Expert: Sean Trapani - 9/28/2007

Question
QUESTION: I'm a Jenni-come-lately former improv comedian-turned copywriter who would be considered ancient by the ageist ad world.
My niche is long-body travel copy writing (AMEX Travel, Hilton Hotels, etc. for 4-A agencies)and religious journalism but I'm also very conceptual, strategic and visual and would like to expand my portfolio to reflect these talents.
In pursuit of that goal, I'm considering going to Miami Ad School-San Francisco location but thinking it's probably a waste of time given my age.(40 )

I don't plan to work at an agency--I'm realistic enough to know that because of my age they wouldn't hire me no matter how talented I was (am). I'll be happy sticking with freelance and/or open my own shop that would be housed within a niche, travel-related magazine I'll be publishing within 4 years.

Also, I never finished my BA and thought of going to University of Texas, Austin since that school seemed the closet to a portfolio school that I could find.

So, what is your honest assessment of someone in my situation? Should I:

Skip portfolio school and go back and finish my BA in Advertising at Texas U (or Academy of Art U in SF which offers an online Advertising Degree that includes portfolio development)?

Go to a portfolio school simply to improve my book and possibly help me learn the ad biz inside and out in case I start my own agency?

Forget all of the above, keep working in the two niches I'm already in and instead finish my B.A. degree in Entrepreneurship  so I can start my own magazine (forgetting the ad business altogether)?

Your advice would be most appreciated!--jk



ANSWER: Hi, Jenni

First off, you have a crisp, punchy writing style that's fun to read. Kudos. (or whatever snackbar you feel is an appropriate reward)

Third (I give advice so fast you probably missed the second point), your last question kind of throws a wrench in the advisement process. I'll answer that last.

If you want to keep working in the biz, I'd recommend the portfolio school over U of T at A. These schools, like Miami Ad School or Creative Circus, are great at helping you market yourself. You walk out with a polished book. UT would be a better choice for theory immersion, eg, understanding the relevance of branding, the progression of copy eras, developing IMCs and cool live music (Austin rocks, by the way).

But you're probably pretty advanced in those areas. It's not that you don't get the theory - you've lived it in your longer copy work and other projects, I suspect. You need a new brochure - and that's what portfolio schools are good at. I've met one than one portfolio school grad who didn't understand WHY their book looks so good, but I doubt that would be an issue for you. If you think it would be, there's your answer.

Of course, this is all moot. Or mute. Or moo, if you ever watched "Friends" - if you want out.

I would then remove myself from the advisement process and ask that you listen to yourself. Do you still love this? Or is your heart asking for a new romance? As Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss."

That's something only you truly know.

Good luck!


Sean Trapani

PS - a third option would be to simply re-do your book on your own. Buy the new CA ad annual. Visit the awards Web sites. And find an art director to help you out. You'll only compile spec work at school anyway - why not do it on your own and save the $$$?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Good advice, thank you, though the age question is still the elephant in the room. (No, I'm not a Republican.)I could re-do the book on my own, yes, but I don't think I could do it without an Art Director to help--at that level most AD's would be reluctant to do so because let's face it, what's in it for them?  I thought about trying to elicit some good talent from a portfolio and/or art school like The Art Center in Pasadena.  Since I'm also desperate for help in putting up a web site maybe I could kill two birds in one stone taking that route.  Any great young talent out there who could 1) help me with my book--take my concepts and make them look hot and 2) help design my web site?

The final question about following my bliss. Problem is, and always has been, I have two many blisses. I started out as an actress, turned comedian, turned copywriter, turned mag editor, turned travel writer, back to copywriter...

The reason I want to start my own pub is so I do everything  I want--my magazine idea encompasses all my blisses sort to speak.  So, if you could just address the age thing (no one seems to want to in this biz), I'd appreciate it.  Bottom line I don't want to spend all my money and time on portfolio school only to find out I'm being rejected because I have too much wisdom.

That's it, that's the last question I promise!  I value YOUR wisdom, by the way.



ANSWER: Sorry, Jenni. I wasn't responding to the age thing because, frankly, as someone who's 41, it didn't even lodge in the ol' noodle. I don't see it as a factor, so I forget can it can be in some circumstances.

You're probably right that you might get an odd look from a CD who just interviewed 25 twenty-somethings. But the ad world needs senior copywriters, too (no pun intended). There are not a lot of schools producing copywriters who can write.

You've got writing experience, advertising experience, and with a new portfolio, current experience for what I call "drive-by" conceptual advertising - which is all the rage, of course.

Personnel spots appear in larger agencies because of allowances negotiated with clients. If the new contract only allows for $32,500 for a junior copywriter, the CD may not trust your willingness to work 70 hours a week for that rate. And I'm not sure I'd trust your sanity if you did.

But I wouldn't let your age discourage you from enhancing your marketability - IF AND ONLY IF - you can't imagine yourself doing anything but advertising. To paraphrase Steven King, I didn't write copy because I wanted to. I wrote it because I had to.

This being said, to me, it sounds like you'd really rather do the magazine. And that works, too. Don't forget, somebody will need to create subscription. Then you can say, "Rolling Stone "Perception/Reality" campaign, eat your heart out."

Don't be a stranger. I'd love to know how things work out.

Sean

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sean,

Again, thanks so much for taking the time to help me by giving me advice about my situation.  I really do appreciate it!

Okay just two more questions...I promise!  

1. Do you know of any agencies that have one or more large upscale travel and/or tourism accounts? My American Travel Planners (long-body copy that blends descriptive prose with high flying wit)seem to always impress CD's but I haven't been showing them to CD's who are with agencies that even have those kinds of accounts.

A lead copywriter over at DDB (Venice) said I "have the stuff" but she only gave me one or two leads that didn't pan out.  I'm thinking I should saturate this market first with my samples (not wait until I have a slick portfolio or web site) since it is a niche kind of writing that not a lot of people can do well (or so I've been told).

RE: Portfolio school.  I'm going to subscribe to CA and maybe a few others; meanwhile because I'm a "dislocated worker" apparently I qualify to go to certain schools that have a government contract for people such as myself.

Academy of Art University in San Francisco is one of those schools AND they have an ONLINE Advertising and/or Graphics Arts degree program; however, even with government help, it's pretty pricey though--even more than Miami Ad School.  

Do you know anything about ACA?  I've been reading message boards with comments from students who have gone there and it seems to be a mixed bag.  The thing is, it's only one of two programs that offer an online portfolio school.

Okay, that's it, no more picking your brain (though I'm sure you have lots of grey matter to spare). Just trying to rev up my income with something I love to do while working on my magazine idea.

jenni

Answer
Hi, Jenni

I suggest you "reverse-engineer" your search. Find an ad you like in the annuals, then find the shop that did it. Or, go to the Advertising Red Book online - sign up for a free trial, then search for agencies by destination names.

Every big shop has one or more tourism or real estate clients, so they're too numerous too mention.

I don't have any specific information on the Academy. The trade journals don't rank ad schools, so I'd contact your local BBB and see if there have been any complaints.


PS - if you'd like to see a website from an in-house ad agency that does some nice stuff, visit:  

http://www.imiliving.com/