

At DolFinContent, we live this model every day.
We connect marketing leaders and creative visionaries under a single, frictionless system that produces award-winning campaigns, stunning assets, and—most importantly—real results.

Ready to remove creative roadblocks and move faster than ever?

Let's Chat