A Week in an Ad Student's Life

Written by: Glenesha Grant & Caroline Wasiolek

Student Profile: Caroline Wasiolek

Caroline Wasiolek

Where did you complete your Undergrad Degree/Diploma and in what subject area?

I completed my Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology at the University of Toronto.

When did you first discover an interest in Advertising?

During my last year of university, I took a course called “Media Ethics and Policy: Controversies in Mass Communication", which opened my eyes to the world of advertising and how well my knowledge of psychology and sociology applied to it. Why did you choose Sheridan’s Advertising Account Management Program?

I chose Sheridan's program compared to other schools because: 1. It was local, 2. Has a great reputation is a condensed ‘fast-track’ program specifically designed for Post Graduates, 3. The staff are very caring and friendly, 4. It offers a wonderful Co-op opportunity!

How are you finding your experience at Sheridan?

Sheridan College is a much smaller campus than I’m used to. However, because of this you have a smaller classes which allows you to have a more fruitful learning experience. You get to build amazing relationships with your classmates, as well as have a better opportunity to ask more questions in class. Compared to university, this program is very fast paced and consists of many groups projects. Nevertheless this is great as it teaches you valuable skills such as time management and teamwork.

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

Even if you are somebody who comes from a completely different academic background than Advertising and Marketing, this program is for you! This program is designed to teach you everything you need to know about the world of advertising so that you are equipped to hit the ground running when you step into the professional world.

What would you consider your main areas of interest and expertise as a result of your learning in the Program so far?

The Advertising - Account Management program has opened my eyes to the various areas of Advertising such as media, creative, planning, marketing, digital and so forth. I would have to say that my interest lies in account planning and creative since they are areas of advertising that allow one to be both creative and analytical. When the best of both worlds collide, one is met with endless opportunities and inspiration derived from dynamic and varying points of view.

The Ultimate Survival Guide For Advertising Students

Do you have the jitters to start a new semester? Want to start off on a good note? Don't worry, you're not alone. Here are a few tips to help you get through the new semester a little easier!

Befriend Your Classmates

Most likely you’re already good friends with most of the people in the class. Nevertheless, networking is a key part of the advertising industry, so you should start expanding your connections now. Either way you could be acquainting yourself with a potential co-worker or making a lifelong friend!

Use Your Free Time Wisely

If you aren’t already, make use of a weekly planner. Get yourself organized and on top of assignments with a schedule. Those 2 hour long breaks? You can use at least half of the time to catch up on projects or readings. The earlier you start the less last minute crunching you’ll have to do. You’ll thank yourself later.  

Balance Studying, Social Life, and Work Commitments

It’s important to prioritize studies by giving yourself enough time to complete schoolwork. However, it’s equally important to relax and just take a deep breath. Don’t let stress take control of your life.

Get Involved On Campus

Make most of your time and tuition by joining a club or campus event. Getting involved can make you feel more comfortable on campus, add to your resume, and you can even meet some new people.

Ask For Help

Have unanswered lingering questions? You have many resources available to you whenever you need it! Whether you need academic assistance, financial advice or counselling, you can easily reach out to teachers, library staff, or the student support office who are all more than happy to help you succeed.

Stay Healthy

With a busy schedule, it can be difficult to remember that you need to take care of yourself. Some ways to stay healthy include:

•       Staying active (especially since the YMCA pass is included in your student tuition
•       Making nutritious snacks for school (great if you’re on a budget!)
•       Practicing meditation and relaxation techniques
  

Hey..

If you’re ever in need of support, your classmates are always here to help you out. Always join a Facebook Group for your program!

Zulu Alpha Kilo Meet & Tour

Written by: Glenesha Grant

Our class was given the chance to visit and tour an ad agency called Zulu Alpha Kilo! Zulu Alpha Kilo is a creative boutique ad agency (for simpler terms that means they have a strong focus on the creative element of advertising).

