Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to be a part of Next Generation Day 2015 as part of Advertising Week in Toronto. We began our day at TIFF Bell Lightbox, where we listened to panelists speak about their experiences in the advertising industry. One panel consisted of industry people with over 15+ years experience, and the second consisted of individuals with <5 years. Both panels were extremely insightful and gave prospective ad people an idea of what agencies are looking for throughout the hiring process and how to stand out amongst the crowd.
After the panel presentation, students left for their assigned agency visit, where we were given a guided tour of the office as well as Q&A with key personnel. I was fortunate enough to visit Sid Lee, which is found in the distillery district in Toronto, and it was probably the coolest work environment I've ever seen. The tour really gave us a better understanding of the culture offered and demystified the moving parts of an ad agency. After the tour, we actually worked with a copywriter and art director on an ongoing agency project. They gave us a brief, and split up into teams to solve the problem that the agency was having. This was an invaluable experience, since it gave us an opportunity to solve a real problem at an agency!
After the tour, we had a social at a bar in Toronto, where students from colleges all over Ontario were able to meet and network, which was one of my favourite parts of the day. Overall, I had a great time at Next Generation Day, and would recommend it to any prospective advertising student looking for more information on the industry!
PS: If I could give one tip to advertising students who didn't have the chance to go to Next Generation day, it is this: know who you are, and what your personal brand is. The panelists all agree that this one thing is critical if you want to get into the ad industry!
This opportunity was offered to me through the Advertising: Account Management program at Sheridan College!
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