The True Value of Social Media

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The True Value of Social Media

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Predator by Patricia Cornwell

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My 4 easy ways a rookie can penetrate a creative agency and get noticed.

The fact that I’ve been busy this past month is no excuse to ignore my responsibilities I know. But the truth is I’ve been busy learning how to use the gun…of course not that metal but the mental gun. Six months ago I was a rookie with STB McCann Lagos but now I can confidently say that the story has change. What brought about this was as a result of the conversation I had this morning with a new rookie my agency just recruited, she is frustrated and disappointed at the ways things are going. And this just got me thinking about how I started with STB McCann. I left M2 magazine (a marketing magazine) where I was working as a journalist to join this agency. Before then I had tried securing a job as a copywriter but I wasn’t fruitful. Back to why I’m blogging this, my new colleague said “Yetunde, I was given a three month probation, but I’ve not been given any assignment that will let me prove my ability, what can I do? Because am tired of coming and not doing anythi…” cut, that was it there, the same frustration I had when I got to this place. I believe in my creative abilities, I talked my way into begin put on probation but there was no assignment to test my abilities with when I got in. You know how frustrating and useless creative people can be when there is nothing to do. After a month of trying to understand how things work I took some funny steps and it has helped so far and it is just the advice I gave my colleague.

Talk to a senior colleague you can tap from

Trust me, that work wonders. When you’ve tried all you can and you are stuck, talk to someone who has the job experience as well as knows the agency’s philosophy better. They will be able to put you through in a more informal way, cause in a working environment nobody wants to officially take you through you’ve been taught in school. What I did was go out for a drink or two with some of my colleagues, while there we talk about life, work, experiences and expectations generally. I ask a question there and there and gradually my confidence boosted.

Take every shortcut you can

What I mean here is, be in their face as much as you can; go for creative, strategy meetings even when you are not part of the team working on that account. It may sound unreasonable and rude but I did lot of that in the early days… since I had nothing much to do. (I intruded on their meetings, and when they challenged me I simply say, “I just want to watch and learn”)While in such meetings I make few contributions and even though my ideas weren’t considered my voice was heard. A good plus I had too is - I could type faster, with that I was of use in such meetings.

Have a special skill

Other than what is obvious, be known for more. My agency doesn’t have an in-house photographer, so whenever there is a need for a visual representation of any sort I volunteered to go take the pictures because I have a photographic skill. My shots were journalist and just what they wanted. Without been schooled I deliver on brief. So, in meetings whenever I make comments or suggest an idea, the team listens to me. Gradually I was given some minor copies to write

Come up with a WOW Idea

And trust me when they are hooked you are in. plus, who works better on a wow idea if not the originator of that idea.….it’s not all the way for me yet but I’m definitely on track.

Mind you this may not be applicable everywhere because most agencies have their own peculiarities, but as a rookie trying to shoot a gun in impenetrable agencies I guess this can work…

THE KARATE KID

Do you know what I learnt last night?...yeah..’Never say never’. Life will knock you down..sure, but you can choose whether or not to get back up.

Just saw the Karate Kid, and what I think is, ‘no matter where you find yourself in this life, no matter what life dish you, there is always a friend close by ready to help, ready to out you through if you let them. so who says we cant survive anywhere? Huh?

My golden moment was the last battle….when the kid used what he wasn’t even taught to win himself the last point. He learned by observation. So, pay attention to little details people. AM SIGNING OUT

A friend said on Face Book

If you leave ur life to God, it'll end a mess, that's y he made you human, u have like power, authority, resources n emotions... so take charge of all dat happens to and around u..if u dont bliv ask God himself

I feel you...plus in the beginning... when God gave dominion of earth to man, he lot his dominion over it, he sold earth to man, which means he can not just come and take dominion/control again like he did when he was creating the world. And why do you think we pray hum, see there is nothing God can not do, but he won’t do it until you invite him.
God owns our life true, but he wont control it for us. the first Adam and Eve had already broken that privileged(now we know the difference between good and evil...to survive is up to us) that is why it is only those that are close to him that live good.

Why was that tree in the Garden of Eden forbidden?? Just curious.

A friend of mine asked on FB and this was my response
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/akanbi.olushola?v=wall&story_fbid=153379434691137
Now as to why the tree is forbidden. First the tree is just conscience, it helps you the difference between good and evil. In fact, God used the Tree to test the first Man and Woman to see if they truly love and obey Him. And we must know that obeying him is just for our own good cos when we are faced with the real situations in life (the good and bad of life) we might not be that strong.
Secondly, why is it forbidden?…..u must know that; life and relationship without true test is fake. The yard stick that makes you know how devoted you are is how good you can fight temptation. Life is good when you are given good odds, but is sucks cos you wont know how good are really doing, but when there is temptation and you still stay faithful , then you can say Yes…I Think Am Doing Good. God wanted to know if the first human really loved him…and I guess he was disappointed. Which is why it’s up to us to make things right. Our today, my today, your today is his second chance. Don’t blow it.

its high time i start my copywriting experience too

Three years ago when i finished my higher National Diploma from the Nigeria Institute of Nigeria I so much wanted to work with an advertising agency because when there I will be able to show my creative prowess. but after some month and i could land a job(based on the fact that i didn't have previous knowledge of advertising) I was disappointed. I felt like 'to hell with them' I can still do it without them. so instead of advertising i shifted my creativity to TV and Radio Production.

I develop TV and Radio concept, and with the little money i make from designing wedding albums I go to the studio to execute them. due to my networking i was able to get get things done cheaply(but mostly it was a trade by batter thing) i design for them, help them develop a concept and they give me discounted studio time. I partnered with my presenter so i didn't have to pay him. It was tough I must say, but I finally made a pilot programme for a Radio show called "the dual mix show" and a Tv entertainment show. With these materials in hand I walked into many TV and Radio stations I had contacts with but none could help me. My contacts weren't high in the rank enough I guess. But I discovered one good lesson during that period that it may be had getting things done here if you don’t have a strong contact and if you don’t have money but good strategies can help you penetrate.

So with this in mind I decided to push my advert agency job a little harder. With three years on copy writing and graphics freelancing, working with a Production company, a Cable TV station and a weekly magazine, I finally found my self in an advert agency.

After being on training for four (4) months now, I am now a full staff. And that is where the journey beings. And let me start by saying that the advert industry in Nigeria is nothing like what I have imagined. but I wont let you imagine it too, rather I will share my experience soon