Hello,
Reading time: Just a couple of minutes.
Do you work at an ad agency?
What do you like about it? What keeps you coming back for more each morning - and don't just answer, "money." Job satisfaction means substantially more than merely earning a living.
Well, we gave all this some thought and came up with the list below. Let us know what you think.
All the best,
Joe Grant
joe@joegrantconsulting.com
P.S. What we do best is help agencies do a better job for their clients. Find out more at our website www.joegrantconsulting.com.
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 Why Work in Advertising?
I was counseling a young friend the other day at that exciting point midway through college where she's beginning to focus on a career. She asked about working in an advertising agency so together we made a quick list of the plusses. See if you agree.
You'll love the agency world if you like to:
- See your work in public at a young age. Apprentice lawyers, engineers, and other professionals often wait for decades before getting credit for something as their own but in our business recognition can come early. To this day one of my fondest memories is many years ago sitting on a plane next to a stranger reading an ad in TIME I was responsible for.
- Inform, persuade, and motivate people to take action or consider buying something to solve a problem or improve their life. It's gratifying watching people march into a store or phone in an order. Think about it: you're leading people.
- Express your talents. And be rewarded for it. Advertising is like music or sports - it's all about what you've got.
- Hang with bright, witty, creative people. Most agencies are a stew of quirky personalities bubbling with ideas that will keep you engaged and challenged. Yep, it's a zoo, but it's a ball.
- Influence pop culture. People talk about your work and your industry all the time. "Did you see that new commercial last night?" We're the people who came up with PC and Mac, Where's the Beef, and Dude.
- Stay current. If you like to keep pace with the latest idioms, fashions, trends, and buzz then this is the road for you. Advertising, albeit ethereal, is the epitome of living in the now.
- Telecommute, job share, or work from the beach. Again, because it's all about your talent (and I don't mean only on the Creative side), agencies tend to be more flexible than traditional businesses when it comes to where or how you get your work done. This will only get better as technology advances.
- Have fun. There's still razzle-dazzle, even these days - parties, hospitality suites, the occasional boondoggle, some good steak dinners you don't have to pay for, plus lots of free coffee cups and t-shirts for the scarfing. And face it: it's way cooler to say you're an ad guy or gal than an insurance adjuster.
- Be well paid. That is if you stick it out and continue to perform above average. Lots of people in this business can swing their kids' education, own a big house, buy a boat, and drive nice cars. Yes, it takes effort - long hours and a lifelong commitment to learning - but you can snag a brass ring if you stretch enough.
- Move on. If you succeed in advertising you'll learn skills to prepare you for about anything. Maybe after you put some miles on you can hop to the client side where they'll think you're a genius because you worked at an agency (at least for a while). Just a thought.
Oh, I hear some of my agency-owner friends moaning that this picture is far too rosy and decidedly unrealistic in these times. Well, OK, but we need to attract a lot more bright people to our exciting and rewarding field. Maybe if we talk up the fun stuff, we'll rope in more of our kind of people.
It isn't for everyone and it sure ain't easy. But isn't it a great way to make a living and have a lot of fun?
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Brand Busters |
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This book should be in every agency library. Friend Chris Wirthwein who runs 5MetaCom in Indianapolis just published Brand Busters: 7 Common Mistakes Marketers Make full of common sense about what it takes to successfully advertise and market. It's a lively read packed with enlightening case histories and insightful illustrations, and would provide near painless education for clients who "just don't get it." Available at Paramount Books and Amazon. |
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Streamin' |
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With online video all the rage, here's a comprehensive guide with links to what's available. Just don't get caught watching them at work. At OVGuide. |
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Oops |
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Lots of mistakes have been made over the years translating common product names and slogans from English to other languages. Here's a compendium of the worst. You'll laugh when you read Learn English. |
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Your Next Book |
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If you just finished a book you really enjoyed, get a suggestion about what to read next from a database of 47,000 readers. Try it at What Should I Read Next. |
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Media Messages |
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Visit MediaBuyerPlanner regularly and you'll stay up to speed on all things media. |
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Ideas Aplenty |
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You'll find good articles about a wide range of marketing topics at MarketingNewz. |
About Grant Consulting
Grant Consulting, formed in 1992 by Joe Grant, is a consultative resource for advertising agency principals who want to improve their agencies. The firm works on a highly selective basis with agency senior managers to help them discover and then reach their full potential. Copyright 2008 Grant Consulting Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. We encourage sharing in whole or in part if copyright and attribution are included. Contact us at:
Grant Consulting
239.394.8220
joe@joegrantconsulting.com
www.joegrantconsulting.com |
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