YA!

YA! is a blog that gives young advertisers the opportunity to be a part of the conversation.

[skylerpace]

10 Reasons Why I Had A Giant Bowl of Cereal for Dinner

Too often am I looking down at my plate of food thinking to myself, “Meh...” Food is a powerful motivator for some of us. One look at me and you’d say, “Yep. That guy definitely likes food.” With all things considered; be it health, hunger, emotional reasons, I’ve put together a list of 10 reasons why I chose to eat a heaping bowl of cereal for dinner.

1. I’m a grown a** adult and I can eat wtf I want -  Let’s be honest. There are plenty of things we as adults do, or don’t do, now that we don’t have mom or dad telling us we can’t. For example; eating sweets before dinner. Ladies and gentleman, we all know it doesn’t ruin our appetite.

2. It’s quick and easy - Everybody and their hipster dog is on Pinterest, Facebook, or Google searching quick and easy recipes. Cereal...Milk...Eat...It doesn’t get much quicker and simpler than that.

3. I don’t discriminate against time - Who the **** made it a rule that certain foods can only be eaten during certain times of day? Oh, no one. Right.

4. Meets all the necessary macronutrients - Has everything you could possibly need in the way of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Like every bro/crossfitter would say, IIFYM.

5. I don’t end up with leftovers - As difficult as it may sound to pour 1 serving of cereal and 1 serving of milk into a bowl, most people have a solid grasp on how many bowls of cereal they can eat. You know how difficult it is to make enchiladas for 1 person? Next thing you know you have leftovers for a week. Do you really want to be the guy eating week old enchiladas?

6. My options are endless - It’s just as easy to make a bowl of Lucky Charms as it is to make a bowl of Cheerios. In fact, you can combine most cereals with the peace of mind that it will be just as or even more delightful.

7. I’ll have fewer dishes to wash - Spoon. Bowl. ‘Nough said.

8. I consistently make great tasting cereal - Once you start to dabble in the culinary arts, consistency is key. If one day you make a great tasting shrimp fettuccini alfredo can you confidently duplicate what your friends and family stated was a “...magnificent array of Sicilian culture at the end of every taste bud...” That’s a lot of pressure.

9. Because I can - Here in the lovely US of A I have the right to eat whatever whenever I want and you can’t do anything about it.

10. My spouse didn’t make dinner - The last thing I want to do after working a 12-14 hour day is come home and make a nutritious balanced meal.

[skylerpace]

Will Virtual Reality Bring Home Lions?

Here’s a question to be posed. What type of applications can we expect for product experience and branding through virtual reality?

Since I was a kid, my brothers, friends, and I have been dreaming up a world of virtual reality video games and movies. Amazingly, so have the makers of the ever so popular Oculus Rift, the less talked about but equally as dope Microsoft Hololens, and the other top VR headsets pioneering fantasy gameplay and virtual productivity. As a recent marketing and advertising graduate I can’t help but to think, how can we use this for branding? Some brands that come to mind are aspirational lifestyle brands like Red Bull and GoPro, both of which already have a high-level media presence.

With the technology we have available to us, we can already test drive a car, tour the Smithsonian in D.C., and even experience the barrel of a wave in first person POV shots. With virtual reality, we can take these experiences to a whole new level. Agencies like R/GA have already begun to take advantage of virtual reality as a way to create immersive experiences for some of their clients like Volvo.

Despite the amazing creative concepts that carried this year's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, some entries left industry veterans feeling bored and tired of the repetitive nature advertising and branding has fallen into. There has been much debate about the relevance of virtual reality as it pertains to branding, but I believe that it’s here to stay.

This fresh and elegant way of interactive design allows for brands to tell a story in a more intimate way. This blending of traditional storytelling and control that virtual reality gives the consumer is truly experiential. My guess is, the 2016 Cannes Lions festival will be sending a Lion or two home for creative and interactive virtual reality content. What do you think?

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

5 Informational Interview Hacks

Any time you have the opportunity to learn from those who’ve come before you, you should sit quietly and listen. What was it that Issac Newton said? “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” What that really means is discovery is based on the previous experiences of others. So, what better way to search for a job in advertising than to seek out the insights of industry professionals?

1.     Ask the right questions – First and foremost, this isn’t the first grade anymore. Remember when the teacher would say there are no dumb questions? Well, now there are. A half hour can go by in an instant. Do your research and know as much about the person as you can. To use time wisely ask compelling questions that will require someone to stop and think for a moment. Open-ended questions are like gold. They allow someone to speak to their experiences and about how they feel. Here a few of my favorites:

    a.  What do you find most satisfying about your job?     b.  How did you get into the business of…?     c.  What would make someone applying stand out in your mind? 

