Thousands of young people want to be a part of the highly competitive advertising business. And there's a lot of help online - a search in Google for "advertising career advice" produces 12 million results.
Here's what advertising guru Kevin Roberts, worldwide CEO of the enormous Advertising Agency Saatchi and Saatchi, had to say to a crowd of enthusiastic advertising students....
** Advice for budding advertisers
Kevin Roberts covers a few main points for effective advertising: Action, Emotion and Storytelling.
Action
"The Ad Business is an ACTION Business. That's what differentiates it from other businesses," he says, "You must keep asking: will this incite an Action?"
Emotion
Mystery, Sensuality, Intimacy. Roberts is passionate about emotion in advertising, instructing that it is emotion that insights action. "It's not about attention," Roberts says, "It's about attraction".
Storytelling
Roberts pleads for the students not to produce ads that are rational. Claiming the information age is over, and consumers want to be entertained, we hear that the storytellers will be the heroes of the 21st Century.
Finding Insight
"The consumer is not a moron, she's your wife." Roberts quotes another advertiser David Olgivie to highlight that to look for insight, creatives must get to know the consumers through observation.
The interview
Once a young creative is equipped with their tools, Roberts believes they must take charge in the interview room. "You should go into the interview and interview the employer," he says. He recommends asking how much responsibility you will get, how much recognition, and how much Joy!
Kevin Roberts believes in the young creatives so much that he has flown half way around the world to tell them this gratis. We know that. He knows that. It doesn't need to be said. And then, faster than you can say, Worldwide CEO Kevin Roberts leaves the theatre with an unopened gift and his energy noticeably goes with him.
(Kevin Roberts spoke Tuesday, 3rd of April 2007, at Media Design School Theatre)
=======================
Article by Bernadette Peters who works for the Media Design School (www.mediadesignschool.co.nz), a tertiary institute specialising in high-end undergraduate and graduate qualifications, including creative advertising qualifications.
Media Design School is located in New Zealand, home of the "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy.
Copyright © 2007. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.