I just read a blog post at lifebyme.com by David Hassell,who's identified as an "entrepreneur, kiteboarder and philosopher." In it, he describes one of his defining beliefs first discovered while reading Unique Ability: Creating The Life You Want published by Strategic Coach. Hassell writes:"It's the idea that we're each gifted with our own superpower—the intersection of our talents and passions. We know when we're using it when we lose track of time, when it gives us more energy than it takes, when it's something we could do all day every day and never get bored and which we could keep getting better at for the rest of our lives."This perfectly describes the way I feel about advertising. Many people are surprised by this. I'm often asked why I don't put my efforts towards writing a screenplay or a novel or some other, with the unspoken implication being more worthy, endeavor. But the satisfaction I get from coming up with a great advertising idea is probably akin to...
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My bid to get accepted into WK+12 is not a stunt. It's a sincere attempt to increase my longevity in a profession I've loved my entire adult life. My efforts to promote this story are meant to raise awareness of my situation and rally support because I realize that I may not be considered the most desirable candidate. And for reasons that go beyond age and gender.WK+12 was created to bring together people from varying backgrounds—artists, musicians, gamers, scientists, etc—for the purpose of addressing the issues of advertising in a creative, atypical way. The fact that I've spent 20 years in the ad industry will probably not be an asset here. It may be more hindrance than help. But I believe an older person with industry experience will actually benefit the program. Having someone on hand with historical knowledge of the profession can't be a bad thing. After all, "Those who don't remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Of course, it has to be the right...
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Stereotypes are funny things. They require some grain of truth, no matter how small. But they eliminate the individual in favor of sweeping generalizations. That's why they offend.These days, our industry has two such groups in the throes of conflict—the younger, more digitally focused creatives disparagingly referred to "Newbies," and the older, more traditional "Dinosaurs." The issue however is much deeper than mere age. It's a philosophical difference in creative beliefs, values and approaches that seems to break into groups according to experience and age. It's far too complex to delve into in this small space, so let's just suffice it to say that both sides have their valid points. But whether as an industry or an agency or as mere individuals, we have to find a way to build a bridge between the two. To do that, we must acknowledge the grain of truth behind the stereotype, and then individually defy and disprove it. My attempt to get into W+K12 is my...
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I want to thank Rob Campbell for following comment:
W+K has never been about devaluing age, only valuing creativity so if
Julie has the chops to get in - even if she has a 20 year advantage on most of
the other applicants which, if anything, is a sign of her openness to learn and
be challenged - you should let her in.
The issue here is not about ageism at W+K. It’s not even about ageism in the
industry. It’s about older
creatives standing up and taking responsibility for their own need to stay
relevant in an ever-changing marketplace. It's
my job to stay abreast with advances in the industry. And it's my job
to stay open enough to accept them. While I may be unique in that I can
consider spending a year doing so, we all have to do it one way or
another.Hmmm, maybe we're on to something here. WK40+, perhaps?Remember. You heard it here first :-)
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Advertising is renown for eating its old. As an industry, we worship at the altar of youth.
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“dinosaurs" and there seems to be a prevailing doubt as to whether they can keep up with the changing marketplace.That's why I want to go to W+K12. I’m willing to spend a year making sure I’m current on the latest innovations. I
also want to be a symbol for everyone in our industry who feels
minimized simply because they're no longer twenty-something. I want to show our
profession the value of keeping people like me around. I want to prove that we’re not all
stuck in our ways and unwilling to embrace the new world. Many of us are still hungry, still curious and still driven.We may be weathered,...
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I’m a copywriter who’s been in advertising for nearly 22
years. I’m 45 years old, a woman and in
an industry that's not very adept at embracing either. And at an age when many
are beginning their second careers, I’ve decided there isn’t anything else I
want to do. I love advertising. I want to keep doing it. And as long as I do, I want to be the best at it.
I also feel that I’m just now reaching my prime. I’ve
finally become the person that I’ve always been striving to be. When I was younger, I looked for...
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