Getting a job in the advertising industry is about as difficult as drawing a straight line while on public transport. It's a constant struggle that leads to many false starts. Even when you do make it, the ride has been almost enough to put you off forever. This coming from someone who hasn't been through the process, but plans to in the future.
There is however, reason for my pessimism. Out of every graduating year at RMIT's creative advertising course, only 10% land jobs in the industry. One such lucky team is Trent Hendrick and Celeste Millot, who just scored a dream first job at Cummins & Partners in Brisbane. This was only achieved after being knocked back by an assortment of hardened agencies in and around Melbourne. Would their arduous journey have benefited from the new book released by Sydney adman Justin Lane? The creative group head at M&C Saatchi has compiled a collection of tips into an affordable bundle called 69 Ways To Get A Job In Advertising. We're yet to know if it's a worthwhile read, but at $15 it's only slightly more expensive than an issue of Campaign Brief.
I recently stumbled upon an interview with one of the fathers of modern advertising, George Lois. If you're a bit hazy on who the hell he is, all you need to know is that Bill Bernbach was his mentor, he created the "I want MTV" campaign that changed a generation, and art directed a host of unforgettable covers for Esquire Magazine. It was conducted in 2003 by New York magazine.
Here's his story on how he made it into the agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) and made a lasting impression...
"My first ad there—my very first day—was for a CBS show about how food gets delivered to New York. So I called a photographer and told him to get a fish—I wanted to have the fish saying, “How do I get to New York?” That first day, there was a memo from the business guy to all the art directors, saying, “You got to return props. I know you guys are keeping the props. I don’t care what the props are, I want them delivered to my office.” So after the shoot, I get the photographer to give me the fish. Then at ten o’clock at night, I leave the fish in the guy’s office with a note that says “As requested” and sign my name: George Lois."
In the few places I have stumbled across successful creative people, I find they all have one thing in common. That one thing being an undeniable vision. They know what they want and how to get it. Creativity has always been a subjective business, but it shouldn't be left up to everyone's interpretation. Someone has to captain the ship. With this in mind, George Lois was the Blackbeard of Madison Avenue. This is one quote which sums him up in a uniquely articulate manner: "I know what the fuck I know, and you know what the hell you know, and I’ll tell you what I think, and you tell me to fuck off." It's about not wasting your time or the time of others. It's a clear vision to communicate in the best way possible to the right people.
Another good example of his heralded insight and opinion is in this biting comment on the 1984 Apple Superbowl TVC: "And that great Apple commercial, which was horseshit, but it was Citizen Kane horseshit. It was the kind of thing that knocked you on your ass."
George Lois is a huge inspiration to me. And I'm finding it increasingly helpful to build a database of inspirational personalities to look up to before embarking on the ad job journey. Because most of the time, it's not what you know, or even who you know, but how you can make big things happen for influential people. Like a good friend and writer told me, it's all about the tone, and these people can be the signpost to making who you are the perfect fit for a lucky agency somewhere in the world.
5 Comments
Spoken by Tait Ischia Ischia
on Sunday, April 15 at 17:31.
There is however, reason for my pessimism. Out of every graduating year at RMIT's creative advertising course, only 10% land jobs in the industry. One such lucky team is Trent Hendrick and Celeste Millot, who just scored a dream first job at Cummins & Partners in Brisbane. This was only achieved after being knocked back by an assortment of hardened agencies in and around Melbourne. Would their arduous journey have benefited from the new book released by Sydney adman Justin Lane? The creative group head at M&C Saatchi has compiled a collection of tips into an affordable bundle called 69 Ways To Get A Job In Advertising. We're yet to know if it's a worthwhile read, but at $15 it's only slightly more expensive than an issue of Campaign Brief.
I recently stumbled upon an interview with one of the fathers of modern advertising, George Lois. If you're a bit hazy on who the hell he is, all you need to know is that Bill Bernbach was his mentor, he created the "I want MTV" campaign that changed a generation, and art directed a host of unforgettable covers for Esquire Magazine. It was conducted in 2003 by New York magazine.
Here's his story on how he made it into the agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) and made a lasting impression...
"My first ad there—my very first day—was for a CBS show about how food gets delivered to New York. So I called a photographer and told him to get a fish—I wanted to have the fish saying, “How do I get to New York?” That first day, there was a memo from the business guy to all the art directors, saying, “You got to return props. I know you guys are keeping the props. I don’t care what the props are, I want them delivered to my office.” So after the shoot, I get the photographer to give me the fish. Then at ten o’clock at night, I leave the fish in the guy’s office with a note that says “As requested” and sign my name: George Lois."
In the few places I have stumbled across successful creative people, I find they all have one thing in common. That one thing being an undeniable vision. They know what they want and how to get it. Creativity has always been a subjective business, but it shouldn't be left up to everyone's interpretation. Someone has to captain the ship. With this in mind, George Lois was the Blackbeard of Madison Avenue. This is one quote which sums him up in a uniquely articulate manner: "I know what the fuck I know, and you know what the hell you know, and I’ll tell you what I think, and you tell me to fuck off." It's about not wasting your time or the time of others. It's a clear vision to communicate in the best way possible to the right people.
Another good example of his heralded insight and opinion is in this biting comment on the 1984 Apple Superbowl TVC: "And that great Apple commercial, which was horseshit, but it was Citizen Kane horseshit. It was the kind of thing that knocked you on your ass."
George Lois is a huge inspiration to me. And I'm finding it increasingly helpful to build a database of inspirational personalities to look up to before embarking on the ad job journey. Because most of the time, it's not what you know, or even who you know, but how you can make big things happen for influential people. Like a good friend and writer told me, it's all about the tone, and these people can be the signpost to making who you are the perfect fit for a lucky agency somewhere in the world.
You are getting harder to catch out.
It's suddenly gone quiet on the blog Tait. What's going on man?
Wahey! U own your own url! Sweet page u have man.. Something new to add to my favourites. On the topic of How To Get a Job in the Industry, 'Pick Me. Breaking into Advertising and Staying There' is another book to read. Its from the dudes who contribute to ihaveanidea.org and has advice from David Droga and Neil French. May not be entirely applicable to what's going on in Australia but it's a good read nontheless!
Why do you want a job at an advertising agency? I worked in one years ago, and I work with them regularly in my current role, and most of them are filled with w@nkers. You're clever and you write well, so why not use your creativity to get the ball rolling in other ways a la Right Angle Publishing? Show the advertising world you don't need them - because why you'd want to use all your creativity up on vapid capitalist pigs is WAY beyond me.
Your skills (and those of your friends) could be used in many places other than in advertising agencies. We're a PR company and we're seeking digital content specialists exactly like those that come out of RMIT.