Bank Account = Depleted
For some reason, being in NYC persuaded me to spend all my money on clothing. I usually try to be frugal about my spending but something about the trip made me want to spend, spend, spend.
Not to mention the meals and hundreds of water bottles/coffee cups needed to keep me awake and alive all week. I learned quickly how tax and tip can heavily effect how much you spend on food and drinks. I tried my best to find cheap meals and good deals throughout the week (99 cent fresh pizza and happy hours helped.)
SoHo Nike is really what ate up most of my money. The first floor was basically a museum of Nike memorabilia, from Nike Air canisters to the inside out of the Nike Air Max shoe. I was like a candy store. Spending at least 30 minutes on each floor, I found plenty of things to drain my bank account even further.
And I don’t regret a single cent.
Harry Wohl
Final Thoughts
New York far exceeded my expectations in every way possible, and I can’t express well enough how thankful I am that I was a part of such an amazing week in such an amazing city. Thank you to every agency who graciously opened their doors to us. Each visit helped me understand my role in the advertising world, gave me clarity about what I want my future to be like, and inspired me to no end. Thank you to every faculty member who made this trip possible, every second of it was unforgettable. It made me even more proud to be in the SOJC, surrounded by some of the most impressive professors, students, and alumni, I’ve ever met. And thank you to every other student on the trip who was so inclusive and made sure everyone had fun, got to where they needed to go, and stayed safe. Everyone I talked to before going on the trip said it was one of the most incredible weeks of their lives, and I absolutely agree with them now.
Tori Denton | 17th May, 2019
Agency Visits
Every agency was awesome. Each one had valuable insights on how to be successful in this industry and life tips to better position yourself in everything you do.
Three agencies that personally stood out to me and the reason why:
Big Spaceship – Great family-like atmosphere, interesting work and easy-going employees who are all fully involved with all inner workings of the agency.
TBWA/Chiat Day – Doug Melville = AWESOME speaker. Gave thoughtful life advice and told us about his crazy life experiences. The Brittany Spears story was insane.
Wieden + Kennedy – Cool to see a few U of O alums at one of the best ad agencies in the world. Gave me hope for the future. Their work spoke for itself, especially the Built Ford Proud campaign. It was awesome to hear how that all came about behind the scenes.
I wish I could have seen a few more agencies (namely Translation and 72 & Sunny), but I’m not too upset about it because I know I’ll be back soon.
Harry Wohl
NY Agencies as NY Meals: A Thread
Gnocchi & White Wine from Eataly = WONGDOODY
Why: The pasta at Eataly was just as nice to look at as it was to eat. It was handmade with authentic ingredients, and it reminded me of WONGDOODY because not only was the agency breathtaking (the view from 76th floor of One World Trade Center is hard to beat), but the people inside were so genuine and authentic as well. It was obvious to us all that the people working there enjoyed their jobs and being around one another. They created quality work, and the atmosphere was so inviting it put everyone in a good mood.
Sausage, Pepperoni, & Mushroom Pizza from John’s of Bleecker St = Wieden + Kennedy
Why: When we visited Wieden + Kennedy they shared their ‘Wiedenisms’ with us, a couple of which included not acting big, and no sharp stuff. Just like the amazing pizza at John’s of Bleecker St, Wieden + Kennedy was humble, clearly experienced in their craft, and didn’t rely on gimmicks- they let the work speak for itself. And the work (exactly like the pizza) was really, really good.
Endless Sushi & Sake Bombs from Chinatown Restaurant = Jack Morton
Why: Just like our visit to Jack Morton, endless sushi and sake was an EXPERIENCE. It was the most fun I had eating a meal in New York, and Jack Morton was the most fun I had at an agency visit in New York. They took the time to read one of their briefs to us, run us through a creative exercise, and then let us pitch our ideas. It all felt like so much more than an agency visit, and I am still feeling really thankful that there were awesome people there willing to provide us students with an unforgettable experience.
Tori Denton | 17th May, 2019
Expectations = Shattered
Going in to this trip, I was skeptical about the thought of living in such a fast-paced city that is completely unlike the previous two places I have lived in my life (Saint Paul, Minnesota and Eugene, Oregon). I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy having to walk everywhere, take the subway and live in a shoebox apartment.
After living there for about a week, I’m completely smitten. I spent the week debating the pros and the cons of living in the city and as the days passed, the pros started to greatly outweigh the cons. The restaurants, agency visits and unlimited number of things to were enough to tip the scale in favor of living in NYC.
I had an amazing week full of new friends, good food and unforgettable experiences.
Harry Wohl
5 Days of Conversing with Strangers
Day 1: Hello. Jill Sullivan. Strategist. Nice to meet you.
Day 2: Hello. Jill Sullivan. Strategist. Nice to meet you. Music Enthusiast.
Day 3: Hello. Jill Sullivan. Nice to meet you. Strategist. Music Enthusiast. Lover of humanity. Skeptic of digital streaming platforms. Fast fashion opponent.
Day 4: *Too much social interaction I must retreat*
Day 5: Hello. Jill Sullivan. Nice to meet you. Strategist. Music Enthusiast. Lover of humanity. Skeptic of digital streaming platforms. Fast fashion opponent. New York tourist. Overwhelmed. Cafe connoisseur. Grand Central Station hater. Subway supporter. Broke. Stoked.
Jill Sullivan | 5/17/19
Big City, Small World.
New York is huge but that doesn’t mean nobody knows each other. It was really inspiring to see the close-knit communities that New York builds both in the workplace and in everyday life. I found it fascinating that every time asked someone about living in New York, they all mention that everyone just kinda gets it. That struggle of a delayed subway, walking down the street to find a laundromat, and the crazy weather are all common experiences that create a unique bond between New Yorkers.
On a more professional note, the professional world is small— therefore your reputation is the only thing that proceeds you. Going into this trip I kinda figured that New York would be home to a lot of assholes because the size of the city might dilute accountability. It was encouraging to see that the exact opposite was true. I was reminded again and again of how important it is to create a positive name for yourself no matter where you work. On the flipside, if you burn bridges somewhere, the word will get out. Be kind!
Jill Sullivan | 5/17/19
Virtue
Virtue was a great experience. What really stood out to me was when the lead strategist, art director, and account individuals came in to talk about the release of their Urban Decay campaign. They gave us a rundown of all the tactics that went into the process of the campaign; also mentioning that they pushed the traditional boundaries by pursuing a revamp onto Urban Decay. It was amazing to see their video that they created. I even saw it on my twitter feed the other day, and I was like “Hey! Virtue did that!”. It was very informative and inspiring to hear that they pushed this whole campaign and visual executions in such a small time frame. What ultimately resonated with me was how they were all transparent on how this work is stressful, but it’s all worth it in the end. Nicole Lee
Translation
Translation was one of my most insightful visits about the role of culture and diversity in advertising. Here are some key take aways:
- Culture simply means what it means
- Strive to shape culture with your work
- You can make anything culture under budget because people understand references
- Diversity powers empathy and ultimately excellence
- An ethnic insight today is a pop culture insight tomorrow
- You can present culture as if it is data to strengthen an idea
- Show people you understand their point of view (with your work)
Devin Roux
Radical Media
I was blown away by my visit to Radical Media on this trip. From the start of our visit every member of Radical made it overwhelmingly clear how excited they were for us to be there. From junior members to directors each person stressed how much they valued our visit, and the enthusiasm and energy they had was radiant. One director even made the comment, “I could be working for you one day” which is something I have not been able to forget. The experience of being respected and valued as a young professional was truly incredible, and I will take this feeling into the future when considering who I want to work with.
Devin Roux