Adman Confessions

I started my career 9 years ago and have to say that God has always provided employment without much delay. When I graduated from college, I waited a few weeks for the employer to respond, but I lived with my parents so no pressure. While employed I usually already had a better offer on deck before leaving an employer. I never really faced the impact of unemployment, that is until four months ago, and man it does really have a major impact! If you are currently unemployed, my post today is for you so you know what helped me through my four months: my faith in God's promises. Have faith that God will deliver you from problems you caused yourself, and bless you through wrongs others have done. Throughout my months of unemployment, I had the opportunity to reflect on what landed me there, God knows I had the time to do it, lol. He helped me understand that I made mistakes that I needed to learn from. I took advantage of certain flexibilities and should have paid more attention to ...

Plenty has happened to me in the last 8 years since my last post, but the most important change is wholeheartedly accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Salvation. As a follower of Jesus, I now want to acknowledge and commit my life to Him, including my professional career as an advertiser. Colossians 3:23 says "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people...". This bible verse and others make me to wonder if I'm serving God as best as I can in the field of advertising. I see advertising differently now and admit that a lot of ads use triggers reflective of society's nature, which is fallen, to deceptively suggest that a product could fulfill emotional needs that as a Christian I know only God can fill or heal through Christ. For example, why would a telecommunications company develop digital ads that promote watching pornagraphy on their channels? Well, because the marketing data shows that its customers are w...

Since it's been ages since my last post. The best way to start is by saying Happy New Year! 2010 was quite a year; the best news being that I was promoted to Account Executive. With this title came new responsibilities and a feeling of accomplishment. I have to say that it has not been easy; everyday is a learning experience. Here are my confessions for 2010. As a new AE, there were times where projects I handled felt like a crash course. I was running when I should have been taking steps. In my attempt to prove I was ready without the proper background, I managed some jobs in not the smoothest way possible. To those who read my confessions, my advice is to be honest with yourself. Be a go-getter, but not at the expense of exposing your inexperience with newly found responsibilities. Enjoy the process of growth within your career. I was used to being the best and recognized for it, until working with the boss who set me straight. You'll come across different types of Superviso...

There is a proverb which states that hard work never killed a man; well, I'm glad that is the case because there is no 9 to 5 in advertising...it's 9 to whatever time you leave. I love the fact that I'm never bored and always have something to do; I hate the fact that sometimes I have to stop a pending project because of an urgent request. I'm learning with each passing day but still often make mistakes: this is the life of an entry-level Account Coordinator. I am lucky to have an Account Executive who shares his experiences and is honest about my work. The latest advice he gave me was the following after I missed a deadline: " Always under-promise and over-deliver even with a minimal request." He also told me "don't be as good as you are, be as good as you want to be." Know that it will take time to grow into the professional you feel you are; you will not have time to learn everything about the brand you work for or the consumer you help...

I spent four years reading books about advertising, preparing myself for the moment I would actually be on the field practicing my trade. Now, as I embark on my adventure to adapt to the industry's corporate culture and learn its survival skills, I will report my observations of one of the most demanding and competitive careers. This is my monthly field report: an ethnographic series. I have spent three weeks living and observing life at an advertising agency as an entry-level Account Coordinator, and I have to admit that, compared to my class projects at school, entry-level work in Account Management is everything but exciting. Be prepared for a lot of routine maintenance: you will likely spend most of your day filling out templates that request job numbers or project estimates. You will also do some competitive research and write up recap reports after client calls or presentations. The highlights will come when you sit-in on creative presentations and hear every one's c...

Being married and all, I have not been on a date in a long time; however, the more I interview at advertising agencies, the more it feels like dating. First, you get the call and feel excited; then you start worrying about what to wear and first impressions. On your way to the actual interview, you start thinking about what to say and ask. When you finally meet the interviewer, you try to come across as confident but your hands are sweaty and as cold as ice. The person greets you by saying "Juan? Hi, my name is [blank]." and you introduce yourself by saying "Hi, I'm Juan!" even though the person has clearly mentioned your name already. At this point you are sarcastically thinking "Nice one dude." but the key to any date is to finish strong. You find yourself sitting right across from the interviewer and, minus the appetizers and drinks, you go straight into the discourse. Personally, I feel better when interviews are more like conversations whet...

We should all know how important Latino consumers are to our brands. Data has shown that the Latino population has grown significantly and that the benefits of advertising effectively to them are great; this is the very reason why Hollywood has started to reach Latinos and speak their language. I was surprised when I saw Vin Diesel take the stage at the Premios Billborard 2009, but then I had a deeper feeling when he started speaking my language: if I had to describe that feeling in one word it would be joy. I was happy that the promoters for the movie "Fast & Furious" recognized the positive impact that the Latino community had on the movie's sales, and I was also happy that they showed their gratitude to Latinos by engaging them directly and promoting the movie in a way that was seamless with the show's content. Then, a couple of days later, I saw Hugh Jackman on another popular Latino show called Nuestra Belleza Latina. Personally, Vin Diesel's appearan...