My First Year In Advertising

Believe it or not (I'm not sure I really do) the end of this month marks my first year in advertising. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to work in this industry. When I was younger I used to play a game with my best friend where you would choose an object for the other person and they'd have 30 seconds to come up with an advertisement and present it. Now that I'm in the place where this actually happens - it takes them longer than 30 seconds, obviously - it's pretty hard to believe it. Although I'm not creating show-stopping ads (yet) I'm definitely climbing the right ladder.

I've learnt a huge amount in the last year, more than I imagined I would. If I met myself from a year ago now, I'd be shocked by how little I knew - I don't think I'd even heard of Campaign magazine (advertisers' version of BBC News) and now I spend my day scouring it for new ads, hires, mergers and industry news.

The biggest lesson I've learnt this year is that advertising can do more than just sell. This was definitely some thing I was aware of (see my post from Blogtober last year on Why We Should NOT Ignore Advertisements) but I didn't know the extent to which advertising was moving towards this. The most successful campaigns from Cannes Lions (our version of the Oscars) this year were doing more than selling, they were impacting popular culture and creating change. People have started coining phrases such as 'solvertising' and 'goodvertising' but really it's just advertising at its best. Advertising of the future. Some people think advertising is slowly dying off but I think what these ideas show is that it's alive and making a difference.

I've also found out just how much time and effort (and how many people) go into creating these amazing, award winning ads. What I used to think happened was: a client told you what they wanted, a strategist turned this into a brief and gave it to the creative team (an art director/designer and a copy writer), they brought the ideas to reality and the account manager delivered them back to the client who then jumped for joy at your amazingly innovative yet refined ideas. Obviously I didn't think it was quite as simple as this but I never imagined how complicated the process was and how many different roles are involved. Collaboration is such a buzzword in the industry but it seems that to be truly successful you need to have a 360, fully integrated, cost effective solution. 

What surprised me was the unspoken hierarchy in advertising agencies other than CEO to Account Executive or Intern. The hierarchy of brands. The first question you'll get asked when you meet another advertiser is "what do you do?". In the normal sphere of employment this is taken literally but what ad people really mean is "who do you do?" and they're not being crude, they mean what account do you work on, who are your clients. Secretly (or sometimes not that secretly), they will judge you on who your client is - whether they're blue chip or a bigger (money-wise) account than their own. Working in the PR/Communications department I've been spared from this, sort of. My client is our own employer so no one has the nerves (or stupidity) to degrade part of what they represent - it's almost like I work in HR - and yet they're not particularly interested either. It's a really interesting place to be and has given the opportunity to be involved in a broad range of areas in the company.

Luckily, in advertising (an experience based career) 22 is considered young once again. My friends and I are always complaining about how old we're getting but here I'm considered youthful, fresh and Millennial. A key trait of Millennials is that we are 'digital natives'. Any technical issue and we're the first person to be asked (it's like living with your parents all over again..). But in fact it's actually quite a popular trait for employers. We don't need digital training, we just get it. Before I started working in my current role, and actually before I started working full-time, I didn't know how sought after this was. So instead of grumbling about my age (I'm definitely starting to get bags under my eyes, no grey hair yet though), I'm revelling in the fact that I've not hit 30 yet.

Finally, one lesson I've learnt in the last year which applies to any profession is the importance of making time for yourself outside of work. It's so easy, especially in the digital age, to spend your personal time talking about or doing work (whether it's checking emails, making notes or reading extra articles). And while I think this is great that my friends and I care enough about what we're doing to want to do this, if all we do is work, we're not going to be as productive as we could be. I read a really interesting article today about a company that has reduced it's working hours to 5-a-day. I'm not saying everyone should work less, I'm saying taking time to do what you want to do is really important too. At university I had such a flexible timetable I could easily balance my work and personal life. Now I work 40 hours a week it's not quite so easy. But it's still important that I find time to do things I enjoy such as hockey, seeing friends and writing my blog. I want to do the best work I can and I believe that being happy in my personal life enables me to do that.

I'm interested to know what you've learnt either about yourself or your industry in the last year or so. Leave me a comment below if there's something you'd like to share! 

What Should I Do Now?

