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No one ever said “your creative sucks but your project management is spot on, so here take my business” Similarly no one ever says “your creative is awesome but you couldn’t project manage your way out of a paper bag, so here take my business”
Advertising is a business. It’s creative at the core but creative is only a small part of a larger whole. Just like films. Glamor and creativity are important, but only a small part of a larger business proposition that require many different types of skill sets.
I personally know many non-creatives who like the opportunity to be creative and craft meaningful brands, which is why they choose to work in advtg
I really just love the work/life balance in the industry.
.... Sarcasm?
I like to be verbally abused by clients/creatives while receiving a very low salary.
Hahaha facts though. We take some hits
It's the fun snacks
Variety. I’m a strategist and I don’t want to work in marketing or corporate strategy for one company / one brand for my whole life. I will eventually I’m sure but for now I want exposure to everything. Also I like the not super corporate culture. And the money is great.
Rising Star
I like it because I get to harvest and sell “creatives” as a product/cost center to clients and get paid well to do so.
... you traffick me? 😭
Chief
OP: Have you watched Mad Men? To find a husband.
Chief
I was thinking more about Roger Sterling’s second wife, Jane and Don Draper’s third wife Megan. Both essentially quit after finding a man.
Because of the end of year bonus, paid overtime, mentoring and work/life balance.
Rising Star
That’s a good question, and one that I ask myself all the time. When I graduated from college I wanted to play in punk bands and maybe be a writer. I thought advertising was dumb, and never planned on a career like this. Overtime I landed on jobs that lead to other jobs etc. and here I am 16 years later. I make nearly $200K a year. I couldn’t make that in another industry without going back to school, or maybe getting hired at FB or Google or something. I simultaneously feel really lucky to have the career I have and really stuck in something that I don’t particularly enjoy.
Rising Star
The politics, the monotony, the hours, the intensity etc. that stuff wears on you as you get older.
Because although I don’t have a creative role I am able to think creatively but find that my communication skills are stronger than my creative skills. Therefore it is really gratifying for me to be the liaison between the client and my creatives and to advocate for both sides.
Novelty & knowledge. I work in strategy and governance and I’m interested in (+afraid of?) how the ad ecosystem evolves, how placement and messaging has to evolve with it, and what systems have to be built to support. Guiding clients through it is interesting and on a personal level I know way more about contracts, standing up new processes, data, privacy, measurement, etc that are fascinating
I like problem solving...helping clients answer ‘what should I say about my brand’, ‘how can I make the experience people have with our products better’, ‘what services or products can we create for people that solves a problem’?
Truthfully advertising is only the first one of those, but it gave me great experience to be able to do those other things.
It’s also better than working in a stuffy corporate job.
OP - I’m one of the people who makes your scripts and storyboards into actual commercials. I also catch your grammatical errors, make your 45-second scripts work in 30 seconds, and find the perfect music for your spot with no more specific direction than “something uptempo that builds.”
I think I “represent the product” just as much as you do. Not at all cool to disparage your support departments.
As to why I work in this industry: theatre companies and rock bands don’t have any money or offer health insurance.
I understand your point. I am within the agency, and work on many of our spots before they’re sold to the client- sometimes for months.
I also think the Account and Planning coworkers I have would also feel that their work is valuable, and contributes to “representing the product.”
Getting to work with creatives! Just kidding, we suck.
As evidenced by my question
Agencies are less corporate than corporations. Even though we don’t write ads or produce, I still feel part of the creation process. The agency-like strategy jobs that are client side are usually not very senior. And with consultancies you don’t feel that same sense of teamwork plus you don’t see anything through to market.
Great question. Desperately trying to leave. I hate it. Lol.
I can wear jeans.
Also, the people. The problem solving. Being involved in the creative process. Helping people make things they’re excited about.
It’s a job, but it’s a relatively fun one.
Chief
But mostly the jeans! 👖👟
PM gets paid better in ad world and it’s harder to get in at a high profile brand vs a high profile agency. I’ve never been contacted by in house companies I’ve applied for (only via staffing agencies).
I’ve worked in house freelance for a year and it SUUUUUCKS. You have to live and breath that brand all day. I’m not about that life.
I think everyone should do an in-house stint. Deep focus on a single brand top to bottom teaches you a lot to take into a generalist environment
I don’t want to get an MBA or start my day before 10 on the regular
Major market research firms don’t actually pay analytics folks nearly as much as I make at an agency and my hours are actually better. Eventually wouldn’t mind moving in house to work on more variety of projects outside of ads though.