So, there I was. Standing with my team in front of 12 industry executives waiting for our campaign to unfold before them. You know that feeling when you have no saliva in your mouth and can barely remember how to talk? Now, imagine having that for 45 minutes while higher ups of your dream agency judge the hell out of your pitch. Why would anyone freely choose to have this happen to them?
Before I answer that, let me give you some context...
About a month ago, I signed up for the Grip Limited Juicer competition-- an annual advertising competition offered by Grip Limited to every college and university in Ontario. I wanted a bit more real-life advertising experience, so I decided to be a part of the Sheridan team. We were equipped with a brief, a real-life challenge to solve, and a deadline. I have never really thrown together an actual advertising campaign, so I really thought I was in over my head. Luckily, there was a lot of seasoned-advertising-competition veterans that provided leadership and made the experience pretty cool.
Fast forward a couple weeks. We had our big idea, research, consumer insights, a budget, media considerations and a strategic plan. All that was left was the presentation.
I step into the agency, and my heart is pounding. I'm in classic freak-out mode, thinking of everything that could possibly go wrong. Will I stumble over my words? or forget the crucial information I am supposed to present? Will I let down my team? Will I mess up and ruin my whole career?! I know self-destructing right before a presentation isn't a 100% fantastic strategy, so I tried to cool my jets. My team walks to the front of the room, and we start our pitch. The next 45 minutes was pretty much a complete blur. If you asked me what I said during the presentation, I probably couldn't tell you. But, we got through it. It was over.
Although we didn't win the competition, I was proud of everyone on my team. We all came together to create a campaign that we were proud of, and I'm happy that I was a part of it. We came up with a unique idea and saw it to completion, which is all I wanted to do.
I've only been in advertising for about 7 months now, but having the opportunity to present my own ideas to industry professionals was something I never thought I'd be able to do. I'm an introverted person, but I took a step out of my comfort zone and tried to provide something of value to both my team and the agency. Even though it was a top-ten most-nervous moment in my life, I would do it again in a heartbeat... even if it's beating dangerously high.
I highly recommend checking out Grip if you're interested in an opportunity like this!
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