—

Being back, I’ve realized that I appreciate both sides of the spectrum. New York taught me to walk a little faster, be more attentive, and daring as well. I spent most of my time there taking it all in. The visits. Presentations. Work. Ads. People. Everything was new – at least to me. The new friends and more importantly the relationships I’ve made on this trip will be lasting. Since being back, Eugene on the other hand, has made me appreciate simplicity – Quiet. Small. Clean. Sometimes a green escape from a city atmosphere. I’ve learned to enjoy the nature of it all. What have I gained you may ask? To appreciate life as it is and be where you are in the moment. Sometimes we think too much about what’s next after school or the monetary success we want to have. Just be in the moment. As cliché as it sounds, it’s simplicity that leads to happiness, and happiness that leads to a good life. Do what you love and love what you do. 

-Napat N. 

Valuable insight from AKQA on following up and utilizing connections

Near the end of my visit to AKQA two former ducks, Alex Weresh & Kim Uong, gave us some real, straight-up advice about networking and how it pays off. 

Here are some tidbits I took away from that conversation:

“The window of opportunity is larger when you know someone”-Alex

“Reach out! Don’t be afraid to cold email!, you want to get people to invest in you”- Kim

“If they don’t respond after the first email, try again a bit later-if they don’t respond to the second one, avoid a third email. Just wait and see”- Kim

“Prove to your connections that you are smart, but not in an annoying ‘know-it-all’ way”-Alex

“Remember, it’s good to connect with recruiters but a recruiter is NOT your best ally-network TF out of the place you are interested in”-Alex

-Noah Wilskey

Retrospect

In retrospect, NYC was the most valuable experience one could have.

All of the agencies were different, some alike more than others.

From the make up of the teams at each place, to the design of each respective work space - personality, and what each place stood for was definitely showcased. 

The fact that buildings/floors were utilized for various agencies, corporations, establishments - that initially bewildered me, but of course it’s NYC and space is limited, an entire building allocated to one entity would be counterintuitive.

The pace and overall environment of NYC is certainly one to get acclimated to, but that doesn’t come without a few collisions, smug looks, blistering car honks, and quite possibly a few trips due to uneven surfaces. 

NYC teaches you that time is of the essence. Time in every context. From your dreams, to actually getting where you have to go - the importance of time is emphasized through characters of the city, the acts of kindness (or the polar opposite of it), and through the various other elements that make up the city (most importantly the subway). 

NYC, a special place with a special pace. Everything is everything here, and it is completely on you to thrive, or not. How great is that?

…blair barnes.

First I’d like to start by saying how grateful I am for having the privilege to visit the UN headquarters. Having the opportunity to tour the building gave me all sorts of emotions; every mural, every artifact and every quote, depicted a profound historical context, some of which I had some knowledge of and some of which I didn’t. After discussing some of the UN future plans of sustainability, my mind was filled with ideas. Having the opportunity to work on one of their prompts last fall in creative strategy gave me a clear vision of their ultimate goals for 2030. I think what I was able to take away from this visit is, everything starts with YOU, go out and inspire people, maybe one person cant do it all, but it can certainly be the first step to making a difference.

-Diego Gonzalez

NYC gets ya out of the comfort zone

An excerpt from the poets Jay Z & Alicia Key’s

“New York, concrete jungle
Where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let’s hear it for New York
New York, New York”

Not to be cliché, but damn these words are true. One of the first nights there, a group of us had visited Times Square at night…my god, was I in awe. All the lights, all the Ads-for an advertising major, this was Mecca. It didn’t stop there. Throughout the week, I saw myself doing things I never thought I would do-One day I was going up to strangers on the street, asking them what their story was. Another day, I saw myself doing a LIVE Instagram video of me running through Times Square and Manhattan during rush hour. If you had told me a week before this trip that I was going to do that, I’d a call you crazy. But alas, I did and god damn I am so pumped I did. This trip taught me so much about this incredible city, full of incredible people, each with their own incredible story. If I hadn’t left my comfort zone, I would never have known. These lessons won’t just be limited to NYC either, I hope to take these invaluable lessons everywhere I go in life. Here’s a clip from my live run for you to watch! 

-Noah Wilskey

The Numbers Game

In 2016, Anomaly received over 100 RFPs from clients seeking their storytelling wizardry. They accepted eight. 8/100 is the type of ratio that a top creative shop wields to lure the most attractive, high-profile brands, granted those brands aren’t steeped in consumer deception and corporate negligence. It’s the same formula Harvard and Stanford use to filter student applications to secure the best and brightest. As up-and-coming creative professionals, we can use this ratio not as something to gawk at, but as fuel to our future-fires. 

Write 100 headlines; eight might be worth sharing. Produce 100 scripts; if you’re lucky, eight will raise your CD’s eyebrows. Make 100 sketches; eight could become a piece of the storyboard. This numbers game is a game of iteration, of low ratios, of an imbalance of failure and success. That imbalance makes us better if we embrace it. Agencies seek young people who understand that truth as a foundational pillar of contribution in this industry.

Cameron Kokes 5.16.17

You can’t take me anywhere.

Yesterday, I met with two UO alums from Anomaly. After arriving at the coffee house half an hour early and waiting 15 min after our meeting time, I found myself scrolling through my email only to realize that they had been waiting in the back, which to my knowledge didn’t exist. I quickly scurried through a hidden walkway where the two were sitting with a few other colleagues. I hurdled over a massive chair and what seemed to be ten thousand table legs to settle down on a small little stool in the corner. We began chatting and all of a sudden I forgot everything that I wanted to ask when just a few moments prior I had felt so prepared. I made embarrassing jokes, laughed a little too hard, and sweated through my jean jumpsuit. Classic really, a true movie montage of nervousness. So here are my tips to avoid what happened to me:

1.) When you are meeting someone, search the entire space to see if they are there already. This includes weird halls.

2.) If you have to climb over weird objects, hum the slow-motion Chariots of Fire song. It could never hurt.

3.) You probably shouldn’t crack a dad joke to a copywriter.

4.) Don’t wear a jean jumpsuit…for a few reasons. 

5.) Seriously, don’t make dad jokes.

-Devyn Holbrook

The Art of Standing Out

From nearly every single agency, I have learned that the ability to stand out will get you where you want to be. Especially within an industry that is so competitive, it is crucial to learn what makes you unique and interesting, and how to express these characteristics to the world. This might look different for everybody. While it is important to understand how to curate smart campaigns for brands, it is also important to create your own brand. Or, better yet, consider what makes you different. What do you offer that no one else does? Figure this out, own it, and share it with the world.

- Emily Leclerc