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.
Question Hi i am currently going to school in Texas at UT an i am majoring in Visual communications then planning on moving to Atlanta to go to "The creative circus" or "Portfolio Center". My goal is to be an art director because i am totally in love with advertising. Now i have heard to get a good job in advertising its ALL about the portfolio you have but i have also heard that agencies wont even entertain your book if you don't have a four year degree. So is my 4 year degree really necessary? Because I have two years left in my degree here in Texas and to be honest i really would rather go to the portfolio schools so i can be fully immersed in advertising /art direction. Help!! Thanks for your time!
Answer I don't own a crystal ball so I recommend that you complete school. While you may be able to get in the highly competitive field (may be the operative word) what will you do when there is you and another vying for the next level jump in creative and you are neck and neck creatively with the other individual. The only difference is that they have a degree and you - well you chose to get in quick.
Also in this down economy are you certain that you want to be to lowest on the totem pole when it comes to hiring or worse lay-offs?
The best place, the safest place for you today is completing school. And as for school, PLEASE watch the trends. While being on-line is - well its second to nothing it seems. Trust in advertising has crashed 41% in 2 decades and more and more people are ensconced in word of mouth referral. Social networking, consumer generated media, guerrilla marketing, viral marketing is significantly altering what we do in this business and we all better be up on these emerging trends.
I can think of no better place to be that UT studying just that. In two years you will be at the pinnacle of that knowledge set and know where the trend is leading. I know from sitting on college task forces that employers are coming out of the woodwork looking for this type of talent and paying an individual salary that rivals my own. They have the skills and the depth of knowledge of how to use it.
I sincerely hope that you will take this advice as I'm certain that it will pay dividends.