The reason why I haven't written in such a long time (3 months if you're counting) is I wasn't sure what to write about. You could call it 'writers block' but I'd have to be a writer for that to be true. It's probably more accurately defined as a lack of inspiration. At university it was easy to write about being a student and the trivial problems I had then, like how to concentrate long enough to do my work (How To Stay in the Library Longest..!) or what costume to make for that week's fancy dress theme (Love Dressing Up?). Not that I wouldn't give anything to relive those carefree three years - I feel like recently my life has got a whole lot more serious.

I have my first 'real' job. A 9-5, 5 days a week, fixed salary job. Okay, officially it's an internship but it's the closest I've had to an actual, adult job. (I've worked full-time before but not in the industry I ultimately want to pursue). I live in the capital, the biggest city in the country and the place I've dreamed of living for the last 7 or 8 years at least. I catch the tube to work at rush hour everyday and I've never seen the same person twice - not in the 4 months I've been here. I have contents insurance. I mean I actually pay my own insurance and have things worth insuring! Could I be any more mature? Well today I went one step further, I bought my first piece of furniture and put it together all by myself.

What you're probably thinking is, 'This all sounds really boring' and the truth is it is. My life's not crazy and wild like a student now, it's the slow and complex life of a young professional. But I'm doing the things I've always wanted to do and I should be really happy, right?

I feel like after leaving university I've stepped outside what I know and what I'm used to, and actually started living life for real. It's not a fairytale like I hoped it would be. Things don't just happen for you. You have to make your own luck, your own decisions and your own mistakes.

I haven't been writing because I didn't think I could write anything people would want to read about. But then I thought, I shouldn't be writing for other people. I should be writing for me. I've been doing this all along because I enjoy it and so it doesn't matter if not a single person reads it. I'm going to write about what I'm interested in and that's all there is to it.

That's what I'm going to do now on.

Blogtober - The Whats and Whys

Today is the 1st October and the start of Blogtober. Most people nowadays have heard of Stoptober (to help quit smoking) or Movember (to raise awareness of men's cancer), so I thought I would do something similar. But no, I'm not going to grow a moustache.
 

Since my last nostalgic post about university life, Freshers' has started and everywhere I see students living the life I used to live (on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat). At the end of that post I said that next I would write something positive about graduate life and what I am doing to get my career going. This is what I came up with.

Blogtober is going to be a special month of blogging with aims and targets. I will have new posts every 5 days - 8 posts in total throughout the month. Most of you know I want to pursue a career in advertising, so for this month will be writing about, media, marketing, advertising and graduate life. It won't be like reading a textbook or a boring news article though I promise. I will be expressing my opinions and hopefully you will in your comments as well.

You might wander why I am doing this. There are quite a few reasons. Firstly, it will build upon by existing experience and prove to employers that I can write in a creative and precise way. Secondly, I know that a lot of people, especially those who are my age, are turned-off by advertisements. People are fast-forwarding through them, skipping past them in magazines or just plain ignoring them. But there are some fantastic advertisements out there and I want them to receive the appreciation they deserve.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I am doing this Blogtober to motivate myself. It's hard work applying for jobs, waiting to hear back and taking rejection. At the moment I have two part-time jobs and another casual one, none of which are what I really want to be doing. With this Blogtober I have a target to achieve 1000 pageviews this October. Last November I started writing this blog serious and made it to 825 pageviews in a month. I want to beat that. In writing this blog I will stay focused on the career path I want to take and I will stay motivated.

At the moment I have some ideas about what I am planning to write about for the remaining 7 posts but I am also opening this Blogtober up to suggestions. Is there something you would like me to write about? Let me know in any form you like, Facebook, the comments section of this blog, Twitter or face-to-face (see my new contact page for details). I want to engage as many people as possible in Blogtober and show that blogging isn't just for experts, it's for everyone. You have to take control of your own life and make your own opportunities. 

15 Things Graduates Miss Most About Student Life

I'm slowly starting to realise the truth that I am no longer a student - even though my student ID card says otherwise. I am now a graduate. But what does that really mean. I don't feel any different to how I did this time last year. Other than knowing a bit more about certain authors and understanding the real meaning of hard work, I still feel like the same person. Graduate life is supposed to be even more exciting than student life. I don't have to go to lectures or write essays any more, I can read whatever I want and I am about to start my career. But the reality is, for me at least, that I'm in a similar situation to where I was before university, except for now I have a massive student debt as well. The summer was good, taking a break to relax from all my exams (well actually just one exam..), free-time to meet up with all my friends and sort myself out. But now seeing some of my friends going back to university and everyone getting prepared for Freshers', the brutal truth is hard to take. I am not going back. That chapter of my life is over and it's time to start the next one.

