BEST OF A View From An AdGuy - Secret Career Advice for Young AdLanders "All it Takes is a Little TLC!"

Originally posted to the Advertsing Week Blog where I am a member of their original "Blog Squad"

On Day One of Advertising Week 2010 has clearly demonstrated that it has become “The Premier Event” on the advertising calendar. Sure the south of France and Cannes has the big “cache”, but it doesn’t offer the same resources and engagement with industry leaders all in one room.

On the first day I watched the many young “Adlanders” affixed to the voices of a diverse group of industry leaders sharing their knowledge, opinion and insights to where we have come from and where we might be heading. But today a great lesson was shared and learned during a networking opportunity before at the Billboard “Amp'd Up!” opening concert benefiting GeneratioNext. It wasn’t much of an exchange in terms of time, but it was a powerful exchange.

Fellow ”AdWeek BlogSquad” member Allison Walton and I managed to muscle our way to center stage and front row for the “Amp'd Up!” Concert featuring Bruno Mars followed by John Legend with The Roots. Sharing the tight confines found us chatting in a matter of seconds with an amazing young women named Courtney Gallo who works for The Partnership For A Drug Free America. She is a Field Services Manager who has enough passion, energy and spirit to fill the room. As we chatted it was a “gem” of a concept Courtney dropped on Allison who used this chance meeting as a networking opportunity.

“It’s all about TLC”. Brilliant!

Talent. Luck. Contacts.

This simple little concept is what ever young “Adlander” needs to understand.
I chatted with Courtney about how this idea came about and it was clear why she has achieved her career success to date. “You need talent, that’s your stock, that’s your commodity. You won’t get far without a depth of talent”.

“You’re gonna need a bit of luck, maybe lots of luck”, she added. To me luck is about creating opportunity and that’s were the magic of “contacts” comes into the mix. The more contacts made the more opportunities can come about. I thought about it this way, you can buy one lottery ticket, but that’s one “chance” to get lucky, add a few extra and the chances your luck will increase rises.

It became apparent quickly why Courtney strongly believes in this concept, and it didn’t take long for me.

Your Career Planning: “It’s All About TLC”.

Originally posted to the Advertsing Week Blog where I was a member of their "Blog Squad"

On Day One of Advertising Week 2010 has clearly demonstrated that it has become “The Premier Event” on the advertising calendar. Sure the south of France and Cannes has the big “cache”, but it doesn’t offer the same resources and engagement with industry leaders all in one room.

On the first day I watched the many young “Adlanders” affixed to the voices of a diverse group of industry leaders sharing their knowledge, opinion and insights to where we have come from and where we might be heading. But today a great lesson was shared and learned during a networking opportunity before at the Billboard “Amp'd Up!” opening concert benefiting GeneratioNext. It wasn’t much of an exchange in terms of time, but it was a powerful exchange.

Fellow ”AdWeek BlogSquad” member Allison Walton and I managed to muscle our way to center stage and front row for the “Amp'd Up!” Concert featuring Bruno Mars followed by John Legend with The Roots. Sharing the tight confines found us chatting in a matter of seconds with an amazing young women named Courtney Gallo who works for The Partnership For A Drug Free America. She is a Field Services Manager who has enough passion, energy and spirit to fill the room. As we chatted it was a “gem” of a concept Courtney dropped on Allison who used this chance meeting as a networking opportunity.

“It’s all about TLC”. Brilliant!

Talent. Luck. Contacts.

This simple little concept is what ever young “Adlander” needs to understand.
I chatted with Courtney about how this idea came about and it was clear why she has achieved her career success to date. “You need talent, that’s your stock, that’s your commodity. You won’t get far without a depth of talent”.

“You’re gonna need a bit of luck, maybe lots of luck”, she added. To me luck is about creating opportunity and that’s were the magic of “contacts” comes into the mix. The more contacts made the more opportunities can come about. I thought about it this way, you can buy one lottery ticket, but that’s one “chance” to get lucky, add a few extra and the chances your luck will increase rises.

It became apparent quickly why Courtney strongly believes in this concept, and it didn’t take long for me.

Short Trip To Advertising Week, Long Journey To A Career

Originally posted to the Advertsinh Week Blog where I wil be a member of their "Blog Squad"

September has always marked the beginning of all things new for me.  It is so different from New Years Day when we recover from the night before when we chased another year into our past and welcoming another year in hopes of new beginnings... but September for me always marked truly “new beginnings”.

Since we were all children, September marked the beginning of new school year, new clothes, new friendships and a new season of television shows. September marked the launch of the new “model” car year. Being in Canada, well we traded our “Speedos” for “snowshoes” (LOL) and hockey season was weeks away (cliché). September truly marked the “beginnings” of many things that would be past of our lives for years to come. 

For the past 4 years September has marked what many of my students refer to as a “new beginning” to their dreams and hopes of joining the advertising industry.

In September 2007 I brought my first group of students to Advertising Week in New York City and it has become one of the greatest learning experiences that energizes like no other single event can. We started as a small group a 17 that first year and we have ballooned into a (bus load) group of 50+. A trip that now sells out in a matter of days.

This year I will be traveling with a group of 53 seniors who are all facing graduation in the spring (2011).

Each has become a “Student of Advertising” over the past couple of years and are now looking to fine tune and fill in the extra skills that will separate them from all the other future graduates fighting for those precious jobs as Strategic Planners, Copywriters, Media Buyers/Planners, Art Directors, Digital Strategist or any of the other 100+ titles that can await them. 

Advertising Week is a “deal changer” for these young “AdLanders”.  Event upon event, opportunity upon opportunity all lead to learning and engaging directly with the industry, with the shakers and the movers, the deal makers and the game changers. All of this is 4 full days.

Before I arrived in New York I asked my students traveling to Advertising Week two basic questions.

First, “What is it you most want to get out of Advertising Week?” and secondly, “What made you want to come to Advertising Week?. 

Nicole Avolio, summed her thoughts up by suggesting Advertising Week will an experience that will take her into the future.

She said, “What I expect to get is an experience that I can take with me wherever I go in the future”, adding “I hope to get a real taste of the industry, and expect my blood to start flowing with passion and excitement”.

Advertising Week is the center of the “Ad World” for 5 days.

The industry leaders converging to share their vision of the future and catch up with some of the past with old colleagues.

Copywriters Vinay Parmar and Jeremy Gross shared similar thoughts of being close the industry leadership. Vinay noted, “I'm looking to expand my professional and social network, while being inspired”, while Jermey sees it as “... an opportunity to hear from some of the greatest minds in advertising to gain their insights but more importantly to gain inspiration”. 

Aspiring Art Director Kateryna Topal dug deep into advertising's pasts for her hopes for Advertising Week.

“I’m most excited about living, in the words of Mary Wells’, the “Big Life” for a week. I look forward to having a chance to meet some industry professionals and getting their perspectives on what the future of advertising holds for us, especially when it comes to digital”. 

These are just a few of the thoughts from future AdLanders, truly “Students of Advertising” simply by being here they are doing something different.

I hope throughout the Advertising Week you will get the chance meet a few my students.

How will you know who they are... chances are they will be asking you many questions, engaging you in conversation and likely sporting a t-shirt with our programs brand. Left+Right.

Say hello, you will be making a difference.