Advertising Agencies and copywriting

[Bixby]

I've tried searching for this topic already and didn't find it, so if it's out there feel free to point it out

What company(ies) designs the advertisements for fashion magazines? (i.e. Chanel, Missoni, D&G, Chloe, etc..) Are graphic artists the ones creating them or someone else? And if so, is there one huge company that does the majority of ads, or are there in-house ad designers specifically hired for that brand? Anyone knowledgeable in this area pleasssse help.

 

[metal-on-metal]

I think there is a thread on this because I remember posting about it a couple weeks ago. A lot of brands do in-house design. But I think most hire creative consulting firms or ad agencies to do the job for them. Baron & Baron (headed by Fabien Baron) in New York does Prada, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Giorgio Armani, Miu Miu, and many others including Dolce I think. Work in Progress (same people who do Self Service) in Paris does Chloe and Bottega Veneta, among others. Dream Project (Stephen Gan's company) does Fendi, Adidas, and Dior Homme.

 

[Bixby]

That's so helpful, thank you!

 

[silvi]

What do you have to study for to get in the advertising sector?

 

[Fabulyss]

^Some Universities will have some advertising courses. Mine, however, merged PR and advertising (two very different fields IMO). I'm not sure if this is common among most Universities? I decided to change my major from communications (which advertising fell under, though only offering about 2 ad classes) to graphic design in hopes of gaining more insight into the artistic side of the field. I hope it was the right decision.

 

[CelineChic]

What do you have to study for to get in the advertising sector?

Marketing, marketing, marketing!

Business degree with a major in marketing. If not, then you have no chance because competition for jobs in advertising is fierce all around the world.


Without a bachelors degree with a major in Marketing chances of working in advertising firm are slim unless you want to be the cleaning crew.

 

[CelineChic]

^Some Universities will have some advertising courses. Mine, however, merged PR and advertising (two very different fields IMO). I'm not sure if this is common among most Universities? I decided to change my major from communications (which advertising fell under, though only offering about 2 ad classes) to graphic design in hopes of gaining more insight into the artistic side of the field. I hope it was the right decision.

Where do you go to University? Every University that I've seen had their advertising fall under the marketing department. I guess it could fall under a communications degree but then you'll have a B.Arts instead of B.Commerce.

Graphic designers are the people who bring advertiser's ideas to an image form. You'll be drawing it for them. In the end it will be their job to decide what they want the image to be.

What advertising agencies want is someone who studied business and marketing who is able to create advertisments for the company's target market. In order to know about the target market you have to study demographics, lifestyles, need recognitions, social influences, purchasing behaviour, gererational cohorts, cultures, sub-cultures....and a a bunch of other stuff you learn in marketing.

Without studying those aspects you can't create an advertisements.

 

[CelineChic]

Here are some links to big advertising agencies. Since competition is so crazy they give preference to people with MBAs with a focus in advertising.

http://www.jwt.com/contacts.html

http://www.leoburnett.com/default.asp

http://www.smgdm.com/flash.html


I know some labels have in-house advertising deparments for their basics but I'm not sure if ALL do. If they branch to footwear, cosmetics and perfumes then they will usually deal with advertising agencies because it ends up costing less in the long run. From my years of work I've noticed that advertising agencies in London, New York, Paris and Milan get a lot of the work from designer labels.

 

[susie_bubble]

I think a distinction needs to be made about the different divisions within advertising. I think everyone in this thread is referring to art direction for which usually a arts degree like graphics is needed.

Then there are the account management and planning sides (most ppl who enter into grad schemes for ad agencies start of as a junior account manager). For these routes into advertising, a specific degree is not necessary. In fact, hardly anyone I know in these areas of advertising have marketing/advertising related degrees. For example, my boss did geography and I did history. What they usually look differs from agency to agency, but PERSONALITY is v. important!

Ok...may have just given useless info since ppl here seem to be asking more about art direction rather than us boring accounts/planning ppl!

 

[CelineChic]

Then there are the account management and planning sides (most ppl who enter into grad schemes for ad agencies start of as a junior account manager). For these routes into advertising, a specific degree is not necessary. In fact, hardly anyone I know in these areas of advertising have marketing/advertising related degrees. For example, my boss did geography and I did history. What they usually look differs from agency to agency, but PERSONALITY is v. important!

Only in the UK can someone study zoology or geography and end up working in a totally unrealted field. Does not work like that in North America I'm afraid. Most, if not all, business jobs require one to have a Commerce degree.

In North America you need a business degree to have a chance of becoming an Account Executive, Advertising Media Planner, Production Manager, or Media TrafficDirector.

Copywriters and Illustrators need graphic design degrees since they’re the ones making the ads. But they’re not the creating the ideas. I find they have very little input as to what the final ad looks like.