Some of my friends have already found great jobs, moved to London and started earning a real salary or they're going to travel the globe and discover their inner self. I'm not quite there yet shall we say - living at home with my mum and two dogs, and working at a local pub. But I believe that everyone's journey is different and if I keep working hard, my time will come (sorry for the cliché). I thought that the best way to get over being a student is to make a list of what I (and hopefully others too) miss about student life, that way I can come up with replacements sooner.

So here is a list of 15 things graduates miss most about student life: 

1. Student loan - I'm pretty sure everyone will be able to relate to this. Having money in the bank when you've done absolutely nothing to deserve it's great. The only problem is when you have to start paying it back.

What are we even doing here?

2. Student nights out with all your friends - When you're a student there's always an opportunity to go out with your friends, have a good time and worry about the money you spent in the morning. The unknown adventures are what make student nights so amazing.

3. Living in a student house - Although a lot of people complain about living in student houses and how dirty they can be, it's actually really nice to have somewhere of your own where you won't be hassled about washing up or shoes left lying around.

4. Sports facilities - I used to complain about spending £200 on a years gym membership but it's actually a fantastic offer, especially when I lived a 5 minute walk away. Now I have to spend £5 per group class and even more for using the gym equipment. I definitely regret not going more when I had the chance.

Freshers' Fair last year

5. University sports teams - Being part of a sports team is the best thing about university, or at least it was for me. You make some really great friends, learn new skills, keep fit and have events organised for you. Again the cost is dramatically less than joining local clubs and most of the other members will be just like you - young students rather than grannies or school kids. This is definitely what I will miss the most.

6. University societies - Similar to number 5. Societies at university are great. There's so much choice, you meet new people and have the opportunity to take on responsibilities which benefit you. Never again will you find so many clubs provided for under one group.

7. Being part of a student community - Living within walking distance of all my friends was something new for me. I absolutely loved it. Walking to the shops, around the supermarket, and to and from university, you are continually bumping into friends. It's certainly hard to feel lonely.

8. Free time - As a student I had a lot of free time (I know that some subjects don't get as much but the majority of us aren't in university from 9-5). I have free time now but I'm expected to be doing something worthwhile. At university you have free time when you're actually allowed to do nothing.

9. Freedom - Some graduates still have the same freedom as they did as a student but quite a lot don't - including me. At university you are completely your own person, able to do whatever you want, pretty much whenever. If you're at living at home with your family like me, you have to continually plan your day around others. Luckily I have my own car, otherwise I'd probably be pulling my own hair out.

Halloween costumes

10. Students themselves - Not only do I miss my friends, whether they're still at university or doing their own thing now, I miss being surrounded my like-minded people.

11. Fancy dress - Wearing the most unusual costumes for nights out is okay because you're a student. You can express your creativity in so many ways and it's legitimate to have spent your whole day creating an amazing outfit. Also, what are you supposed to do now with the collection of fancy dress you've accumulated over the last 3 years?

12. Spending all day in bed under the pretence of reading/studying - Especially studying English, the chance to stay in bed all day and still be productive was the best. Now I have chores, family meals, work or the gym to go to. I definitely can't get away with 'working' in a same way.

Tour 2013

13. Sports tours - Hockey tours were crazy. The saying 'what goes on tour, stays on tour' definitely applies here but if any of us did those things, or saw the same things when we weren't students we'd probably be appalled.

14. The support - I don't think you realise it until you leave but you have so much support around you at university. From lecturers and tutors to help you with your studies, careers advisers, your parents and your friends. But once you leave everyone suddenly expects you to be a grown-up capable of doing everything yourself, and sometimes it's a big step up.



15. Last but not least VARSITY - I cannot stress how much I loved varsity. It's the one day when the whole university comes together in support of one another. It's like a sports extravaganza and my life will not be the same without it.

VARSITY WINNERS 2014

Hopefully this list didn't come across as entirely negative, and it should prompt some of my friends who are still at university to make the most of student life and the opportunities it brings. Next I'll write about being a graduate and what I'm up to in my search for a position to start my career.