Concrete Compassion

My initial fear upon traveling to New York City for the first time was that I would encounter angry residents, shoving and sending grim snarls and facial expressions at an unknowing tourist taking up yet another few square feet of dwindling space the city has to offer. This notion of mine was fed through stories and stereotypes and was utterly false in my experience. My very first day in New York I lollygagged my way up and down 5th ave without a clue or intention of where I was heading. New Yorkers whisked by me quickly, yet politely. I at one point I was obliviously blocking the route of an older gentleman’s path and he softly reached for my attention and said in a French accent “excuse moi mademoiselle” and it was absolutely wonderful.

-Jenni Hooper 

5.8.18

Below the Big City

I came to New York with an irrational fear of the Subway system. Growing up between Southern California and Maui, public transit is not very common, and underground transit is nonexistent. After spending a day and fifty dollars on cabs, I finally bought a subway card, and took the subway down to the World Trade Center. Like the Hero’s journey, I descended park avenue, turned through the gates, and got on the subway. The first few minutes weren’t bad, but then I couldn’t shake the reality of being packed in an underground tube with hundreds of strangers, with no fresh air and no light. The next twenty minutes were miserable and anxious, but there was nothing like walking up those stairs and seeing the light after half an hour of darkness. I survived- it really wasn’t as bad as I thought- just another case of me being a drama queen. The ride back uptown was better, and now that I understand how the system works, it is really amazing how intricate an underground transit system can be.

I think overcoming my discomfort on the subway is a metaphor for this week in New York. You have to go beneath the surface to get out of your comfort zone and grow personally.

Now all I worry about is the germs from the hand rails. We are making progress.

Kiana Griffith 5.7.18

Brands who lead culture are more successful than brands that follow culture.

Translation LLC

-Jake Wilmink

5.08.2018

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help.” - Barack Obama

I think about Obama’s semi-infamous “you didn’t build that” speech a lot. Some people give him flack for not lending enough credit to individual wins, but ultimately he’s right: a success story is rarely accomplished alone.

That’s what Flock, a new community of UO women in the creative industry comprised of alumni and students alike, is all about. The women of Flock know that getting that first break in the ad industry is hard, but it’s a little easier if you have someone in your corner. They champion women’s successes in an industry historically known for being a boys club, lend wisdom to younger women, and provide support to everyone in their network. If this week’s events are any indication of the badassery to come, the Flock is going to be u-n-s-t-o-p-p-a-b-l-e.

Hannah Lewman 05.06.2018

two tragically unattributed quotes in my notebook from wieden + kennedy today:

when you’re working on a small project, “if you wanna make something cool, you better be able to do everything yourself”

and

create amazing work by doing “something you would never think about doing in reality”

the two things seem like they’re diametrically opposed: how do you balance pitching something you’ve never even dreamed about with something that you’re going to have to create in your entirety? Jumping from one to the other can be tricky, and often one is amazing and the other somewhat frustrating, especially with limited student resources. But it seems as though in all things, context is vital. Understanding the limits of the project comes first, but understanding your own limits and abilities is equally important. 

Today reminded me that I need to push myself to think beyond my rational self when concepting but also that I need to push myself to find the skills that I need to make cool work. It’s not just enough to have a really cool idea: today made me realize that I want to have as many tools as possible so that I can turn my really cool ideas into reality no matter the size of the project. 

5/7/18

Jordan Blackburn

Playing the long game.

Keep your head down. Find a hole and fill it. Contribute wherever you can.

It’s easy to get caught up in the mad rush for post-grad job opportunities. My view of the future right now is often limited to just the next few months.

After hearing from two inspiring panels at Wieden and Kennedy, some advice shifted my perspective. 

The panels reminded me to always keep my long-term goals in this industry in the back of my mind. I left inspired to treat every opportunity as a stepping stone and reassured that even the smallest contributions to a team matter in this business. 

I want to sustain a fulfilling career beyond just the first few years out of college. Who knows where that might take me?

Rachel Benner ✨ 

Day 1

Today was the first time I had ever stepped into a real advertising agency. I’ve imagined what it would actually be like, I’ve watched the advertising documentary that Tom swears by (twice, ily Tom), but today was the first time I experienced it for myself. Stepping into W+K exceeded all of my expectations–action figures on the walls, chalk boards, a bar in the middle of the workplace, but most importantly, it got me amped for the rest of the week. 

I’m going to be blunt and straight to the point, so here are my favorite points that I took away from W+K: 

- You never want to be good at advertising. Advertising is boring. 

- If you work hard and you aren’t a spaz, you’ll be fine. 

- Interview an agency just as much as they interview you.

- If you’re not genuine, people will smell it on you. 

Thanks for listening. I’m gonna go shower now because I smell. Turns out walking 7 miles in 80% humidity will do that to you. 

Goodnight to the city that never sleeps,

Sophie Wood