The End is the Beginning is the End

How do you recollect all that you’ve learned over the period of seven months, and then how do you transfer that knowledge into a two-page paper or a blog post? Beats me. I opt for bulleting.

• Always be ready to defend your ideas to the death, but only defend them if they’re truly worthy.
• Be on. As much as you can.
• Never present an idea you’re not crazy about. The client will usually pick it. They have a sixth-sense for that kind of thing.
• Creativity is a philosophy, not a department.
• I’m probably going to need glasses at some point in my life.
• Ideas will never get easier.
• “Scat” is not just a jazz term anymore. Choose your words carefully. 
• You don’t throw away half-ideas. You nurture them until you can tell if they’ll turn into something extraordinary.
• Never visit Detroit. People will chase you down and wave guns at you.
• If you can’t remember someone’s name, don’t immediately resort to “Thor.”
• You can learn something new every day in this industry. Do it. Take note of ads you like and try to figure out what makes them work. Then it’s monkey see, monkey do.
• Good agencies don’t give in to a client’s every demand. They fight for what they think is right for the client, even when the client doesn’t agree.
• Don’t be ashamed of what you still have to learn. Acknowledge it and grow from it.
• Constructive criticism is a great way to learn.
• No matter your role, get involved in a strategy right from the beginning. If you’re missing information, your idea will have holes too.

This doesn’t begin to cover all that I’ve learned, but these are some good highlights.

A very, very big thank you to Tony, Heidi, Dale, and Veronique. If I ever have success in my life, I’ll attribute it to working with you. And if I live up ending on the curb outside your office, I’ll probably blame that on you too.

Almost Gone.

It’s hard to believe this is the last week before my final week at my internship. It’s time to start reflecting about what I’ve really learned over the past seven(?) months. I’m so glad I have notebooks full of things I’ve learned, memorable moments, copy practice, etc. This has been an invaluable experience. At this point in the semester, I realize that I need to spend the next few months trying to find a job, and without this internship, I can only imagine how unprepared I would be for the real job world/interview & application process.

I think one of the most beneficial things I’ve gotten from my internship is learning how to treat a job assignment differently than a school assignment. And I think this has actually helped me a lot in school. I’ve always been motivated to try in school, but now I feel like I’m even more motivated to not just succeed (get an A), but produce something I’m proud of. I’m motivated for a new reason, and it’s not an external source or incentive. It comes from within.  I wish I could say the same for people I know haven’t had a great internship experience.

I’m going to call this post quits before I get emotional. Ad Gods give me the strength not to cry on my last day.

My Name is Heidi: I Will Steal Your Pens and Eat Your Heart.

I know I go on and on about how much I hate discrimination against account people. But I just need to get this out there. They steal pens. Really. And lots of them! Put a new pen out and they’ll snatch it up as soon as you turn your back. I guess it means they’re working hard . . .

just a head’s up.

It’s my only complaint about them. Account People/Creatives are totally dependent on one another. One couldn’t function without the other.

Since the holidays are right around the corner (21 days, actually. I know this thanks to Wal-Mart’s countdown. And the fact that I can subtract 4 from 25. Woo!), I have a new suggestion for all the other students to add to their lists: One Show books. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t need more shit to clutter my already small living space. I don’t need more clothes to wash. I need inspiration. I need to study to get where I want to be. BE LIKE ME.

**Disclaimer: I’m writing this after practicing three different ten-minute presentations, all of which I’m presenting within the next three days. I don’t really know what I’m typing. In my head I’m just reciting things about Multicultural Millenials, Ozarks Literacy Council, and Guy de Maupassant.

So, this week I experienced for myself something that I see the other Vores experience all the time. I had an idea that I had spent a lot of time and energy nurturing and put a lot of love into . . . ripped to shreds. By another Vore, no less. Alright, Heidi didn’t rip it to shreds, but she raised some serious doubts about the Nissan campaign I’m working on. “Half-formed idea,” “Inauthentic,” and “Insulting” were a few of the nice terms thrown my way. This was the first time I’d really experienced someone else criticizing my work from the outside. They’ve told me over and over again how hard it is, and now I understand. If you think it looks hard from the outside, you have no idea.

All this being said, I’m grateful it happened. And hopefully I’ll be a better strategic thinker because of it. So I say this in all seriousness:

If you think you have a good idea, always, always, ask someone else.  

They may be right, they may be wrong, but they’ll at least get you to think about it differently.