An Intro to Advertising

Jackie Chis

I am not an advertising or marketing major. I’m an english major. With that being said, note that my experience with the courses related to advertising is limited. However, even with the meager experience I’ve had with the program, I can with certainty attest to the uniqueness of this program.

I clearly remember my first day of ADV 150. People flooded into the lecture hall with
cups of coffee in their hands and macbooks out and open, ready to furiously type every time
Steve Hall said something. It was the most intimidated I’d ever been in a classroom setting.
Everyone in the room seemed to be marketing themselves, branding their identities with their
clothes, their attitudes, the people that they sat with. I learned then that advertising and
marketers were very different from other majors here on campus. While students were learning
to market products and services, they were also marketing themselves.

Of course, it’s come to the point in our lives where we are always finding ways to curate
our image, in both a personal and professional sense. Advertising is different in that there's a
creative aspect to putting yourself forward in the industry. Sure an extensive resume is
impressive, but it’s not enough to make you stand out in an agency's extensive network. There’s
as much importance in personal flair as there is in professional development in the world of
advertising, which is what truly sets this career path apart from others.

It’s a program that has a lot to offer in terms of creating a well rounded professional who
knows their way around the industry, knows how to be social and outgoing, and is also
someone who can be different and stand out in a world full of people. The people and the
professors in the program will keep you on your toes, and every person you work with or meet
will be different from the last. It’s a fast paced environment that leaves you with an adrenaline
rush, and is truly an experience unlike any other. Don’t let your first few days of confusion and
intimidation deter you from pursuing an interest in an industry that is exponentially growing in
today's day and age, because at the end of the day, were all in the same boat.