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Source: jckonline.com

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What: Meredith Young Nude Diamond Climbers - $6,200

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Where: ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" - Season 20

When: April 21, 2022

[jschoolbuzz-blog]

Stereotypes: StratCommers Are Not All Cop-Outs

(Editor’s Note: this is the second in a series of blog posts about the stereotypes some people have about other sequences. Watch this video for more information about this series)

Yep, I’m a Strategic Communication major at the Missouri School of Journalism, and I’m in good company: StratCommers make up about 40 percent of the J-school.

There must be a reason why there are so many of us, right? And no, it’s not because we are so-called “J-School cop-outs.” Yes, there are StratComm majors who couldn’t decide what else to do, but there are people like that in every sequence.

The "cop-out" stereotype might be around because there are a few more people who switch to StratComm as a last resort than to other sequences. Usually these people assume that because StratComm is different from the other sequences, that automatically means it'll be easy. Some people believe that StratComm is all fun and games, watching ads and analyzing them, but that is not what it is all about.

The reason I am in Strategic Communication is because honestly, it's my passion. I don't get excited about writing the news or broadcasting it on television. What really makes me happy is using my creativity to make ads, logos, slogans, and websites. I truly believe that advertising can be art and inspirational, and I aspire to one day be a copywriter for an advertising agency that comes up with outstanding ideas.

I think a lot of us StratCommers at the Missouri School of Journalism love our sequence because it's the OPPOSITE of objective (the other sequences); we get to be open-ended with our work and say things in humorous and intriguing ways to persuade people to buy products or services. Although some forms of journalism are persuasive and not necessarily objective, the goal of advertising is to give a visual form to abstract ideas, rather than creating a long piece of writing.

And sometimes, the purpose isn’t just to get people to make a purchase; sometimes, the point of an ad is just to build a brand image or even show people some of the philanthropic things that the company does in the community (PR people get it).

I know that most of you are probably thinking, “Sure, every ad is trying to get me to buy something,” but I'm less cynical. I see so much potential in advertising, and I believe that advertising can become an entertaining part of our culture rather than a nuisance that we fast-forward through. The way to do this is to be creative while still being able to solve business problems.

One of the coolest things about the field of advertising is that we can even be creative with our resumes. Most other careers would expect an applicant to have a very professional and refined resume, while creative directors and recruiters at advertising agencies expect an applicant to stand out in some way, especially if he or she plans on going into the creative side of advertising. We really have to “brand” ourselves; the skills we learn about building a brand’s image also applies to building our own unique image.

Advertising is probably one of the few careers where you could get an awesome job while still being your total self in your resume and portfolio.

Don’t get me wrong; StratComm is no cake walk. The classes that we take are intellectually challenging and time consuming (although I haven't taken my capstone course yet, I have heard from several people that the capstone course, especially Mojo Ad, is quite intense). We learn about what makes ads great.

Sometimes there isn’t always a clear formula. Advertising is completely subjective, and it can be difficult to come up with a brilliant idea that doesn’t borrow from clichés. Sometimes the fact that advertising is so subjective can make it difficult for us to feel completely confident about our work; what makes a great ad is often intangible and indefinable (beauty is in the eye of the beholder). However, the fact that our field is challenging is one of my favorite things about it.

So the next time you think that StratComm is an “easy” sequence, take a look at some of your favorite commercials and brands, and remember, those ads and brands were not created by people who “copped out” of a true journalism career. Those ads and brands were created by people who went through dozens of ideas, crumpled sheets of paper, and perhaps even sleepless nights-a.k.a. people like us, the StratCommers.

So yeah, I’m a StratComm major, and I’m proud of it.

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Original Article