How do I pursue a Career in Advertising?

Question

Hi everybody,

I wanna join the advertising industry because i feel that i have so much potential in thinking out of the box and capturing attention through above the line marketing.

However, i've only realised this dream within the past year and i'm already 25. I'm getting a business degree majoring in marketing by the end of december 2006. i love playin with imaging software but do not have any qualifications to back it up. i do have strong negotiation skills from my current sales & marketing job though.

Any recommendations?

Answer 1

Well, you need to research some agencies first.
Look at the bigger corporate ones, like Grey, Draft FCB, Leo Burnett, Y&R... and take a look at the boutique ones too.
I'm 25 and in the creative dept. just started this year. It's fun coming up with ideas, but i have to warn you- the hours are long and you will have to sacrifice some of your free time. It's also very stressful during business pitches. I suggest after you do your agency research, pick a few products/services and do a campaign for each (3 print ads per campaign) this will help show off your "out of the box" skills and strategies. 3rd step is to make an appointment with an agency. You'll need to see the Executive Creative Director. Make sure your portfolio has a basic resume on the back (no references or anything super businessy, just your education, special skills/weird skills, software skills, contact info, and special interest, and of course experience) Try making your portfolio interesting and creative. The package or cover must be as "creative" as you say you are. Believe me, they see the cover before anything and it MUST stand out in a crate of 60 other books.
Good luck. And by the way, decide whether you want to be a Copywriter or an Art Director. Or you could work on the Account side, but they deal more with clients, they don't create the ads.

Answer 2

Join a good advertising college,
http://collegesuniversitys.blogspot.com/

Answer 3

properly, i might want to point you to do an promotion direction from a reputed institute, which will be advantageous or efficient to you, because the degree will make issues basic for you in existence.