Coaches: Simina Zidaru, Managing Director, Tribal DDB, Bucharest; Nkanyezi Masango, Group Executive Creative Director, King James (Part of Accenture Interactive), Johannesburg and John Mescall, Global Executive Creative Director, President Global Creative Council, McCann Worldgroup.
A Letter To Myself 4 Years Ago.
Hi Tomi,
The big day is here. After the university years and small advertising projects, your first day at your first real job has finally arrived.
I won't lie, it will be hard. You'll find yourself in deep water. It will make you realize how much you don't know yet, and how much you still have to learn and how much you still have to experience in the advertising industry. You'll feel clumsy and like a beginner, and that feeling will stay with you for years to come.
But don't worry. In four years, you’ll have an honest conversation with Simina Zidaru, who was a copywriter just like you. She is from the same region as you. And she did it. And like her, you can do it too. Hard work, a sense of purpose, and the determination that even though everyone's mouth is closed when they see your age, don't let it affect you: just go and go until you reach your goal. Because she achieved it. And this can be a great example for you.
I won't lie, it will be hard. It will keep you busy working on and brainstorming campaigns that deliver great numbers. High volume sales, lots of clicks.
But don't worry. Four years later, you’ll have an inspiring conversation with Nkanyezi Masango, who was a copywriter just like you. And it shows you the powers that be in the advertising business. What they can be used for, what impact they can have, and how important it is to learn about all different points of view, social strata, and cultures—because you can only address everyone if you speak their language and understand their insights.
I won't lie, it will be hard. You’ll be busy working on local and national campaigns. To localize campaign materials coming from abroad and to deal with the communication of global companies in Hungary. To get to know at least some of the more famous and well-known names in the Hungarian advertising industry and to learn how the "big guys" do it.
But don't worry. In four years, you’ll have a relaxed, funny, yet incredibly educational conversation with John Mescall, who was a copywriter just like you. And you can learn from him how to make even the most boring tasks interesting. It opens the doors of the advertising industry for you; the world opens up before you, and you realize that it is much bigger, much more creative, much more focused, yet much more modest than you think. You’ll be richer with new perspectives. You can examine the world from a new point of view.
I won't lie, it'll be hard. It'll help you learn to interpret advertising within the framework and limitations of your current knowledge.
But don't worry. In four years, during observing LIA statue discussions, you’ll learn to really interpret advertising. The right system of criteria, the importance of insight, the importance of craft, the importance of novelty, and the importance of a unique point of view.
I won't lie, it’ll be hard. Everyday work will keep you busy.
But don’t worry. In four years, an incredible opportunity will appear in your life: Creative LIAisons. And you’ll be a Mentee. You’ll be there among the nearly 150 lucky people who will be chosen in 2022. You’ll be one of the two Hungarians there. In four years, you'll be a little proud of yourself.
So, keep up the hard work, bro.
Cheers,
Tamas Adam
Copywriter, White Rabbit Budapest
Tamas Adam
Copywriter, White Rabbit Budapest