Interview with Romain Soubrier, Art Director

Meet Romain Soubrier, Art Director at Addict Mobile. Since joining Addict Mobile in 2017, Romain has witnessed the evolution of creative production in mobile user acquisition, constantly adapting to new trends and market demands. Today, as Art Director, he balances team management, quality control, and tight deadlines.

In this interview, he shares insights into his role, the daily challenges his team faces, and the solutions they’ve put in place to meet market demands.

What does your role as Art Director at Addict Mobile involve?

My job covers several areas.

First, I manage the creative team, which is split between Spain and France. The goal is simple: meet deadlines, ensure our creatives align with expectations, and make sure everything runs smoothly, even remotely.

I also oversee and review the productions. My perspective isn’t that of an Account Manager or a client. What I look for is whether the concept has been fully explored. Sometimes a creative can seem unexpected and end up being a hit, so I encourage the team to test and push ideas further.

There’s also a mediation aspect to the role, because not everyone sees creative work the same way. I often act as the link between Account Managers and designers, helping to find the right balance between performance and feasibility.

Finally, I’m in charge of maintaining our visual identity, both internally and across our tools. I’m also involved in strategic discussions with clients when we need to clarify expectations or creative directions.

What role does creative work play at Addict Mobile?

It’s a key pillar. Today, in mobile user acquisition, optimizing campaigns isn’t enough, performance depends on the quality of the visuals.

Our team plays two main roles:

• Supporting the UA strategy by proposing concepts tailored to each client and platform. It’s not just about producing assets, we also test formats and ideas that clients might not have dared to try.
• Producing at scale, whether it’s original concepts, iterations, localizations, or A/B test variations. With a team of ten, we’re able to handle this volume, which allows our clients to run campaigns that meet market standards. 

What are the biggest challenges your team faces?

The biggest challenge is finding the right balance between creativity and performance.

In the past, volume was the only priority. But now, in a landscape where users are constantly bombarded with ads, our creatives need to stand out. So yes, volume still matters, but it’s no longer enough. Quality has to be there too. We need to move fast while producing visuals that grab attention and drive action.

Another key challenge is staying on top of trends. We need to quickly spot what’s working and integrate it into our productions right away. If we take too long, it’s already outdated by the time it goes live.

Overall, it’s a constant balancing act between speed, visual impact, and ad effectiveness, while making sure each creative actually makes sense.

What solutions have you implemented to meet market expectations?

Our biggest strength is our ability to adapt quickly. The team is well balanced:

• We have senior profiles with experience, who know how to take a step back and adjust when market or process changes are needed.
• The younger team members bring fresh perspectives and help us stay connected to the latest trends.

And of course, we hold weekly check-ins to make sure everyone is aligned.

On the tools side, we rely on:

• Creathor, our in-house technology that automates the large-scale production of creative variations. It saves us valuable time on tasks that would otherwise be extremely time-consuming.
• Internal specialization: some team members focus more on trends, others on AI, and some on new tools and plugins. While everyone works across topics, having go-to experts helps us adapt faster.

How is AI impacting creatives in UA, and how do you integrate it into your processes?

AI is a tool, not a miracle solution. It helps us save time on certain tasks, but it doesn’t replace the team’s work.

Here’s how we use it:

• For quick ideation: when there’s no time for a full brainstorm, we can use ChatGPT to spark a few exploitable ideas.
• For asset generation: if a client needs something ultra-specific (like a precise 2D pose), AI helps us create it instead of spending hours searching stock libraries.
• To adapt to client preferences: some love the AI aesthetic, others don’t. So we adjust our usage based on expectations.

That said, we never let AI produce a full visual on its own. Its role is to support, not replace, our creative expertise. 

How do you manage your role as a manager on a daily basis?

With lots (and lots) of coffee, and maximum organization.

The hardest part is having to juggle everything at once: managing creatives, supporting the team, handling client briefs, and keeping up with trends. To stay on top of it all:

• I take tons of notes, otherwise, I’d forget the important stuff.
• I block out time for admin tasks, especially when working remotely, where I get fewer interruptions.
• I still produce visuals myself, because it’s what I enjoy most, and it helps me stay relevant as an Art Director.
• I can rely on my team, they’re experienced and independent, which makes it easy to delegate with confidence.

The goal is to find the right balance between management, creativity, and organization—without losing sight of what the job is really about.

Outside of work, what creative activity are you most passionate about?

Creativity doesn’t stop at the office, but outside of work, it takes very different forms.

I try to avoid hobbies that are too close to what I do every day. Instead, I focus on activities that let me explore other creative sides:

• Miniature painting:  collecting, wargaming… it’s a hobby I’ve stuck with for years
• Writing stories: I love imagining worlds and characters
• Music: I play guitar and compose when I find the time