Comments on: // What Do Students Really Need to Know? http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/ Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:21:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: James Hodgins http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-54 James Hodgins Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:24:38 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-54 Even with a fraction of your experience, I can relate to good vs. bad copy. But I like it when things can be broken down to the simplest form. Learn the product, know your audience. That's about as simple as it gets, but it's still a profound and valuable lesson (and one we too often forget). Thanks for the comment. Even with a fraction of your experience, I can relate to good vs. bad copy. But I like it when things can be broken down to the simplest form. Learn the product, know your audience. That’s about as simple as it gets, but it’s still a profound and valuable lesson (and one we too often forget). Thanks for the comment.

]]> By: S. D. Bradley II http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-53 S. D. Bradley II Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:25:13 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-53 I spent 25 years in broadcasting , then the following 35 years operating an advertising agency. In 60 years, I've written a library full of ad copy. Some good. Some bad. But every line taught me something. Often the "good" was rejected by the advertiser - or his wife, or his sales manager - or his lawyer. Sometimes the "good" was transformed into "bad", and ran, and I was blamed for the certain failure that ensued. Are we talking about writing good ad copy, or trying to get a job writing ad copy? If it is the former, no one has touched on what I consider the first two important points. 1. Learn - really learn - your product. 2. Then learn your potential consumer. Speak his language and sell him your product. Forget a lot of the textbook crap. Your job will be to help someone sell something - not to be a damn poet. Remember the old time ad man asked to sell a little known beer, in the days of refillable bottles. Hanging around the brewery he discovered that all bottles went through a high-tech bottle washer.... then into a second high tech bottle washer. He was told everyone does it... but no one was saying it. He built a campaign around twice-washed bottles "because we care about you and about the purity of our product". Jackpot. About getting a job: You just have to be the best applicant for a particular opening, in the eyes of the guy doing the hiring. Who knows what that is? If you are rejected, brush it off and apply somewhere else. Sooner or later you'll get hired. Then know your product... know your consumer... and, sell, sell, sell. I spent 25 years in broadcasting , then the following 35 years operating an advertising agency. In 60 years, I’ve written a library full of ad copy. Some good. Some bad. But every line taught me something. Often the “good” was rejected by the advertiser – or his wife, or his sales manager – or his lawyer. Sometimes the “good” was transformed into “bad”, and ran, and I was blamed for the certain failure that ensued.
Are we talking about writing good ad copy, or trying to get a job writing ad copy?
If it is the former, no one has touched on what I consider the first two important points. 1. Learn – really learn – your product. 2. Then learn your potential consumer. Speak his language and sell him your product.
Forget a lot of the textbook crap. Your job will be to help someone sell something – not to be a damn poet.
Remember the old time ad man asked to sell a little known beer, in the days of refillable bottles. Hanging around the brewery he discovered that all bottles went through a high-tech bottle washer…. then into a second high tech bottle washer. He was told everyone does it… but no one was saying it. He built a campaign around twice-washed bottles “because we care about you and about the purity of our product”. Jackpot.
About getting a job: You just have to be the best applicant for a particular opening, in the eyes of the guy doing the hiring. Who knows what that is? If you are rejected, brush it off and apply somewhere else. Sooner or later you’ll get hired. Then know your product… know your consumer… and, sell, sell, sell.

]]> By: James Hodgins http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-51 James Hodgins Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:23:24 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-51 Thanks for the comment. I definitely need to get more bookshelves. There are books in nearly every room of our house! Thanks for the comment. I definitely need to get more bookshelves. There are books in nearly every room of our house!

]]> By: James Hodgins http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-50 James Hodgins Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:22:38 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-50 You hit it on the head. Stories are key. I think it's just as important to read a good fiction story (or watch a good movie story) as it is to read business books or testimonials. And I agree; I wish I knew what I would have been doing now so I could have gotten a head start, but it has been fun learning so much. Thanks for the comment. You hit it on the head. Stories are key. I think it’s just as important to read a good fiction story (or watch a good movie story) as it is to read business books or testimonials. And I agree; I wish I knew what I would have been doing now so I could have gotten a head start, but it has been fun learning so much. Thanks for the comment.

