Back at school

This is the beginning of week two of my last semester in Creative Communications. I have to say that I am super stoked to begin my career in something that I'm uber pumped, passionate and have wanted to do for a while. My career goal is advertising. And lately, I have been leading towards a Media Buyer/Coordinator position.

Currently, the ad and pr majors are working on our last integrated marketing campaign for MALA, the Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects. I got assigned to be a Project Manager which is pretty neat. I feel like I have my chance to shine and take on the leadership role, something that I enjoy when it comes to advertising. I used to dream of being a Creative Director which I must say is pretty ambitious. Along with the assigned task of being a Project Manager, I am in charge of our media buy plan yet again. This is the third time that I have gotten to do a media buy plan in a group project and I'm learning to enjoy the role more and more. Like come on, you get to spend money! Fun! Of course, I understand it isn't all glamorous. You have to take a lot into consideration, like the budget and which mediums are most likely to succeed based on our goals and desired outcomes. Still, I really enjoy it.

Also in the full swing of things, my Independent Professional Project, a documentary on the paranormal is  in the midst of editing. Everything else is done, I am so thrilled. I know that I have done a lot of work on it, but still a part of me feels that I didn't. Maybe it was just that I enjoyed it too much? I really do enjoy media production. I had a hard time deciding on my major, which is why I thought that doing a video IPP and taking TV documentary would satisfy my hunger for videography.  So graduating with as an advertising major and two video docs, I think that suits me just fine.  Next up, maybe a career involving both passions? A girl could only hope!

~Jenn

Advertising in a whole new light

Today, I got the luxury of going to an Advertising Association of Winnipeg luncheon on the topic of copyright laws. I call this a luxury because I have always wanted to join AAW since my first month in CreComm last year. It costs like $100 something to join. For that reason I never did.

I found out during my first week of work placement as a copywriter at CHUM Radio Winnipeg that I would be going. So today was the day. One of the main topics was, if you write or produce something for a future client in spec (as in a pitch to get their business) what rights do you, the creator have and what rights do they have since they haven't purchased your idea. Is your idea safe? We were told today in a seminar that using an idea doesn't count as infringement, but using expressions of that idea does.

Does this mean that our ideas aren't protected? Can anyone steal them? I have now learned the importance of having a written agreement/contract even for work that isn't purchased. Before we present anything under the possibility of any kind of transaction for that creation, we should always protect ourselves and our work. Good faith doesn't go far in this business, without written agreement nothing is safe.

I also learned that taking the work you did say while on an internship at a local radio station for a client and presenting that in a portfolio to take to another company in hopes of a job can also get you in trouble, unless you have a license to that work or a written agreement from the company.

I had no idea of any of this. At least I know now. And I thank CHUM Radio for allowing me this professional experience. I have learned so much in my week and a half with them. I feel like my copywriting has completely changed or at least the idea of it has.

I am learning how to write for clients by the top copywriters in the city. And although they critique everything I write over and over, they are challenging me to succeed and write something that will not only sell, but create emotion in our audience.

To create a memorable ad is the most challenging thing and I thank them for helping me create ads that have been approved not only by the client, but by the best in the industry.

I think of the world of advertising in a whole new way. A good ad takes time. What is it they say "Rome wasn't built in a day." Ha ha, what a cliche.

~Jenn

Miracles do happen

I'm not sure if I've ever believed in miracles, whether they existed or not. But this Christmas I do believe that we got one. This year we had the worst struggle to date. We could barely afford groceries let alone pay our bills and our rent. Due to one major unfortunate unexpected circumstance we were at a standstill financially. With neither of us working, we had no idea how we would pull through. As soon as the break hit, my boss even forgot to schedule me. Here I was, the only one working a legit job and I was supposed to be using my Christmas break to catch up on sleep, work on my IPP and spend time with my family.

I was fortunate to get almost full-time work during this week that my boss had carelessly forgotten to schedule me. My co-working all started handing over their shifts. I think of myself to be extremely lucky. I managed to throw my first ever Christmas dinner and invited my parents over. We even managed to have a whack load of gifts for our son, mind you their were small, but still I am very grateful for that.

The reason I consider our Christmas to be some sort of miracle this year is because everything that was worrying us just started to fall place and just in time. I think we were extremely fortunate this holiday season and if it wasn't for our loved ones we might be out on
the street right now. But I can't help but think that this year we got our Christmas miracle. And I will never think of Christmas the same way again.

Jenn