We're a Team! Not a couple!?

Anyone who's in a team has probably had this issue at some point. It's kind of funny really... 

The ad industry as a whole is quite unique, there's not many jobs out there where you get paid to do whatever it is that you do, to create and conceptualise ideas for adverts - and even beyond that - creating Ideas that make everyday life easier... well sort of... Right, enough philosophising and back to the subject in hand... 

Teams. We know we work in teams. Often an Art Director & Copywriter, more and more so these days as Creatives working on Ideas. We know that. Other creatives know that. The Designers, Production and Suits all know that, (well most of them do). Our families know that...

Then there's everyone else.

I have often been caught out referring to our 'team' - Phil and I, as 'we' - as you do - in the job, in crits, and when you're meeting other creative people... However, I have a habit of forgetting, people outside of the industry don't know this. It seems unless you're working in advertising you'll rarely know what this means. I can't count the amount of times, I've been caught bac-tracking having to justify that my work partner - IS NOT - my partner, partner. It's a guy I work with. Even saying 'my creative partner' doesn't quite cut it. 

It makes me think... there has to be another profession, in another industry, where you are required to work this closely with another person... and you'll perhaps even refer to each other as 'we'. 

What makes it worse, is that Phil and I, live in the same house - along with another Copywriter. We leave the house together, we return - often together, we carry a portfolio with our names stenciled on it, I think it looks cool and helps put the name about... but, I also wonder how many people that don't work in advertising, think something slightly odd is going on... It gets a good reception in crits and certainly gets a little attention on the tube. A cyan coloured portfolio probably would though right?

Do people outside the world advertising understand this working relationship?

We've got a number of friends from Uni, they studied and now work in Graphic Design. They'd know surely... well they do now. I've had to explain it to them in the past, I honestly begin to wonder whether anyone else come across this predicament? 

Now, Phil's a nice guy, but he's not quite the tall, long-legged, brunette or blonde girl I tend to go for. We're not that close. There's a little book supplied from NABS/ LIZ H* a little while back that says it's not a good idea to fancy the person you work with. Well thank God for that.

We learned that it's all pretty normal for any team, to agree, to disagree, to have fun, stress out, work late into the night, crack on first thing in the morning, there's highs and lows... all I can say is Welcome to advertising!

*I'll upload a copy if I can without breaching any copyright laws! ...or direct you somewhere where you can get one... if they are still in print.