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.
I have no experience in advertising, and I am creating a
portfolio comprised of spec-ads to try and get a job as a
copywriter.
I have never made a portfolio before and want to know:
i) Whether it is normal for someone who has no experience to
create a portfolio of 5-10 spec ads to show the internship
manager/creative director when applying
ii) Whether the pieces of work should be accompanied by a
brief description/explanation? Or whether I should just
insert the actual pieces of work and explain when it comes
to discussing my portfolio.
The meaning of the work is self-evident, and also I would be
present when the portfolio is being considered, but since I
have no experience I thought some written accompaniment
might flesh out the portfolio.
Also thank you for answering one of my previous questions
about choosing a portfolio case.
Carter
Answer Carter,
Well you certainly have a handle on this. I'm not sure where you received your wisdom/direction but this is where I would start and have advised similarly.
As for the writing description - I would do what I could to develop a creative brief for each of the pieces. In this business accountability to an imperative and you require the ability to both write and create from them. There are a slew of supports for what makes up a good creative brief on the internet - pick one and follow it. If this is beyond your capability then at least write a challenge statement and then a rationale for altering the copy your way.
And finally, how do you get the meeting with these people to give you an assignment? Well here is where you can best use your creativity to shine. So many people send a resume and maybe a cover letter. The problem is that little or nothing comes of it other than the frustration of no meeting.
I have a good friend/colleague in the biz that wrote a story of how he confronted one of his worst fears (jumping out of an airplane) with doing just that and using that to describe his “take no prisoners” approach to client management. Every place that he has sent his letter gave him an interview and he once had 3 firms vying for his attentions.
In today's marketplace everyone has to do similar. Show relevancy at every turn.
