The Nature of an Art Director

Tie vs Trainers

I always find the job process between 'creatives' and 'suits' interesting...

The account side tends to follow a path no to dissimilar to most job applications processes,and in most cases are often through the results of a succesful graduate recruitment scheme, where as most of us know, for us creatives, it's not quite that simple. Here's a little video from a couple of people we met who were last years grads at JWT, it's quite simple but fun.

10 times filtered... from JWT Grads on Vimeo.

I have seen a couple of companies making an effort towards the creative graduate recruitment schemes but these are still few and far between, for most of us its a case of picking up your booking touting it around agencies, calling, emailing, contacts, friends of friends, short or long placements - more often long than short. But in my eyes possibly a far more rewarding perspective if and when that job does come through. 

Yet another hectic week here in the smoke, with weekdays being taken up with 10 hours days minimum, only time to get home catch some food, sit down to a bit of relaxation before falling asleep on the sofa. The back end of last week saw us heading back to Lincoln for our Graduation Ceremony - so a nice old catch up, but no break from the early starts.

As much as the days are long and the work is tough, it's still fun. We've had feedback on the Vodka work which will be going into production, a very successful review by all accounts according to the execs. We've got a few more briefs and other bits to be cracking on with. 

TRUST.NO.ONE

- dim3 Ak7ion -

"Step from the shadows and show us your true colours. Signals can only be hidden in plain sight".

Time for a Review...

When I started this blog, I made a promise to myself, that I would make at least one post every week at the bare minimum...well, to say it has been extremely hectic is a major understatement. So... we've been at My Agency for what is coming up to our third week. As you can probably imagine, the posting has somewhat dwindled over that time. 

I won't apologise, it has all been for a very good reason, or rather a number of reasons, for one the intensity with working in a smaller agency is far greater than it was at JWT. At least that's the way it seems.

Don't get me wrong - we're still new to the game - but what a complete contrast! I don't think we could have imagine it going from one extreme to the other. The Agency isn't nearly as big as JWT but it is certainly just as impressive in its own way.

From day one we were round the board/ conference table sitting with the other Creatives, execs and a range of accounts staff - what an introduction. Straight in the door and straight on a brief, no time to settle - the way i'd expect any agency to be. Do the work - that's what you're there for. 

As usual you worry about making first great impression, you've done the crit or possibly more, they've got you in, but you can't relax. Well that was 2 weeks or so ago and after the big push, I felt it was time to write another post. The all nighter the night before last has left me a little wired but the execs have flown off to Russia, so the pressure eases off a little, but we still have plenty to do. We've been working on a big Vodka brand, a broadband service and now having a play about with some whiskey. 

The last two weeks have flown by at the speed of light, having now officially become residents of London, started our second placement & had plenty of other things to keep us busy such as the YCN Live event - we've not really had a chance to sit back and stop to take it all in and it looks like we won't especially since our graduation ceremony/ ball is at the end of the week. Now that I've racked up more miles on a train that i'd ever had imagined, things should be back on track (excuse the pun - unintentional) and I will get everything back up to speed come the weekend.

*Illustration - Hugh Macleod