COMMENT: What advertising executives should ask themselves

Even before the terrorist attacks, the global advertising industry was in its worst slump since the early 90s. The industry will recover. It always does. Still, most young ad professionals are asking themselves: "Is my job safe?" Maybe it is. Maybe it's not. Instead of obsessing whether the company wants us, we should assume a proactive and empowered approach to our own future. The question should be: "Is advertising right for me?" The question is a complicated one and confusion regarding what a 25-year-old wants out of a job (and life) is not only natural but also a near certainty. So, what's an ad person? First, although it pains me to kill the delusion, advertising is not marketing, which is about P&L, distribution, sales force structure, shelf facings, etc. Since these variables affect copy, we must be sensitive to them and fluent in articulating their relevance to creative development. Advertising, on the other hand, is about simplification, about distilling an infinite range of consumer and business variables into one compelling message. Second, true advertising professionals are lateral thinkers. They are conceptual. They see relationships between ideas. They are not only insightful about communication challenges but also curious about what motivates human beings. They are instinctively drawn to articulating consumer insights, fundamental motivators of preferences and behaviour that answer the question "why?" They are right-brain, not left-brain, driven. Yes, we are acutely aware that discipline and sensitivity to detail are necessary in doing a good job. But they are not sufficient. True "expert power", the sublime confidence that springs from the epiphany you are skilled in ways others aren't, is about shaping and articulating a penetrating idea. Expert power is acquired only through rigorous dedication. In creative, we call it cut-through, simple copy. In account management and strategic planning, it's called a key response that hits the sweet spot of consumer desire. Third, adguys are leaders. Leadership is not just about "working well with people". Leadership is about persuasion - of the subjective, of the abstract. Leadership is about confidence and the courage to express a considered, insightful point of view - no matter what your title or experience. Imprisonment in an ossified corporate structure, one where tight lips reign, is a passport to eternal stagnation. Ask yourself: Can I become a person who can persuade not just my client counterpart, his boss and his boss' boss? If yes, you're in the right field. If not, you're not. These three characteristics are the hallmarks of future stars. They are the traits that ensure job security and long-term satisfaction in this inherently funny field. If you've got 'em in you, apply elbow grease and polish. If not, look into your heart and identity what your special characteristics are and take your future into your own hands.

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