Art Direction 101

What is Art Direction?
Art Direction and the Web
The linked articles above are a good read for any designer, art/creative director and/or aspiring ones, in all mediums not just web. Yes, you can have art directors in web design, and yes there is a need for them.
I went for a job interview a couple of years ago for a web design posititon. When asked what I’d like to be doing in 5 years time I said art direction. My interviewer (marketing manager), looked puzzled at me and said this isn’t graphic or printed design, so we won’t need an art director. I went on to explain (very unsuccessfully), that no matter the medium design is still design. Silence. He then reworded the question and I answered the same. I didn’t get the job.