COMMENT: What advertising executives should ask themselves

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