Grad Profile: Odecca Ordonez

Odessa Ordonez

When did you first discover an interest in Advertising?

When I was working as a marketing coordinator. I was always interested in understanding consumer behaviour and how it affects his/her decision in purchasing an item. There was only one thing that I learned from my work experience – to keep a campaign simple. A campaign that is easy to understand and clever enough to capture an audience’s attention. The only way to do that is to understand how advertising works and how to stand out in the market.

Why did you choose Sheridan?

I chose Sheridan because I had an amazing experience when I was in my undergrad program (Business Administration - Marketing). Professors at Sheridan are experienced professionals who have been in the industry for quite a while and who fully understand their subject. I knew that I would never regret going back to Sheridan because of the professors who truly care about their students' successes, but also the state-of-the-art facilities that Sheridan has.

What did you learn from Sheridan?

Sheridan Advertising Account Management program propelled my career forward. I learned many techniques on how to gain valuable insights about consumers, products and competition. We were trained on how to think critically when analyzing a business problem. We learned how to build a comprehensive integrated marketing communication plan. We were well-trained to use industry tools that agencies are currently using. And lastly, I was able to improve my creativity skills and proficiency in using Adobe products. My coop class helped me improve my employability skills by  improving my resume and interviewing abilities.

Where was your co-op placement?

I was able to secure a Media Intern position at Maxus Canada (downtown Toronto), a part of GroupM and WPP global network.

What did you learn from your co-op placement?

My co-op placement opened a lot possibilities in my personal and professional life. It honed my skills in networking, communication, research, strategic thinking, creativity, and collaboration. I learned that the advertising industry is massive and a very complicated arena, most particularly the digital world. In addition, I was lucky enough to be involved in the planning process and had the opportunity to learn new planning tools so we can dig tons of data to uncover patterns and consumer insights.

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

Our final project during our last term was the main highlight of the program. The project teaches many things so we can be prepared in the real world. We were able to apply all the knowledge and skills learned from each course. We were given a specific challenge to solve and built everything from the scratch. We gathered and collected data, gained consumer insights from our research, brainstormed for creative advertising ideas, understood and selected the media vehicles to deliver the big idea, came up with the most appropriate sales and trade promotion strategies to sell the product and selected the metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) that we should use to measure the success of our campaign. This project prepared me in my career. I did not have difficulty in understanding the planning process, strategic development and execution of the campaign.

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

If you’re looking for a program that will help you gain hands-on experience in a short span of time along with your university degree/college diploma, taking a post-grad program is worth your time and effort as long as you’re willing to give 110% of your energy and focus. If you’re serious about shifting/launching your career, taking a post-grad program at Sheridan is the best option. And lastly, Sheridan’s post grad programs offer reasonable tuition fees for students.

How has the completion of the program affected your career?

Professors prepared us very well to be more professional and competitive in the market. In addition to the relevant tools used and topics covered in our program, we gained numerous skills such as creativity, strategic thinking, analytical, organization, communication, presentation and leadership.

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I currently work at Maxus Canada as an Assistant Media Planner/Buyer. This position was offered to me prior to the end date of my internship.

What is your favourite part of the job?

Firstly, I highly enjoy using different tools/methods in collecting meaningful data, analyzing the information and discovering consumer insights. I always have a great time every time in our brainstorming sessions to build solutions and generate ideas. Secondly, every day is different (i.e. new challenges, new opportunities, new vendors, new technology/tools and more). Lastly, I am learning new concepts everyday, especially on digital world. As a 360 degree planner/buyer, it is imperative to learn new things so we can come up with ideas that are fresh, unique and relevant to the target audience.