VIDA CORNELIOUS ON TALKING CREATIVE WITH STUDENTS VIA GOOGLE HANGOUT

The International ANDY Awards are known for bringing together the best and brightest creative minds in the industry to judge work from around the world. Beyond the show, we hope to continue a dialogue with creative students throughout the year.

In this effort, are hosting invite only Google Hangout sessions featuring various high level creatives from the ANDYs constituency. Please contact chelsea@theadvertisingclub.org if you have questions regarding participation.

TALKING CREATIVE WITH STUDENTS VIA GOOGLE HANGOUT

by VIDA CORNELIOUS

Vida_Cornelious

I had the opportunity to speak with students from the Portfolio Center in Atlanta about life in advertising as a working creative, my philosophy on creating, where I get my inspiration and how I discern what makes for award-winning work.

Speaking with so many vibrant, curious, young minds was equal parts enlightening and entertaining. I believe the students today face tremendous pressures in entering the workforce in a variety of fields, but the world of advertising’s especially competitive and takes perseverance and passion to truly be successful.

I have found a resounding theme with many students aspiring to have successful creative careers, is their desire for mentorship. This group was no different. They asked questions about the need for a mentor, expressed concerns with the lack of available mentors and wanted to know that once they landed their “dream job,” they could feel assured someone would be vested in guiding them through the agency environment.

Other topics we explored revolved around what skills are is needed as an entry-level creative to make yourself valuable to an organization and what traits does a Creative Director look for in a stellar Jr. Creative? Those two questions were the cornerstone of them feeling their ad school education was indeed the preparation they needed to be successful.

Overall, I would highly recommend more creative leaders speak to students via Google Hangout. I enjoyed the “informal, formal” approach to sharing information and really letting the students see me in real time respond to their questions. The hangout format kept the discussion honest, open, informative but also very lively and fun.

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