Top Reasons to Go Into Advertising

Do you guys have any thoughts for college students with moon eyes for an ad career? Feel free to elaborate on why you got into the business, and how your expectations were met/proven wrong.

Tags: advertising, careers, go, in, into, reasons, to

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Permalink Reply by Angela Natividad on March 21, 2008 at 10:58am: BW, somebody needs to pay me for how many times I've been exposed to that Speckies spot. And dude, there are plenty of good reasons to go into advertising. Free ice cream, for one.

"Ooh, I'm Buddy. Look at me being all contrarian guy."; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Buddy 'Friendly' Wachenheimer on March 21, 2008 at 11:46am: Free ice cream is NOT a good reason to go into advertising, missy. Trust me, you WILL come to that conclusion.

Contrarian, no. Realist, definitely.

BTW, did you hear about the Speckies?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sunshine on March 27, 2008 at 3:40pm: Angela,
Take all of this with a grain of salt, as it is only my personal opinion - and comes from an agency perspective.

The answer depends on what part of advertising you have a desire to get into. If you want to be a creative at a large agency, a portfolio school or one of the big ad schools puts you at the front of the line (if its paired with talent). VCU's Ad Center (I think its changing to Brand Center), Miami Ad School, Creative Circus, etc are the types of places where you'll get hands on experience and be able to build your portfolio. Its also a great way to meet people who can help you later on. A great portion of this business is knowing someone who can help you get your foot in the door. I don't mean to say it's impossible, but it certainly helps a lot.

If someone wants to get into account planning, VCU is a great place for that as well. Also look for schools with strong sociology programs.

For account service, an advertising degree is great, but really - if you have some great internships and experience your degree can be in basket weaving and it won't hurt you. I don't mean that in a negative way, it's just that many account people do not have degrees in advertising. The key is working well with others and being able to sell the work, among other things.

The opportunities on the interactive side of things are endless. There is a huge shortage of talent in a category that is growing daily. Programmers, designers...pretty much anything having to with the interactive side of things is marketable in many arenas.

To chime in on some feedback from others on this post....As one of the previous posters stated, the most important thing is experience. Intern, intern, intern. Volunteer at non profits and help with their marketing/advertising if you can't find a formal internship at the time. It's great if you're involved in lots of school activities, but relevant experience trumps all of that for those coming out of school. I would also agree with Greg's comment that you have to be ready for change - that is the ONLY thing that will never change in this business. I can't agree more with learning a foreign language either - regardless of what industry you want to get in. Chinese and Spanish, especially. Oh...if I only knew Chinese.....

Why did I get into this? Like many others, I fell into it. (I am not a creative) There are tons of dues to pay when you are starting out, but stick with it. The sleepless nights never go away - but it varies greatly by agency and often times varies from account to account within the same agency. While some clients are crazy, I have met some of my closest friends in this business and had a great time despite the craziness.

Best of luck to you!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ricky on March 30, 2008 at 1:34am: I am currently a Freshman at the University of Illinois and am in the process of transferring to the School of Advertising here. Until then, I am still in the acting conservatory as I wanted to pursue a BFA in acting. I have very recently decided to switch into advertising because I decided I needed to get a real degree (and make my tuition payments worth while). This thread is the first time I have heard first hand accounts from professionals in the field. I thank you all for this learning opportunity. Any other advice anyone would like to offer?

-Ricky; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Peter Syravong on June 30, 2008 at 1:56pm: I have a few friends going to Ai studying in the field of advertising. Most of which with the concentration of the creative end. One thing that I noticed is that they don't necessarily take it seriously. But I am coming from a creative POV.

The curriculum is project based, where students are given campaigns, that is what I see most. Needless to say, as a creative monkey, I felt the originality and actual message was lacking. It really helps if someone can actually execute ads as great as the initial idea. The instructors actually said roughly 20% (I think lower) of you (the class) will struggle to get into this industry. I bet it's true.

