My path to advertising was by no means direct. As wholeheartedly in love with my choice of career as I am, it was a journey filled with the roses and thorns of any relationship, and here’s how it began.

The flirtationship blossomed when I realized it was possible to make a living by producing creative content for brands. I knew I belonged in the industry of ideas like Bey belonged with Jay circa 1999, but I wrestled with the stereotypes, overly skinny girls and flawed messaging pushed by bad advertising. Instead, I wanted to be Facebook Official with a career that made people feel good about themselves and produced something more meaningful than “buy this and you’ll look like our 6′4,” -6 pound model eating a burger.”

At the middle of my junior year a shift occurred. I began to have faith in an industry that was also going through a shift of it’s own.

Dr. Carl Marci describes this in an article on Digital Trends when he states, “There’s no question we’ve seen a migration from ‘guys who watch football’ featuring humor, beer, and scantily clad women to something far more mature.”

While bad advertising still exists, and at least for some part always will exist, I see an increasing amount of agencies creating complex art rather than basic content. Sex is being replaced with wit, which is undoubtedly sexy in it’s own right, and creativity is now a commodity.

My journey to advertising was one my parents didn’t initially approve of for reasons previously stated, but they now see it’s beauty. Advertising can whistle blow social injustices while simultaneously making light humor of diner breakfasts (yooo @DennysDiner). Because of this, advertising is 100% it’s own and 150% the love of my life. 

Mary Beth Carroll