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.
