A Simple Human Truth
Over the course of this week I’ve heard a lot of different definitions for what a strategy is. It’s one of those vague terms that depends entirely on the agency that is creating the strategy. Some agencies rely heavily on data and some agencies lean towards the trust your gut style. here’s some insight on how four different agencies are defining strategy.
- The strategy is a simple duh moment that differentiates a brand from the crowd.
- A good insight today leads to a pop culture reference tomorrow. Data does not have to mean numbers, it can be found in cultural insights and unexpected correlations.
- A strategy is the first creative thought. It evokes emotion immediately. There’s something familiar in it.
- A strategy is a point of view on how to solve a problem. Strategists should be curious about people and the world with an opinion on how to make the human experience better.
Simplicity is the component that ties together all the definitions of a strategy. There are many different ways to reach a strategy by combining the use of data, research and personal insights, but no matter how the strategy is reached the final product should tell a simple human truth.
Clare Malone 05/13/2019
Boy, am I lucky
This New York trip finished up with five weeks left in my senior year. If you told me five years ago that I would be in New York visiting my dream agencies, learning from industry professionals on how to succeed after graduation, I wouldn’t believe you.
Now if you told me this a year and a half ago, I wouldn’t have flinched. Because a year and a half ago, when I was starting my junior year, I was just learning the magic of this program. Just getting a little taste of its powers.
Going on this trip opens up your eyes in ways that you didn’t even know could; a lot of ad programs don’t have that. When you’re leaving college, you’re ready to take any job that comes your way. But opportunities like this shows you to be selective because you deserve better.
You deserve to be in a diverse room, to be around employees that feel valued and value you, to have the comfort to feel creative in your space. So don’t settle, find what you want. This trip pushed me to think this way as everyone should.
Rachelle Roldan 5/12/19
It never stops.
If there’s anything I’ve learned this trip, it’s that this Duck thing runs deep.
Every single year, I’m reminded how kind and willing people in the industry are, but even more so, how kind and willing our alumni are. Each former Duck I met on this trip went the extra mile to give us advice from the perspective that they once knew so well. From how the presentations were structured to finding time for coffee dates, the effort to show us what they knew what would be relevant did not go unnoticed.
There’s something about feeling panic and fear for what comes next, but seeing the success of someone who felt that same way a year ago standing right in front of you presenting at Wieden+Kennedy.
We learn what we learn at school and the SOJC does a great job of preparing us, but I truly think the continuous success of this program is the cycle of strong mentorship and advice that prepares the next round of graduates better than the last. Like I said, this Duck thing… it runs deep.
Rachelle Roldan | 5/12/19
One of the best parts of this trip for me was the realization that there’s something out there for everyone in the industry. Each agency and team has it’s own personalities and values, meaning that the right fit is out there for everyone. I personally realized that I prefer a smaller, more hands-on agency setting, the energy at the smaller agencies is vibrant and exciting. As a junior this was a great way to get myself ready for next year and begin mapping out my game plan.
Xavie Tow 5/12/2019
Tips from the women of Flock
1. TAKE A RISK!
2. Mind over matter. Always.
3. Ask for help.
4. Know your worth!
5. Support each other.
6. Believe in yourself.
7. Keep asking questions.
8. Speak up!
9. Don’t compare yourself.
10. Don’t forget to have fun.
“When one of us shines, we all shine.” -Chelsea Coleman
Dana Norder 5.12.19
Excited for the future
One of my favorite things about this trip has nothing to do with the city or places we visit. It has to do with the people I go with. Everyone I’ve met on this trip is talented, authentic and diligent. It makes me proud to be part of such an amazing program and network. It also makes me hopeful about the future. I know at one point it’s going to be us on the other side, and well be inspiring the next wave of students to go out and do something great. I’m proud of all the people on this trip and I know the industry will be in good hands for a long time.
Luis Sevilla | 05/12/2019
Tips From the Account Manager
As someone interested in the account side of advertising, I paid especially close attention to what the people currently working in these roles had to say at each visit. What I gathered is that it’s the account person’s job to make everyone else’s job easier. Even more significant, they must keep the client happy at all costs. This means staying calm & collected (even if you aren’t). Account people often overlap into many areas of the agency, so make sure to over-communicate to prevent stepping on anyone else’s toes. Make sure you are able to act as a translator from the agency to the client; this means knowing a little bit about every aspect of advertising and being able to speak on & explain each area. Make sure you know your client so well that you can determine how they will react to something before it is even presented; this can save the rest of the team a lot of time and energy. Lastly, make sure to practice empathy and connect with people, because at the end of the day your job is to build meaningful relationships.
Matty Leech | 5.12.19
Discovering what you don’t like
I think every single agency I visited in New York said some version of the same thing: Discovering what you really don’t like doing is just as important as knowing what you love to do.
So here’s some things I love:
Talking to people, hearing other people talk about their passions, finding new music, eavesdropping on the Subway, brainstorming sessions, and checking things off my “to-do” list.
And here’s some things I don’t like:
Mathematics, being late, cubicles, data analytics, rude people, and offices with no natural light.
I look forward to expanding both of these lists as I pursue my future career. :)
Matty Leech | 5.12.19
13 important rules for… whatever.
1. never settle for “good”
2. look at work for inspiration, not imitation.
3. cry a lot…
4. laugh a lot.
5. eat good eats, and hydrate too.
6. be your own hype man
7. do no harm, but TAKE NO SHIT.
8. listen to music– GOOD music.
9. go with your gut
10. be kind to yourself!!
11. stay focused
12. if you’re second guessing a decision, you’ve already answered it.
13. if you’re gonna go off… GO OFF.
-Jay Russaw-Levesque
TRUST THE PROCESS.
Throughout my college career, I have been told that it is okay to feel like you have absolutely no idea what you are doing. That it is okay to fail, and to try different things out. To constantly question what you could possibly succeed at later on in life. I have been told all of these things with the idea in mind that THINGS WILL HAPPEN. YOU WILL FIND YOUR PASSIONS. YOU WILL FIGURE IT OUT.
However, it wasn’t until recently that I realized what my peers and mentors meant by this. In just a few short weeks leading up to the NYC Experience, I started to get “it”. I started to see my purpose and my talents. The NYC Experience helped me realize that I am in the right place, at the right time, and it truly showed me that E V E R Y O N E experiences something similar when it comes to having absolutely no idea what they are doing at some point in their career. However, I also have learned that nothing is handed to you. You have to work for success especially in the advertising world. There will be times where you feel like you should quit and that your work isn’t good enough, creative enough, or inspiring enough. It is at these points in your thought process that either build you or tear you apart. It is up to you. TRUST THE PROCES.
-Jay Russaw-Levesque