 

[susie_bubble]

Yup...in the UK.....it's really NOT about the degree you studied - more like which uni you went to and what class degree you got.

 

[CelineChic]

Yup...in the UK.....it's really NOT about the degree you studied - more like which uni you went to and what class degree you got.

I completed my graduate studies at Oxford and wondered why some people where getting Masters in Greek Mythology.

I find the North American way makes more sense though. If one doesn't study business how can they even deal with the financial aspects of advertising?

 

[susie_bubble]

^I dunno.....I think the selection process at most ad agencies here really weeds out the chaff. Yes, you do need commercial nous and some kind of business accumen but it's not the be all and end all if you don't either.

In the UK, vocational/business based degrees are looked down upon because they're not really considered 'academic'. They are gaining importance as the old university system is withering away. It's also to do with the fact that most ppl don't actually know that early on that media/advertising is what they wanna do. Especially when doing your A-Levels!

Which is why most ppl will do a degree like Greek Mythology (damn...I knew I should have done that instead of History! ) for a B.A. and then do a more vocational degree for postgrad study.

Well the system can't be too bad if our agencies are functioning and flourishing...

CelineChic....do you mind revealing which agency you work for? Are you a copywriter?

 

[CelineChic]

^I dunno.....I think the selection process at most ad agencies here really weeds out the chaff. Yes, you do need commercial nous and some kind of business accumen but it's not the be all and end all if you don't either.

In the UK, vocational/business based degrees are looked down upon because they're not really considered 'academic'. They are gaining importance as the old university system is withering away. It's also to do with the fact that most ppl don't actually know that early on that media/advertising is what they wanna do. Especially when doing your A-Levels!

Which is why most ppl will do a degree like Greek Mythology (damn...I knew I should have done that instead of History! ) for a B.A. and then do a more vocational degree for postgrad study.

Well the system can't be too bad if our agencies are functioning and flourishing...

CelineChic....do you mind revealing which agency you work for? Are you a copywriter?

I was an account executive for a small firm in Montreal until I started my PhD. Firm is called Boomerang Communications.

 

[dizzydog]

What do you have to study for to get in the advertising sector?

What area are you specifically interested in? 'Advertising' covers so many things. I for example am a graphic designer so, as someone pointed out, it's our job to breathe life into the art directors ideas, the copywriters create the overall concept via the copy, obviously. So many areas, so many possibilities.

As Susie says, personality counts for lots regardless of where you are, as pitching ideas in a hugely competative market requires a massive amount of confidence and charisma. Ultimately you've got to stand out against a zillion other candidates! But it's one of the best industries to be in, in my opinion!

 

[jennifer716]

Susie, where did you go to uni?

 

[susie_bubble]

^University College London

^dizzydog - Couldn't agree with you more! It is a cut throat industry but I wouldn't wanna do anything else!

 

[Fabulyss]

Where do you go to University? Every University that I've seen had their advertising fall under the marketing department. I guess it could fall under a communications degree but then you'll have a B.Arts instead of B.Commerce.

Graphic designers are the people who bring advertiser's ideas to an image form. You'll be drawing it for them. In the end it will be their job to decide what they want the image to be.

What advertising agencies want is someone who studied business and marketing who is able to create advertisments for the company's target market. In order to know about the target market you have to study demographics, lifestyles, need recognitions, social influences, purchasing behaviour, gererational cohorts, cultures, sub-cultures....and a a bunch of other stuff you learn in marketing.

Without studying those aspects you can't create an advertisements.

I attend DePaul University in Chicago. The few advertising classes I did take under the communications major did indeed teach me about demographics, target markets, etc. Frankly, I don't think its that difficult to decide those things for creating an ad?

 

[MizBlue]

Good topic this helped me a lot..
I'm currently at UMD majoring in Marketing.
But there are so many opinions here about who will hire you and who won't
Yes, 'I think that the higher the education the likely you are to get a job..but I think its all about who you know and your work experience. IMO

 

[tangerine]

Only in the UK can someone study zoology or geography and end up working in a totally unrealted field. Does not work like that in North America I'm afraid. Most, if not all, business jobs require one to have a Commerce degree.

In North America you need a business degree to have a chance of becoming an Account Executive, Advertising Media Planner, Production Manager, or Media TrafficDirector.

Copywriters and Illustrators need graphic design degrees since they’re the ones making the ads. But they’re not the creating the ideas. I find they have very little input as to what the final ad looks like.

I work in San Francisco, CA, USA, North America with advertising agency creatives, account executives and producers for a living and I can say with absolute certainty that many of them do not have MBAs.

A lot of them have degrees in communications or fine arts and ended up on the business side out of financial necessity and convenience. Some don't even have degrees.

However: Kids, stay in school!