Note: I have fixed the paragraph spacing multiple times here, and it always reverts. My apologies. No time to strip all of the code and start over today.
Want to know what’s on the mind of advertising students, practitioners, and educators. Here is the #advise chat wrap from Twitter on January 27, 2009. This post covers the final two hours. Stay tuned for hour number one!
Every two weeks we get together on Tuesday nights to talk advertising careers and education. Join us next time from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. EDT on Feb. 10, 2009.
To join in the conversation, go to http://search.twitter.com and search “#advise”. Or click here.
Advertising education
advise: Seems like the recession discussion is too depressing. Here’s another question: How should advertising education change to adapt? #advise
jphodgins: @advise that one’s easy. more hands-on education. theory is great, but students need to be prepared to step into the job right away #ADvise
bchambers: @jphodgins I also think being able to crossover to mkt and PR is key. The lines are blurred. Need to touch on diverse topics #advise
tsmuse: @advise students need to start considering the vast media options & how their ideas can make the most of them, not just trad. media #advise
jphodgins: @bchambers add design and web to that list, or at least research and sales. It’s a complex, conglomerate business #ADvise
keidson: @bchambers that’s something advertising education is working on – getting students comfortable working with both PR & ADV #advise
taylorschaeffer: I think that more professors should start treating their students like employees and fire them if they don’t take it seriously. #advise
tsmuse: @bchambers #taylorschaeffer Account planning was the only thing I didn’t learn in school. Sounds like I mised out. #advise
jphodgins: @sbradley3 maybe an intro to adv class should cover the basics of all the major areas, then students can choose what to pursue #ADvise
gharsha: I’ve mentioned this before but at UO we follow a “creative strategist” model to ad education. A little bit of everything. #advise
taylorschaeffer: @jphodgins That’s what they do at Texas – except there’s no sequence for acct. management (where the majority of the jobs are) #advise
keidson: @jphodgins that’s how we do it at UT. Teach it all for the first & last classes, let people pick what they want to learn the most of #advise
TomMartin: Adv Edu needs to focus more on teaching critical thinking and persuasion skills. That’s 90% of success in Adv world. Forget books. #advise
tsmuse: @advise I would love to see an advertising class on Pitching. That was a hard one to learn on the job for me. #advise
gharsha: @tsmuse we have a workshop on pitching. an entire semester in that might be overkill #advise
katiebailey: @tsmuse I was in the account planning class at Texas with @taylorschaeffer and @kellyeidson… had 2 practice pitches almost weekly. #ADvise
tsmuse: @TomMartin We covered that in copy writing, I don’t know if everyone teaches it that way or not though. #advise
TomMartin: I’d really like to see a class on persuasion.. how to build arguments and sales pitches #advise
sbradley3: @TomMartin That is a great point. We talk about persuasion a lot, but we do need a class exactly on it. Agreed! #advise
TomMartin: Texas does a good job of prepping u for real ad world. Lots of group work. Lots of presentations. That’s
adv world. #advise
tsmuse: @sbradley3 I bet that class has some great conversations. I’d like to see that everywhere. #advise
michsineath: I would love to see an advertising class on _”Twitter”_ and free to all 
#advise I’d say @ADvise is a good start
Social media and advertising
@thebrandbuilder: Something to remember: Social Media is not a campaign tactic. #advise
bchambers: @gharsha Dn’t know if I would go that far but all three areas (mkt, adv, pr) should work together…all “promotion” if you will #advise
taylorschaeffer: @bchambers I was in both creative and media. Media is where I would say that I leaned more. Or Acct. Planning but that was grad only #advise
michsineath: I would love to see an advertising class on _”Twitter”_ and free to all #advise I’d say @ADvise is a good start
michsineath: @advise I see SM’s influence in ads all the time. So somebody’s paying attention. It’s interesting that students are apathetic to it #advise
taylorschaeffer: @sbradley3 Well, as an adv kid that ended up doing SM/PR for a living, they’d better start being interested – it’s all colliding #advise
michsineath: @advise I see SM’s influence in ads all the time. So somebody’s paying attention. It’s interesting that students are apathetic to it #advise
Getting a job in advertising
taylorschaeffer: @dannyrich but back to the economy, I’m not sure that now’s the best time to jump ship to pursue copywriting #advise