I guess the only advice I have is to have a balanced "resume/portfolio" and show that your personality is tangible just as advertising is. And if you get that entry level job, don't be loyal to your designs and you better take criticism well. Get used to someone looking at a piece you spent 3 hours on and them
saying "Nope. It doesn't work."; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Charles on July 1, 2008 at 5:31pm: There are very few universities, if any, that pump out kids ready to jump into the creative department at an agency. As mentioned many times internships are worth more than any degree. If you are serious about joining the creative ranks start thinking about what job or skill set is of most interest to you. Read some books, get a feel for what each person at an agency does (again, internships are great for getting this kind of information) and start working toward getting the skills you need. Finishing schools are a fantastic option. I went to The Portfolio Center in Atlanta, but rather than get into a debate about which schools are better (Miami Ad School, VCU, Creative Circus - all good options that appeal to different kinds of people) the important thing is that schools like this give you an opportunity to explore your creative side and work within the parameters of a typical agency architecture. You will walk away with a portfolio full of work and relationships with fellow creatives that will serve you well throughout your career.

As far as the ad business goes, it has its ups and downs like any other job, but when I stop and think about what I do on a daily basis it is hard to believe that people pay me to do this. Sure, what I write isn't always fun or interesting and I don't often get to flex my muscles and show off my skills, but sitting at a table shooting the shit and tossing around ideas for the next campaign is a great way to spend an afternoon.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jamie on July 3, 2008 at 3:40pm: Ironically, advertising is definitely not a job for the masses. While we in the business are driven by developing compelling messages that appeal to the mass population, not everyone can--or even should--attempt this business.

The best advice I would give someone whose still in college is to take as many different courses in as many different subjects as possible. Get a well-rounded education, not just business classes. Psychology, philosophy, history, and English comp just to name but a few. Also, stay in touch the world...read everything, from daily newspapers to blogs to trashy magazines. You wanna be/gotta be topical. Advertising is the business of being in touch with the world as it happens. I would strongly encourage to read books by some of the advertising giants of yesteryear. One of the books that still read--every six months--is "Ogilvy on Advertising". I got this book back in my junior year of college nearly 20-some years ago. And, it was a five year old book then. But you know what? It's still as relevant today as it was when the late-great David Ogilvy wrote it back in the day.

I would also strongly encourage you to participate in the AAF or the AAAA student competitions; to get a feel for the real life of an ad executive. It would behoove you to get an internship with a reputable firm in a major market. Learn from the big boys and girls, don't lose the chance to pick their brains and watch them work as you listen. Make it a point to talk to the executives on a regular basis...you'll learn bunches, they'll be happy to share their craft with you. Everyone in advertising is family. And, that's another very critical issue--listen. Sit in meetings and take diligent notes. You won't be asked to be the main presenter, and there's better than average chance you'll learn and thing or two from someone whose already climbed that corporate ladder that could save you a lot of sweat later in your career.

Finally, piece of advice--have fun. Seriously, advertising is one of the most amazing industries in the working world. Sure the long hours can be long and it will be short pay for a while, but damn--if you really love what you do, it's won't matter. Imagine the glee your mom will have when she tells her friends at Bunko next week that her son/daughter is responsible for all the advertising for Pepsi or Ford or Allstate or whatever brand you're working on. It doesn't matter what your job is, your parents will give you all the credit for any ad that has the name of the product you're working on. Trust me, they will. Mine did. Yours will, too.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rushit on July 5, 2008 at 12:19am: i think the thread has many answers , as many members are in group ,
if i talk abt myself , i was in sales , and find the job routine and boring and stressful , but during MBA i found advertising very interesting . where science and arts met . and the creativity is infinite , thats why i choose advertising , i find its very creative , and the main thing is , with each client , i need to find new ways to communicate , which gives me fresh breath .
i find advertising is my cup of coffee (coz i dont like tea).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by J.S. Gilbert on July 8, 2008 at 4:31pm: MY top 10 reasons for going into advertising.

10. Your hands shake too much to become a surgeon

9. You got a coupon for 75% off to Advertising school

8. You've tried everything else.

7. you just love words like font, kern CPM, serif, Lorem Ipsum and click through rate.

6. You can't get into art school

5. You lost that bet with the deveil and it's time to pay up

4. It's either advetising or the Priesthood.

3. One of the few remaining fields where it's still cool to be an alcoholic

2. Posed for too many pictures with strippers to go into politics.

1. Just like climbing Mount Everest - because it's there.; ▶ Reply to This