2.     Professionals are people too - Notice that these questions are about the person you’re interviewing. As intimidating as it may seem to sit across the table from the CEO or President of the company you want to work for, you’re really sitting across the table from another person. People are vulnerable, empathize with recent grads, and generally want to help. Convincing a professional to meet up and speak to you is a feat in its own sense and you should feel proud. Now is the time to let them know how grateful you are and how important they are to your professional growth.

3.     Always have a point of view – Just because you may be young, in age or experience, doesn’t mean what you think about the industry isn’t important. In fact, more often then not you should be prepared to answer questions about yourself and your point of view. Remember that even though this is called an informational interview, you still want to build lasting relations and it will most likely turn into a friendly conversation. Treat an informational interview as a step towards an introduction to the business/agency or maybe even towards an interview. The professional’s impression of you can play in your favor.

4.     Not right now doesn’t mean not ever - People are busy. With how much we’ve filled our lives with things to do, people to see, and trends to read about, it’s amazing that people still have enough time to brush their teeth in the morning before they head to work. Whether your email gets pushed down in their inbox list or you get a reply saying, “Things are crazy right now…” fallow up and fallow through. Ask to meet later or with someone they feel can represent the business/agency effectively and help you to learn more about it. If a professional agrees to meet with you later, always set up a time and day. This will help keep you both accountable.

5.     Caffeine is highly addictive – Coffee is a sure fire way to get someone away from their desk and coffee shops are great public places to sit and talk. Remember that if you “be real” and open up, chances are, so will the professional.

Feel free to wing it. An informational interview is you asking for a hand up not a hand out. Tell funny stories, laugh at their funny stories, but most importantly listen. There is no better way to find out what it takes to be great at something than to ask someone who’s great at it.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

Expecting The Unexpected

Often times in advertising, much like life, there are things that will come out of left field. Whether it’s a deadline change, a question from the client you don’t know the answer to, or customs holds up your designer for accidentally smuggling oranges into China you should prepare for as much as you can and expect the unexpected.

One way to prepare for unexpected questions is to pitch in front of the team as well as some of the people in the agency that haven’t been working on the account. Ask them to write down any and all questions they have and then actually write out an answer to every question. Why do this? To prepare for questions the client might have that you’ve overlooked.

To plan for deadline changes give your team a cushion deadline. Sometimes, the client will do this with you. They give you a preferred deadline and actually have a more ultimate deadline in mind. Open communication and empathy with your clients and team are important for demanding this type of flexibility. Getting done early also means you’ll have time to continue to improve the work or go out for drinks.

Finally, plan for life to happen. My wife and I are about 34 weeks along and are expecting a baby girl. My wife was a little uncomfortable so we decided to go to the hospital and just get it checked out. What we thought was going to be a quick visit turned into a three-night stay because she went into preterm labor. We didn’t bring any of the baby stuff with us and had to play it by ear. All to say, we should have expected the unexpected.

There’s a saying, “fail to plan, plan to fail”.  Yes it’s important to be able to think quickly on your feet, but if you can prepare yourself for multiple scenarios then you will feel more confident and in control of the situation. Though the client or your creative director may not realize you’ve gone the extra mile to unveil unknowns and “what ifs”, the client along with your creative director, sometimes maybe even your wife, will greatly appreciate it when you show up ready for anything.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

5 Things Advertising Graduates Should Invest In

Congratulations on graduating from college, but now what? As a recent grad you’ve probably got 99 problems and money happens to be one. The light at the end of the tunnel that you saw wasn’t your dream job, but was the warning notification from the bank that funds are low. The struggle is real. Just when you thought you were out…well, you get it. This is how to invest as a recent grad.

No money? No problem. You’re probably thinking, “How do I invest without money?” It’s simple really. You have a commodity that’s worth more than money and that’s TIME. One thing that you can invest is time and trust me you’ll see a return if you invest it wisely. If you’re a recent grad that’s so excited to be done with college that you’re partying like it’s 1999, you’re probably not investing your time wisely. Here’s 5 things you should invest your time in that’ll pay off in the long run.

1. A personal brand – That doesn’t mean that you have to start a company. Creating a personal brand means identifying your vision. This is what you want to do to stand out or change the industry. After you know your vision, give yourself a mission; how you’re going to make your vision a reality. Finally, make yourself, the people around you, and the people in the industry a promise that holds you accountable to bringing your vision to fruition.

