Jess Mallett – 7th December 2011
Sell Me An Ad Student
This blog is an absolute must read for anyone who is representing an agency that is thinking of offering placements to SCA students. I would like to try and sell you every person I have worked with this term. Since September we have been working in groups on various briefs. We’ve all had ups and downs – with some people taking a rockier ride than others! I haven’t had the pleasure of working with everyone on the course in a small group. However, I would like to reflect back on all the briefs where we have been in groups of 4 or less – and declare what I believe are the strongest qualities of everyone I have worked with. I’ll go alphabetically:
Amar – I think Amar is the most intense person on the course. If ever there was a testament to creative people typically being ‘obsessive’, it’s a plucky little Scottish bloke with plenty of passion. Amar will throw himself into a brief and truly tries to engage with the partnership aspect of working together. During our work on You Box I was bombarded with texts, emails, phone calls, Skype requests, Facebook messages and was even lured into his flat at one point. Disappointingly his only motive was to crack the brief! Amar is focused on doing briefs to the best of his ability, and will do any agency proud.
Arvid – Arvid is probably the calmest, coolest person on the course. Seconds before one recent pitch I was shaking like a leaf, and Arvid forced me to sit down and listen to his chill out playlist (which I think is also incidentally probably the sound track to his life). He’s confident in networking and will happily talk to anyone. He was the very first person who approached me and introduced himself on the first day of the course. Arvid takes it upon himself to make others welcome. I think it’s fairly rare to come across someone who is incredibly creative but can also be collected and level-headed when it matters – and Arvid is that rarity.
Charlie – The most striking thing about Charlie is his sense of wonder every time he hears a good idea. His eyes light up and he looks dreamily into the distance. If you listen carefully you can hear the clogs turning underneath that beanie hat. Charlie is also passionate. He will hook onto good ideas and push them and push them. However he also looks at other avenues. Most importantly he will listen to you, and I mean really listen. He will always have something positive to say about an idea you come up with, even if he thinks it isn’t right for the brief. If I haven’t done a good job at selling him then I would like to refer you to the ‘Spank’ tag in our studio, as his art work can speak for itself.
Danielle – I have only worked with Danielle very recently. She often describes herself as a little more reserved than other people, but I would describe her a little differently. Danielle isn’t a shouty person but she will take everything in around her. She will let the shouters do the shouting, and then she will strike with an absolutely knock out idea that seemed like it came from nowhere (when in fact if we all did a little more listening, maybe we would be able to do the same). She has consistently won competition briefs (probably more than anyone else on the course) – which I think is a more concrete proof of pure talent.
Joanne – The very first time I worked with Jo she told the group she wasn’t confident at pitching. Less than two weeks later she was stood alone on the stage in front of the whole school, delivering a pitch that Steve Henry described as “sensational”. I believe that each time Jo grows in confidence, we will see a little more of that sensational streak. She is assertive when she really believes in something, which is a quality numerous mentors have encouraged us towards.
Harish – Although his shiny, bald Malteser head will probably swell to an alarming proportion when he reads this, Harish is the wittiest member of the group. When stand up comes around I think we’ll all be looking Harish’s way. I remember Harish from the very first day. We all had to make paper planes and the one that flew the furthest won the competition. When it was Harish’s turn he scrunched his plane into a ball and hurled it as far as he could across the studio. This has since lodged itself in my memory. Harish is certainly more than capable of what we often call ‘thinking outside the box’.
Helen – First and foremost Helen has the greatest and the most infectious laugh on the course. She has a permanent grin on her face, and has the wonderful ability to uplift everyone who is around her. This makes the best environment possible to be creative in. We are told we have to be a ‘natural child’ to maximise our creativity, and I think ten minutes with Helen will probably bring this out in anyone. Helen is also incredibly kind. She is one of the first people I will go to if I want to bounce an idea off someone. Even if she has nothing to do with what I’m working on (and probably has ten million things of her own to worry about) she will give me her full attention and try and work the problem out with me.
Mariana – If I ever hear Mariana say a single bad thing about any human being on the planet, I will eat Simon’s hat. If you want to employ someone in your agency who will be immediately liked by everyone around her then you need to talk to Mari. She is an absolute pleasure to work with, and an incredibly warm person. If someone is struggling to get involved in a debate then Mariana will be the first to bring him or her into the conversation.
Martin – I don’t have words for how intelligent this man is. I think Martin operates on a different plane to the rest of us. He is very perceptive and works at a pace that is most definitely up a gear from my own. I think Martin’s strongest working quality is the way he challenges a brief. He won’t ever challenge a brief for the sake of it, but he will always question absolutely everything – which a lot of people would probably be too scared, or too lazy to do. He also tells a great anecdote on demand, which is a lovely intermission in the working day.
Olly – I think Olly will be very well known to all the mentors. I praised Arvid for his networking, and Mari for her warmth – and I think Olly combines these into a beautiful package. Olly is someone who always thinks about other people over himself, which I think is a quality entirely unique to him on our course. He will always remind you of your own personal deadlines, for example, the student blogs we’ve been doing. Chances are Olly is responsible for a lot of them being uploaded on time! He will always, always say good morning and ask you how you are every single day, and will make that extra small effort that makes a massive difference.
Simon – Simon is the only person on the course who has managed to reduce me to hysterical fits of laughter on multiple occasions. I have had tears rolling down my cheeks and been incapable of speech almost every time he decides to get involved in the ‘theatre’ aspect of pitching. Simon is someone who uses the ‘natural child’ to make brilliant creative work. If you haven’t seen any yet take a look at the banner which has the prime position on our school’s website.
Sophie – Sophie is someone who I would call socially gifted. If you talk to her then there will be no such thing as an awkward silence. She takes a genuine interest in you as a person, which I think is something we could all learn from in a people-orientated business. Sophie is also a very fast thinker, and comes up with snazzy and catchy copy in a seemingly effortless manner.
Thirza – One Saturday evening at the beginning of term, after one or two alcoholic beverages, Thirza declared to myself (and the rest of the neighbours that live on her street) that she was very happy I was her friend. I was probably more pleased about hearing this than the day I found out they were bringing Wispa bars back. Thirza is an absolutely beautiful person, and she is so different to anyone I have ever come across before (I mean that as a compliment). In terms of a working partnership Thirza is crazily enthusiastic. Throughout a number of presentations I’ve been punched in the arm and told that something is “SO COOL!” She’s a girl with passion and plenty of punch.
Valentina – I think Valentina has to be one of the bravest people on the course. I don’t know her as well as the rest of the group because she joined us half way through the term from Italy, after we had already established who everyone was and formed a number of friendships. I think this is an unbelievably courageous thing to do. With the art work I have seen her produce on our brief, I believe she has a great eye but also produces ideas in volume. She won’t ever present just a single execution idea. There will be five at the very least.
Right, I think I might go for a chunder in the nearest bucket after all that sentiment. It might have just brought a little tear to the eye! Expect the same report at the end of term two if you want to find out what is wonderful about the other half of the Spank intake. Tara!
