Grad Profile: James Clark

James Clark
@jamesweclark 

When did you first discover an interest in Advertising?

While I was attending Laurier, I took a course called Advertising as Communication. It was all creating a brand and bringing it to life, to connect with a customer. This really interested me and I wanted to be a part of the creation of those brands and stories that go along with them.

Why did you choose Sheridan?

I was a member of the inaugural Post-Grad Advertising Management program at Sheridan. It was a perfect fit to just take one more year to get where I wanted to go. I knew that Sheridan had a reputation for having a tremendous faculty and great course offerings. It was a no-brainer to choose Sheridan.

What did you learn from Sheridan?

I learned a lot about how Marketing and Advertising are closely linked and how they continue to be key factors in communicating with the correct consumers. Utilizing the right marketing mix can be the difference between a decent campaign and a viral campaign.

What was the #1 thing you took away from your post grad experience?

No matter what the media or message, advertising starts by looking at statistics and gathering information.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a post grad program?

I would tell them that they should take the time to do it. The foundation is what employers are looking for.

How has the completion of the Program affected your career?

The program allowed me to integrate fairly quickly into the advertising jobs I first had after graduation. I have had people remark that my training at Sheridan put me above others in terms of preparedness and comprehension of advertising processes and tactics.

Where do you work and what is your current position?

The Contest System

I work at The Contest System in Burlington as the Manager of Digital Projects. The Contest System is an online platform that allows clients to run contests, loyalty programs, referral programs, apps, websites - ANYTHING. We also work with clients on rules and regulations and Regie filings for those contests that run in Quebec.

I manage all the developers and designers to bring client programs to life. I am also responsible for overall client management and training.

What is your favourite part of the job?

My favourite part of the job is being at the cutting-edge of digital infrastructure projects with clients. Having clients that want to push the envelope in terms of rewarding their customers and getting their messages across is extremely exciting.