katiebailey: @taylorschaeffer In this economy, can we afford to be choosy? I’m “trained” in creative, but applying to all sorts of jobs w/o luck. #advise
advise: @katiebailey Go sit on someone’s desk until they give you a job. Show a persistence and fire that no one else has. #advise
tsmuse: @katiebailey I agree. Creative esp. is overflowing with people looking for jobs. I’m looking for strategy work because of it. #advise
katiebailey: @tsmuse I’m looking everywhere too — PR, design, writing, marketing, account management… wherever I can. Best strategy for now. #advise
tsmuse: @dannyrich ask creative directors to review it. Not only will they see it but you’ll get great feedback and connections. #advise
Building a portfolio
dannyrich: I’m looking to get into copy writing with no formal education in it. Switching careers and moving to NY. Any advice for me? #advise
tsmuse: @dannyrich write, write, write, write, write and have enough stuff to put together a good book #advise
gharsha: @dannyrich portfolio, portfolio, portfolio! #advise
jphodgins: @dannyrich be ready to work from the bottom up. Write and read everything. write spec for clients you want and don’t. Just write #Advise
dannyrich: @sbradley3 @gharsha @taylorschaeffer So find ads I think could be better but with the same focus, and re-write them? #advise
sbradley3: @dannyrich Unless you think they missed the target market. Then reapproach. Find the new angle. #advise
taylorschaeffer: @dannyrich Not necessarily, but that could be a place to start. For your book, also be careful not to choose already great campaigns #advise
gharsha: @dannyrich however you choose to do it, you’ll need a great book to send the agencies if you’re looking for a job in creative. #advise
sbradley3: @dannyrich Given your experience, you also might look for a smaller firm that needs editorial and copywriting skills! #advise
gharsha: @dannyrich another option would be to find a local business and do some free work for them. great way to build your portfolio. #advise
tsmuse: @gharsha @dannyrich Local charities are always good place to look for portfolio work too. They always love pro-bono ad help #advise
Graduate school
tsmuse: speaking of grad school, what is everyone’s thoughts on it. I’m thinking about going back. #advise
katiebailey: @tsmuse For me, going to grad school was great decision after working 3 years in unrelated fields. Just pick program based on needs. #ADvise
tsmuse: @bchambers I was actually thinking about going back to learn how to be on the strategy side of things. Not sure how necessary it is #advise
bchambers: @tsmuse I don’t think you’ll get paid more but knowledge level will help with moving up & to better jobs so I guess it pays off! #advise
tsmuse: @bchambers its not about money as much as its about having fun at work #advise
#adviseBooks on advertising
gharsha: speaking of account planning, hitting the sweet spot is a great book for APs. no connection to the author. just good old WOM. #advise
sbradley3: @dannyrich Start writing ads today. Read everything you can on advertising. Buy Confessions of an Ad Man tonight on Amazon. #advise
tsmuse: @dannyrich @sbradley “Hey Whipple Squeeze This” is a fantastic ad book too. I highly recommend it to all i meet. #advise
dannyrich: Any other book sugges? I’ve read Ogilvy On Adv, Tipping Point, Cluetrain Manifesto, Buying In; Have Confessions and Whipple on list #advise
gharsha: @dannyrich don’t forget hitting the sweet spot. great book for APs #advise
katiebailey: Probably already been mentioned & I missed it, but Truth Lies & Advertising by Jon Steel if you want to learn about account planning #advise
tsmuse: @dannyrich Also the book on Got Milk? It’s about the original Got Milk campaign by Goodby, it’s a quick read but worth it. #advise
Finding excellence within
keidson: I agree with @taylorschaeffer. there’s no room for slacking in the industry – as a student or as an employee. #advise
tsmuse: @sbradley3 I noticed a higher level of apathy the last time I went back to my school to speak to current students too. Weird #advise
taylorschaeffer: @sbradley3 @tsmuse I think it’s also partially generational. So few students are hungry. #advise
tsmuse: @taylorschaeffer I agree, teach your self and tough love are key to creating greatness. My fav profs had that philosophy #advise
taylorschaeffer: @sbradley3 Oh completely. I owe my hunger to having a brother in the industry who in early college told me what it’s really like #advise
I'm a cognitive scientist and communication scholar who manages a psychophysiology lab at Texas Tech. I teach courses about the cognitive processing of media messages and research methods.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
As for books, best book for an aspiring account manager is The Art of Client Service by Robert Soloman. It’s a quick read and the single most helpful book I’ve read on how to be a successful account manager.