AboutPeter Gabany Expertise Strategic planning:
Objective based advertising, Ad creative, Writing, Photography - buying and making, Illustration - buying, Print, Outdoor, Event, Media, Media Planning, Broadcast, How to select an agency, What the client must provide, Pitching a client / being pitched
Experience Over 25 years in the business - 22 years operating an agency. Creative direction and agency management.
Expert: Peter Gabany Date: 7/25/2008 Subject: experience vs. degree
Question QUESTION: Hi. Do most ad agencies value a degree over actual design experience when it comes to hiring people for creative positions? Thanks
ANSWER: Today, all education helps but in advertising there is no substitute for out and out mesmerizing creative. Here's the rub. If you present a fabulous portfolio and have the credentials as a reputable designer or art director but for some reason the portfolio is equal to others then the degree might just be the thing that pushes your cred over the top.
But it is far more important to be able to demonstrate your creative ability and flexibility than a piece of paper with a degree. That said your approach with your portfolio MUST be inspirational to break through.
I hope and trust that this helps,
Pete
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QUESTION: Can you give me an example of the entire process from the time the client comes in and says what kind of advertising message they want to get across to the time it's completed? How long does it usually take for each campaign?
ANSWER: Sorry, I saw this as a new question not as a follow up question.
Each agency has its own process and timeline for completion. You really are asking how long is a piece of string here. Each campaign has its own set of complexities. It could be a new product launch, or simply maintenance advertising. Sometimes you have the luxury of time to really do some great creative, other times it is get it out the door.
I am sorry to be vague. Don't assume for example that clients come in with an answer either or a strategy. They might not (actually rarely do) come in with research to help direct strategy.
We started working on a campaign in May this year. We have only received client blessing on the first stages of the campaign and we had hoped that we would have approval by now as we hpe to launch in September and we are getting quite jammed to be able to execute this properly.
This answer is NOT that helpful I know so please don't rate me on it. There just needs to be better parameters to the question.
I trust this is a fair response.
Pete
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QUESTION: But, does the client give the Art Director free reign to come up with a design they think will fit the company's image, or does the client tell them how they want the design to look?
Answer Typically NO. There are other people the directive comes through prior to it ever reaching creative.
I would say the the account manager on the business is the first channel and the AM would determine what is required for better understanding the client's business.
Not all clients are the same but clients don't always understand their marketplace. Take for example a Sr. product executive whose firm creates something for the under 12 marketplace. How to reach a kid these days poses much problem when considering traditional advertising. The Account team including the creative director may determine that research needs to be carried out first.
Or at least consider standing research to determine how best to reach this category user. Maybe the campaign should be launch on Saturday morning cartoons or children's publications or on-line through some interactive website.
There are so many marketing channels and so many methods to reach these groups. And what do you do when you want to sell something that appeals to men and women, children, seniors and adults?
The iPod appeals to a specific MASS market sector but it is purchased by just about everyone. The agency would decide to tailer their message to the sector rather than everyone - how could they? Seniors like their iPods for listening to eBooks and podcasts and possibly classical music while teenagers love to listen to pop and other contemporary music.
I'm not saying that you couldn't create an ad that transcends all sectors but the client and the agency would look at where they could build marketshare fastest (if that happened to be their objective)
Eventually a creative strategy is written and eventually it goes to creative and yes the art directors and his/her team are given free creative reign (within reason)to develop an approach.
The yardstick though on how to assess the creative always falls back to the strategy and rationale. If the strategy and rationale stated that everything must be black and white and still and the creative team delivered colour and movement then it would be determined off strategy and the team sent back to the drawing board.
