Advertising help
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- InnerPixel
I'm interested in taking an Advertising course at a college in Ontario but I wanted to get some feedback from anyone here who is in a related field or has taken a similar course.
Any pro's or cons??
I have aspirations to be an Art Director and would love to talk to someone who's involved in such a position (or related).
Any information would be great. :)
- zedvox0
take some copywriting classes.
stay away from account classes and people taking account management except the chicks they are hot and fuckable but they are mind numbing and not worth it.advertising design and visual communication is a good asset to have regardless you go into advertising or not.
oh yeah try to stay honest and do not target kids :)
cheers
- Nac0
I took one class in a way it is beneficial because it kind of helps you integrate with a more business mind. Especially people who are sales focused. They may need some hand holding to find a mixture of creativity when making a product or service seem or look lucrative.
- mg330
I have a BA in Advertising. Whether or not you want to work in actual advertising, I highly recommend ad courses for graphic designers and those aspiring to be Art Directors.
You will learn a tremendous amount that you will not likely learn in technical or art based graphics courses. I took several of the latter, and had a much better time with web design and print design courses thanks to most of my time going to advertising courses.
You learn ways to communicate, you learn how people think, sociological and psychological issues that factor into a person's acceptance of images and ultimately in an advertising sense their willingness to purchase a product because of what they've seen.
Though I kind of agree with the person above about staying away from account mgmt. courses, they are also invaluable because you're able to learn the language and aspects of other people you would certainly be working with as an art director, designer, etc.
Any more questions throw them this way.
- pascii0
advertising is $.
if u work in a big advertising agency, you have the way :
designer > ad > cd > consultant < marketing consultant < head of marketing < business unit manager < ... < ceoadvertising is only fun when u have a more smaller way between you and the client.
- zedvox0
amen pascii
- InnerPixel0
wow thanks a lot for the help guys... I've already graduated from a 3 year design course in Multimedia Design so I do have a design background.. but you don't really learn PR or how to properly communicate. I love dealing with people and have no qualms with long hours.. Everything I've read seems right up my alley.
Does anyone know of some good programs or schools for advertising? I'm probably not going to go the BA way as some have mentioned as its another 4 years of school.
For those in the Toronto area how is Seneca or Sheridan? They have a solid program it seems:
- InnerPixel0
mf33, what is it you're doing now anyway?
Do you work for an agency or on your own? How do you find the industry? (other than hectic and high paced). From what I've read it's not the highest paying industry but that isn't really an issue if I love it.
Any advice you can throw my way or things to consider with schools?
- CHAOTICROOTS0
I am currently going into 4th year Advertising at OCAD in Toronto.
Excellent school with a wack load of tallented and pro teachers that are currently agency owners and/or CD's.
Its a well known school and has a great rep for its Ad program.
Not sure about your backing ... but I was accepted into 3rd year of the Bachelors program.
Well worth it - and some of the comments abover are well said.
My 2 cents
- Mimio0
Art Directors rarely need business degrees. I'd recommend taking post bachelor or masters levels courses/programs in creative direction and communications. Don't waste your creativity on PR or copywriting.
Pick you program carefully too, future employers are wet for people from national or internationally recognized programs.
- mg330
InnerPixel,
I work in Marketing at a law firm. I do a variety of things here, some graphic work, proofreading, and also maintain our web site, which I'm currently working on a redesign/redevelopment proposal for. Should be fun, I never thought I'd refer Jakob Nielsen articles to people until now. Been researching so many law firms for the past couple months and it's amazing how many sites don't have a clue about web readability.
So, any advice I have on advertising comes from school, which I finished in 2001. I'm glad to be doing something fairly close to what I studied in school, especially with regard to web work.
- InnerPixel0
ok OCAD's site is absolutely horrendous... Am I the only one who has a hard time navigating it or getting any valuable information off of it at all? It's actually frustrating me! haha.
Chaotic, I don't think I want to go to school for 4 more years. I'm currently 21 after finishing my last program so the quicker the better (unless the program is regarded above all others).
- InnerPixel0
Mimio, thanks for the advice.
Any program or facility you would recommend for the programs you mentioned?
- L3Vi0
I am graduting from college with a degree in design in a year, and would also like to know a good graduate/or college program to go afterwards to study advertising.
- TransFatty0
er ...
BEASTiality ....in design ....
- InnerPixel0
so is ocad highly regarded in the industry? does anyone know?
- pick0
If you can, sell everything you own and go to an Ad School in the US. i.e. VCU, Portfolio Center, Adcenter, Creative Circus. I went to the Miami Ad School for there quarter away program. Most of the teachers were top notch especially in London and Amsterdam. If you can, its great to be tought by the best.
- InnerPixel0
and when you say "sell everything" it scares me haha... how much is tuition?
- InnerPixel0
ok after quick review how about no... Creative Circus out of Atlanta is 10k tuition + 12k for room + board + books... If I had 22k cash right now I probably woudln't be going back to school.
;)
- CHAOTICROOTS0
Well I am 28 and have a Graphic Design diploma and went back to school last year and will not be finished until next year.
I now come across as biased I suppose but I think OCAD has it right they are a concept driven school and promote it that way.
It is actually a bit of a thorn in there side that the students don't get enough exposure to computer software. But, with my background it wasen't my worry.
Dude, 21 is nothing for education. You will be working for a long long time in your life unless you are a wealthy guy and then more so I would say you should spend more time in school.
OCAD's site does suck ass - I've heard they are about to put up a new one soon - and Admistrativley they are a nightmare too ... but CONCEPTUALLY they rock - they get it and teach IDEAS and not computers and Fflahs and every other program that will change a million times before both of us retire.
Anyway, sorry to ramble
- slag_you_off0
I work as a feelance art director, im 27 and I have a MA in graphic design from arguabably the best design school in the UK.
I worked for an agency the other day where the CD (my boss) started at the agency making coffee at 16.
As well as looking at schools, see if you can get an agency placement making coffee.
I have another friend who started as an intern at ID magasine as a stylist at 17. She is now creative Director of Chanel in Paris. Man I know dozens of stories like that.
When I was 17 I was offered a placement in a small ad agency in the UK, I turned it down in favour of uni. They were bought by BBDO, and I went for an interview at BBDO abou 3 years back and they wouldnt even take me on as a junior.
just a thought.