2. Developing content – Be noteworthy. Even if you’re not currently working in your degree field, find a way to practice it by doing cool stuff you are interested in. Document it and show it off. This will show that you really do have a passion for it and that you’re a self-starter. This will also give you experience to talk about in an interview or on a resume. If you like cars and went to school for finance, blog about the industry growth and the economic impact of imported aftermarket parts. If you like surfing and you have a degree in environmental sustainability then organize a beach cleanup and write a case study about it. When it comes to developing content for your resume/portfolio just remember to do things that excite you. It shows in your work.

3. Saying yes – Any time you get invited to a networking event. Go! Anytime someone says hey come to this show with me. Go! Anytime you see something trending that’s going to be happening in your city, something that a lot of people are probably going to be talking about.  Go! Say yes more for two reasons. You never know whom you could meet that may be a foot in the door to your new career, and you also need to live a little. Sitting around applying for application after application online will drive you nuts. Go experience the world. That way, when you do run into someone who can help you get a job you have something exciting to talk about other than what you’ve been binge watching on Netflix.

4. People– People want you to pay attention to them. People want to build relationships, and generally people want to help. It’s important that you invest in people. The more people you know, the larger your network grows. Keep that in mind and you’ll soon find that you know five or six people that can help you get the job that you want. Now, what does investing in people look like? Well, it’s more about listening to what they have to say and making them feel awesome like they probably already are. Don’t just network all the time. Build friendships. Find commonalities through conversation and if there just isn’t any, stop talking about how awesome your other friends or your cat that plays fetch is and ask about what they like to do when they’re not working. The more you invest in people the more they will invest/remember you.

5. Favors – If you do something for me, I’m more inclined to remember and do something for you. Scratch a lot of backs. A favor is your ace in the hole and the level of the favor is directly proportionate to the level of what you did for someone else. This is a bit of a piggyback off of investing in people. If someone who works where you want to work has ever said, “You totally saved my butt, I owe you one.” you’re doing something right; being an awesome person and meeting opportunity with preparation.

As a recent grad you’re worth more than just the cost of your degree, you just have to believe it before others will…and prove it. Build a personal brand, a portfolio, and friendships. Never ask for handouts, but don’t be afraid to ask for a hand up and do the same for others. Be real. If you align your real self with what you want to do everything will work out great.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

Less Is More

It can be awkward sitting in a room of complete strangers trying to moderate a discussion about a product. Focus groups are for eliminating biases. They are for quality, not necessarily quantity. They have advantages for researchers: “…they do not discriminate against people who cannot read or write and they can encourage participation from people reluctant to be interviewed on their own or who feel they have nothing to say.” (Kitzinger). Focus groups allow us to see how people think about, feel about, connect with, and respond to products and their advertisements. Focus groups, along with other qualitative research, allow us to identify insights that the numbers from quantitative research can only outline. 

So how do we take those insights and create an ad? Well, interpretation of insights allows us to first create the brief. This is then interpreted to create concepts. Than, concepts are interpreted to create a campaign and its ads, which are left up to interpretation by the audience. Wait, why does it feel as though we are playing a game of telephone?

It seems as though the best way to make consumers believe in a brand is to tell the truth. No brainer, right? Well, recently trending is the use of focus group style videos as actual pre-roll and actual ads. Surely they are chopped up a bit, but when you get a group of people together to experience and talk about a brand it tells you something that the numbers of quantitative data can’t. People laugh, cry, snicker, gasp, cringe and lean in to pay more attention. Numbers on an excel sheet don’t. Here’s a humorous example by McCann featuring a man, a bear, and a truck.

And as part of a campaign to combat prejudice Memac Ogilvy and FP7/DBX Dubai offer us up a dose “love without labels” with another focus group shaped ad.

So, what? Well, advertising doesn’t have to be complicated. Advertising is yet another example where less is more and the simple truth can go a long way. Don’t let the truth and your insights get lost in the clutter.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

Millennials + Interactive = Win

With nearly 29% of Millennials habitually using a second screen advertisers will need to follow the viewers onto mobile platforms and find creative ways to make these experiences more interactive.

One brand doing this very well is Coca-Cola with the help of one of the most creative agencies in the world Ogilvy & Mather. Ogilvy & Mather created a campaign of drinkable ads that, in my opinion, sets the precedent for real-time interactive cross-platform integration. What a mouth full.

