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Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency - what an insane way to move the story forward : madmen
Main Post: Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency - what an insane way to move the story forward : madmen
Just watched Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency for the first time...
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first time watcher so no spoilers after S3E6 please!
Holy crap!! That tractor scene was the most completely unexpected thing I’ve witnessed in this show (so far.)
When Peggy and Joan were talking and the mower was still going on in the background, I’m like “ok somethings gonna happen.” But I thought it would be like running into a desk or something, not taking off a man’s foot! Then you have the blood spraying on the people, and Lois crashing into the window and I’m sitting here laughing and looking slightly horrified like ...did that just fucking happen?!
Also I love how Joan just sprung into action and took control of the situation immediately. Asked for the first aid kit, applied a tourniquet...if she’s still looking for a job she should be a nurse or something haha.
I also liked how Pete was the one to catch Peggy when she fainted.
Top Comment: Believe me, somewhere in this business, this has happened before.
Reddit Advertising Agency Resources
Main Post: Reddit Advertising Agency Resources
Reddit - The heart of the internet
Main Post: Reddit - The heart of the internet
Any good agencies out there?
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Does anyone work for an ad agency they love in the United States? They all seem to be on a decline taking on more work with less people, creating low morale and burnout.
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Can someone explain the cult of ad agencies to me?
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I’ve lived in New York for a long time and I’ve never worked in advertising. When I meet people who work in advertising, I feel very confused. It seems to me like they take a lot of pride in how “cool” or “exclusive” the agency that they work for is. They work impossibly long hours and get paid very little money, all so that they can push out new ads for Doritos or whatever?
Why are people so “into” working in advertising when it seems like they’re treated so poorly, and when the work itself seems rather meaningless?
Top Comment: I’m a copywriter, and I’ve worked in marketing/copy in-house and freelance for the last 15 years or so. Lots of interactions with agencies as well as some freelance gigs with them, though I could never bring myself to go full-time with one. There’s a couple things at play here: The pay is terrible until you get into ~director positions or above. Then, especially with the big agencies, you make bank. The hours are long until, well, see above. Yes, you’re absolutely right that it’s a bit of an Emperor’s New Clothes situation. If you don’t find it interesting and cool, you’re not missing anything, it’s just not for you. Their whole job is selling stuff, including themselves and their lifestyle. Sometimes it is fun! Sometimes you go to the Super Bowl with clients or get unique desserts delivered for taste tests or hang out with Shakira all day. This isn’t the norm, but the work genuinely can be interesting if that’s the kind of work you like to do. I personally loved my time with an agency working on a subway campaign, it was genuinely fun and interesting work for me and... It’s a highly visible job. You can’t go anywhere or do anything these days without seeing work from an agency, from TV to billboards to direct mail to web ads. Some people get great satisfaction and pride out of this. I’ll admit it was kind of cool to see my work on my own commute. All that said, yeah, I tend to agree with you that the ad agency lifestyle is just not for me. I don’t want to work those hours for little pay desperately trying to make the client happy, but some people really do! For me, being in-house means I have higher pay to start but a lower ceiling if I stay with the same place. That’s worth it in exchange for a lower-stress environment, at least to me.
Launching an Ad Agency
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I see many talented artists (including directors, DPs, creative directors, etc.) try to make the leap from staff, to freelance, to launching their own studio. The leap to studio being the most difficult. It seems to me that what separates the success stories from the others is understanding clients and being able to develop strategy for them. Being an artist is great, but clients really want to know their ROI.
So with that in mind, what do you all think are the key components to implementing strategy from the ground up at a new studio or agency. For example, who would you hire and what would you focus on specifically?
Top Comment: The most important thing about launch a new agency or studio is a client. Ideally a big juicy one which can pay enough to scale up and find new clients. If you can find a cornerstone client you’re in a great spot - if you can’t you’ll be scrabbling around quite a bit at the start.
Done with the agency world
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I'm sure this story has been written a million times, but I'm doing my best NBA prospect impersonation and hit a 1 and done.
The client relationship dynamic is toxic. Everyone is underpaid. The fire drills are frequent. Too many people work there just so they can give orders on the client side down the road. They pay for awards and shove them in their newsletters. There's a mentality that "this is how it is."
Before going into my first agency gig, I considered myself a driven and hard-working individual. I've held several jobs simultaneously, working 70+ hours with freelance work. But somehow, the hours working in an agency were so painstaking that it made me question what I was doing in my career. I dreaded my alarm every morning just because I knew I had to spend my day working this job.
I spent thousands on training programs to move horizontally into different agency expertise. I made a portfolio reviewed by directors/VPs and was considered a beyond-qualified candidate. I joined clubs about this expertise and networked my ass off. I met with countless talent directors. Didn't matter. I was told by hundreds of people that I'd need to take a $15/hr internship first. I didn't go to one of the best advertising universities in the world to be asked to take an internship in my mid-20s.
I thought this might be an isolated problem. From what I've researched and several others' stories, it's widespread. This isn't normal. In other industries, jobs that require this many hours and deal with these toxic work environments, you're compensated for it. At a much different level of expertise, think IB. Yeah, you're working 120 hours and are a cog to these giant banks, but you're paid fairly. At agencies, we're asked to work 65+ hour weeks, get on our knees for clients, and are supposed to accept a salary teachers make.
Instead, I'm going to work for a company that actually cares about its people and respects their skills. I'm getting paid more than I would be making at the director level in an agency. I'm doing a creative and analytical role. I'm not being pigeonholed into the agency-to-client pipeline.
If agency life is for you, I'm beyond impressed. You're wired differently. In creative roles, I understand this may be the only avenue for people to express their best skills. And I have nothing but respect for these people.
For me, it wasn't. I'm choosing to enjoy the time I spend most of my week doing. I'm only writing this (outside of my need to vent to strangers on the internet) for people who feel the same. It's okay. You're not crazy. There may be better roads to take.
Top Comment: 10 years before I jumped. Best decision of my life. I “work” 9-5. Never work weekends. Get paid more. Get respected. See my Family and friends. What’s more interesting is that when you’re in the bubble, it feels like advertising is this amazing industry, that everyone wants to be part of. You know all the gossip about which creative director is fucking which GAD on the cutting table, in agencies you’ve never stepped foot in! You read all the blog sites and have opinions on everyone else’s work. And award shows are highlights of the week. But once you’re out, you realise that no one else in the world (except other ad folk) give a flying Fuck about the industry. Someone pointed out to me once; you could be the most awarded, well respected creative director in the world, and your creative ideas and opinions is less important than the junior marketing assistant who will pull them to pieces in the Uber ride back with the cmo. And you are also invisible to anyone outside of Marketing. Honestly, when a new campaign goes live to rapturous applause... everyone is applauding the marketing team, not the agency. In fact in most companies, no one outside of Marketing would have the foggiest clue who the companies Ad agency is. In short. The ad industry is a self-deluded bunch of narcissists, existing in an echo chamber. Avoid at all costs. The free beer was nice though.
Social media AD agency recommendations?
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Hi, I’m wondering if anyone has worked with any AD agencies that run the AD’s completely for you and had good results? I’ve tried to run ads on Insta, Facebook, tiktok before but without much luck. I sell women’s fashion items but I’m really wanting to grow if possible. Every agency I’ve come across seems to have at least a few reviews calling it a scam so I’m weary to choose one without an actual recommendation. Thank you!
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