]]> By: Phil Price http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Phil Price Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:48:50 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-49 New graduates will be ahead of many (if not most) senior marketers/copywriters/etc. in some areas like social media. What they need to know are the basic truths that I call BGOs (Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious. They'll find those bits of wisdom in books like "Confessions of an Advertising Man" that was written by David Ogilvy almost 50 years ago. Armed with current technical trends and the wisdom of experience, they'll excell quickly. New graduates will be ahead of many (if not most) senior marketers/copywriters/etc. in some areas like social media. What they need to know are the basic truths that I call BGOs (Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious.
They’ll find those bits of wisdom in books like “Confessions of an Advertising Man” that was written by David Ogilvy almost 50 years ago.
Armed with current technical trends and the wisdom of experience, they’ll excell quickly.

]]> By: Samuel D. Bradley http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Samuel D. Bradley Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:45:52 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-48 Great post, James. Thanks for continuing the dialogue! Great post, James. Thanks for continuing the dialogue!

]]> By: What do college ad students need to know? — Communication & Cognition http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-47 What do college ad students need to know? — Communication & Cognition Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:45:10 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-47 [...] Read his thoughts and some great comments here. [...] [...] Read his thoughts and some great comments here. [...]

]]> By: Tony Santos http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Tony Santos Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:13:03 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-46 Great post and great comments so far. My story is very similar to everyone's so far, I feel into advertising studying something else. I originally went into art school (after studying computer engineering for 2 years) to be an animator. I took an intro to typography class and read Luke Sullivan's book and I was convinced I had found my new calling. I ended up majoring in Advertising & Graphic Design and minoring in copy writing (unofficially, they created the official copy writing minor my last semester *grumble*) . It's hard for me to distinguish what I learned in the class room and what I learned outside, because I freelanced my way through college to pay all the huge bills college created. I'd say that just like for a writer, for a designer consuming as many good stories (in whatever form they happen to take: books, blogs, radio, TV, movies) is key. Just like writers, designers need to be able to tell a story with their work, and I wish I had had a chance to write more in classes when I was in school. If I had known how much I'd end up doing it after graduation I'd have practiced it a lot more. Great post and great comments so far. My story is very similar to everyone’s so far, I feel into advertising studying something else. I originally went into art school (after studying computer engineering for 2 years) to be an animator. I took an intro to typography class and read Luke Sullivan’s book and I was convinced I had found my new calling. I ended up majoring in Advertising & Graphic Design and minoring in copy writing (unofficially, they created the official copy writing minor my last semester *grumble*) . It’s hard for me to distinguish what I learned in the class room and what I learned outside, because I freelanced my way through college to pay all the huge bills college created. I’d say that just like for a writer, for a designer consuming as many good stories (in whatever form they happen to take: books, blogs, radio, TV, movies) is key. Just like writers, designers need to be able to tell a story with their work, and I wish I had had a chance to write more in classes when I was in school. If I had known how much I’d end up doing it after graduation I’d have practiced it a lot more.

]]> By: Michelle Tripp http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Michelle Tripp Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:59:32 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-45 Read everything you can get your hands on. Spend evenings and weekends at the book store. Invest in some bookshelves. Combine knowledge with passion. If advertising is in your blood, once you have the foundation of information what you have inside you will start pouring out almost effortlessly. If you want to be in advertising, don't chase it. BE it. Fuel success with daily passion for learning and communication. Find outlets for your passion. Don't wear your education and your degree. Realize that what makes a great advertising person is soul. If you do that, when you walk into your first interview after college it'll be undeniable you belong there. Read everything you can get your hands on. Spend evenings and weekends at the book store. Invest in some bookshelves. Combine knowledge with passion. If advertising is in your blood, once you have the foundation of information what you have inside you will start pouring out almost effortlessly.

If you want to be in advertising, don’t chase it. BE it. Fuel success with daily passion for learning and communication. Find outlets for your passion. Don’t wear your education and your degree. Realize that what makes a great advertising person is soul. If you do that, when you walk into your first interview after college it’ll be undeniable you belong there.

]]> By: James Hodgins http://pricegroupblog.com/2009/08/what-do-students-really-need-to-know/comment-page-1/#comment-44 James Hodgins Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:30:35 +0000 http://pricegroupblog.com/?p=280#comment-44 Great point of view. It's important for creative and accounts to understand the other's perspective. Thanks for the comment. Great point of view. It’s important for creative and accounts to understand the other’s perspective. Thanks for the comment.

]]>