Creative Graduates - What's in your BOOK?

Dear Students,

Welcome to the first ever back to school week on Dear Advertising. For the first insertion I wanted to put the legacy of the creative book into the spotlight. This is something that has stayed pretty much the same for graduates throughout the years despite how much advertising has evolved and changed with time. The equation looks something like this; Cool Brand + Witty Line = Print Ad. Don't get me wrong I feel that there is still a place for the 'book' but I think that their just might be a more effective way to use it especially for new grads.

Since moving to my current agency I have not only had the pleasure of interviewing and helping hire new suits but I have also been privileged to be a part of hiring creatives and most recently new graduates. I felt as though I was a part of some kind of secret society. We all sat around this room in silence, peeling back pages of the book, nodding our heads, asking questions, looking up to imply deeper thought and finally shaking hands with the fresh faced new generation before sending them on their way. After about 2 or 3 of meetings it hit me that for the most part these books are all more or less the same for a graduate.

The similarities aren't in the quality of work, the art direction or even the copy, what I mean by this is that each book showcases the same executions, some print, out of home and maybe the odd online display ad. On top of that the ads are usually for some of the worlds’ largest most established brands; Coke, Coors Light, Google, Toyota, Tide, Colgate, etc. etc. In an industry where you need to stand out as an individual (or team) that sees things differently this needs to start and end with your book.

I do not blame the graduates of these programs, instead I blame the teachers who have lived in an era where things were always done this way. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to work with some very talented individuals but I have to say the best creatives were the ones that weren't looking for a solution that involved a witty headline with a clean layout. These creatives seemed to come up with the big idea first from a true insight and allowed this idea to dictate the mediums to be used. Instead of setting out to develop a print ad or a billboard.

So please dig a little deeper, put on your client or account person hat and develop some rationale that speaks to a true insight or solves a real problem.

I think that if the next generation can apply this type of thinking we will be in good hands.

Sincerely,