Testing your mettle

A great way to get noticed and test your advertising skills is to enter open briefs. D&AD runs open student briefs for campaigns and there are others.

http://www.dandad.org/awards/student/2009/categories/25/open-brief-1
http://www.bootb.com/en/all-briefs/

This is an excellent way to get onto advertising courses by standing out. It will help you to develop a portfolio and to get the juices flowing. Its great to have the knowledge and theory provided by books; but taking it to the next level and forging a campaign idea is just so much more fun.

You don't even need to enter these, you can keep the ideas to self , it's just nice to see the kind of briefs set.

The Post-Graduate 'Root'

Post-Graduate Courses  (MA)

Most budding Art Directors and Copy Writers then tend to then go on and take a year-long Masters Postgraduate course in ‘Creative Advertising’ or ‘Copywriting and Art Direction’ at Universities or Colleges. Some of the best are listed below:

Falmouth

http://www.falmouth.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=303

West Herts

http://www.tonycullingham.com/

SCA

http://schoolcommunicationarts.com/

Napier

http://www.courses.napier.ac.uk/W54705.htm

It is here that students work on briefs for real products to build up their portfolio with the aim of securing a Creative Placement on graduation. It is often here where creative partnerships are formed. (although there are organizations such as ‘The Book Club’ (see http://www.nabs.org.uk/career_management.htm or ‘D&AD Talent Pool’ who help ‘matchmake’ creative teams if you fail to meet a suitable partner at university or college) (Source:IPA.com)

Becoming a Creative God-The Undergrad edition...

How to become an Art Director

Traditionally most Art Directors have studied an Art-based BA degree such as ‘Graphics’ or ‘Design’. Typically these sorts of degrees often have Advertising based units within them.

To achieve entry onto a degree course such as this students will most likely have studied Art at A Level  or a Art BTEC, and then gone on to take a one year ‘Art Foundation’ course. It is here where students produce a portfolio on which their BA course entry will be judged. For a list of Foundation courses please see http://www.ucas.ac.uk/students/beforeyouapply/artanddesign/foundationcourses/

A BA degree typically lasts 3 years with some including a  4th year in working in industry. These years can be a useful time to get Advertising based experience, contacts and refine their portfolio for a possible MA admittance or employment straight after graduation.

How to become a Copy Writer

Most copy writers tend to have studied English at A Level and a 3 year BA such as English or Creative writing before going on to do a ‘Creative Advertising’ or ‘Art Direction and ‘Copywriting’ MA. However an English degree is not essential; many copywriters come from degrees as diverse as Law and Biochemistry. But to gain entry on to a Postgraduate course you must display relevant academic and professional experience.(Source:IPA.com)

What in gods name is a creative?

What does a Creative do?

 “Creates ideas, ideas, ideas!”

The creative department of an agency is where the campaign comes together. It’s where that great idea or stunning visual is dreamt up. They take the client brief and work with it to invent ideas to address the brand’s business problems. From here, they work with media planners/buyers and the production department in order to make those ideas, that have been approved by the client, into a reality.

How does a Creative Team work?

Traditionally a ‘Creative Team’ is made up of an Art Director and Copy Writer. This essentially means one ‘visual’ and one ‘words’ person.  However most creative partnerships are far more fluid and collaborative than this: in other words while Creatives may perhaps be stronger in say copy writing than art direction they may both act as Art and Copy Director within the team. Creatives often find partnerships of this kind work very well as they can inspire and refine each other’s ideas. Creatives work to client briefs set by the agency.

This said not all Creatives come in pairs and individuals may be called upon to work in conjunction with another team or on their own projects. As long as you have a strong portfolio (‘Book’) demonstrating strong art and copy direction there is nothing to say you have to part of a creative duo to get a job. (Source:IPA.com)

Transcreation

Advertising campaigns often need to be moved into other markets…this is where Transcreation is often mistaken for simple translation – however the difference is great. Simple translation can end up with mistakes like when Pepsi’s Taiwanese execution of “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation”, literally translated as “Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the grave”…needless to say, it doesn’t! This is where you need transcreation.

Transcreation requires the work of professional copywriters that must have cultural knowledge and a good understanding of the local market. Every language has it’s own charm like cockney rhyming slang - so local copywriters are needed in foreign markets.

Redworks is an up and growing transcreation and translation company which understands the need to adapt marketing materials for individual markets. Having a team of worldwide copywriters enables them to be able to address new markets successfully.