What should this look like?  Each platform, though seemingly redundant, plays a significant role in the life of a millennial. Smart phones and tablets are not one in the same. There is a certain feeling of connectivity to friends and family that millennials feel when using a smartphone. It’s slightly more private. Tablets on the other hand have the ability to help someone get comfortable. They feel richer and warmer; more than just a pocket item, but an extension of their home. Finally, the laptop. every college student, professional, and their dog has one, but that’s where efficiency, correspondence, and discovery happens.

Each platform as similar as they may seem, has the ability to reach a viewer in a different way. So, why does mobile look the same on a tablet than it does on a smartphone? Every mobile device should be treated as a new color pallet the viewer will be using to paint a picture about a brand. This way, advertisers can influence that perception.

Millennials don't want to be told what to do or believe, but they want to be a part of what’s happening. They have space in their hearts to adopt brands that reflect their personality and core values. Interactivity is important for creating that dialogue with millennials. They are however hard to impress. Calling millennials to create or sometimes change perceptions will have to happen in more engaging ways. Instead of disrupting the lives of millennials, give them an opportunity to stop, take a break, and play.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

While You’re At It, Fly A Pterodactyl

Four years of college for what? To work yourself into the dirt? Thankfully, advertising is an industry dedicated to creating engaging content that resonates with real people. Many agencies and creative directors refer to this as striving to produce “great work”. But at what cost? 60 hour workweeks and a salary enough for bird food. That’s why, for a side job, I learned to fly a pterodactyl.

Advertising isn’t for everyone. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart or for those expecting a six figure salary and a corner office on Maddison avenue right out of the gates. But, advertising isn’t boring either. At least it shouldn’t be. After four or five years of college a young advertiser can easily become callused and forget one of the key reasons advertising originally intrigued them. It’s fun.

Advertising should 100% be about creating great work, but the word “advertising” should be synonymous with “having fun”. If not for the childlike ability to see dragons in clouds and believe that the ground is really made of hot lava, then we would all forget to use our imaginations and what a tragedy that would be.

So, what did a group of interns and I do when we had grown callused to 60 hour workweeks? We built a time machine, resorted back to our primitive selves, and flew a pterodactyl into the Willamette River.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

Why You Should Climax In Less Than 30 Seconds

Nearly a fifth of today’s viewers click away from a video in the first ten seconds. The same is true for the majority of radio ads. So, is this a matter of attention span and does this mean that you’ll start to see 10-second ads? The quick answer is yes. Vines, Snaps, and GIFs, and even Youtube pre-roll.

The long answer however is no. First let’s talk about attention span. The average attention span has decreased in length by about a third since 2000; some will say even up to 50%. Now it’s about eight seconds. Even though the average viewer’s attention span is shorter, that doesn't necessarily mean that anything past 10 seconds is useless. It all depends on the level of involvement an advertisement demands. For now we’ll just say low or high. 

A certain amount of learning can happen with little involvement. So, if a brand wants to convey a message but only requires low involvement then they can still convey rich content in 30-second ads, but if a brand demands high involvement then they have less time to capture the attention and intrigue the viewer. 

Viewers these days are expecting a darn good punch line; sometimes even a reward. Simply put, in order to keep the attention of viewers you must deliver engaging content. Another way to capture the attention of viewers is to separate their attention between different devices by having integrated cross-platform campaigns.

So, make shorter ads. This will save you money and give the viewers what they want. View it as a challenge to create great work. Isn’t that what we as advertisers should strive to do anyways?

Let curiosity lead to discovery.

[skylerpace]

Why Multiple Choice Tests Stunt Creativity

What is a multiple choice test other than a memory test? Your mind recognises an answer and you choose that answer. Too often students are graded on these types of tests and have little to no room left for creativity. Advertising is more like an open ended essay question with multiple right answers. If ad students can answer one essay question with multiple right answers-ding ding-that is creative/strategic problem solving.

Multiple choice testing on the other hand can teach students to learn false facts or encourage thinkers to create false knowledge. According to Learning, Memory, and Cognition, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, multiple choice testing in the educational setting has decreased the positive testing effect and increased a responses to lures and false answers. Whereas, It Doesn't Hurt to Ask, an article published in the Creative Research Journal implies that performance increases when told to be creative during situational essay testing. This is a lot like preparing for a client meeting or campaign pitch. In advertising encourage yourself and others to play with your own thoughts.

Let curiosity lead to discovery.