Zulu Alpha Kilo earned a huge industry shoutout by being named Strategy Online's overall Gold Design Agency of the Year and Bronze Agency of the Year 2018! This is BIG for them because A LOT (if not all) smaller ad agencies are under bigger advertising corporations such as Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, Interpublic Group. Zulu Alpha Kilo is an independent ad agency that stands on their own within the advertising industry.

It was an AMAZING opportunity for us to see how an ad agency operates and the kind of work they do! We were offered refreshments (LOTS of cookies) and the Associate Creative Director (Jacob Gawrysiak) and Group Account Director (Matthew Sinuita) introduced themselves and started off with a presentation about Zulu Alpha Kilo!

The presentation was very in-depth about the work that Zulu Alpha Kilo does, and one amazing campaign that they created was the Tim Hortons Kenya Hockey Team commercial that I thought was BRILLIANT! 

Here is the ad!

Also, I really liked how they talked about how their agency believes strongly in “no-spec” policy. In simple terms, a spec policy is when advertising agencies pitch ideas to clients to try to win the account. Historically, clients expect this creative work to be done free of charge, which can be quite costly for an agency.

After the presentation, we were given a tour around the agency and it was so cool to see all the floors and their other building too! Each floor had their own specialty, for example, they had a creative production floor, accounts floor, digital floor, and even an IT floor too!

Overall, our class had a wonderful time and it was an excellent opportunity for us to see how an ad agency works. It allowed us to visually see what kind of work we would be doing in the near future!!

LAST and MOST IMPORTANTLY (if I say so myself), Zulu Alpha Kilo offers “employee-ships” instead of internships. Instead of offering unpaid internships, Zulu Alpha Kilo encourages graduating students to apply for their in-house employee-ships. Successful candidates are given an opportunity for full-time employment on the spot!

A Trip to the IDEA Summit

Written by: Glenesha Grant

Early in October, our program gifted us FREE passes to the IDEA Summit! It was an amazing opportunity for us to get a glimpse into the world of advertising! The panels were amazing and very informative. Personally, only after three weeks of classes I was able to understand the advertising lingo that was being thrown around during the panels.

And speaking of panels….

They were AWESOME!

The three panels that I went to were:

 Mediacom & Group M Session: Have your Cake…And Change too!
This panel was so cool! It explained the relationships/roles between agencies and clients and how agencies need to be more transparent with each other.

We are All HUMANS First!
This panel was my fave~!! 

• It connected with me on a personal level; discussing  the lack of diversity within the Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations industry. 
• This was a big reason I got into get into advertising because I could see that some ads were getting into controversy issues with racial/cultural groups due to their lack of awareness and understanding of such groups.

Creativity By Numbers? The Ageism Debate
This was my second favourite panel!!

• It opened my eyes to issues regarding ageism within ads! 
• A cool tidbit from the panel; By 2021, there will be a huge trend with the Baby Boomers generation wanting to be healthier. So, advertisers should watch out for that!

Not only were the panels amazing, we got to see a cool installation too!

It was a wonderful time and I am thankful that our program was able to provide us with the opportunity to go to this event! There are even MORE events that our program is providing for us to learn about advertising industry, network with future employers and co-op opportunities, and to express our opinions!

Check out our Instagram page to see all the cool things we are doing inside AND outside of classes!

^Btw Sheridan College is a proud sponsor of the IDEA Summit, so you will get to meet some grads there! Hello NETWORKING~!

A Marketer’s Journey into Advertising

Written by: Gaurav Kakar

I’ve always tried to make myself stand out in some way or the other. A friend of mine used to call it “The art of wriggling out of a type."  

I was always the creative guy in a room full of business minded people. In Sheridan College’s Advertising - Account Management program, I now find myself being the business guy in a room full of creative students. Why? By choice of course. 

Why did I choose this program?

The combination of courses here is what caught my attention. It has a healthy mix of strategic and creative approaches which sounded like a good deal to me!

What sold it though, was the Co-op at the end. What better way to get a foot in the industry than literally stepping foot in the industry?

How’s it going so far? 

I’m ecstatic about the way things are turning out so far. Everything in the program is extremely hands on. I’m halfway into week 4 while writing this post and we’re already:

●        Designing creatives, learning how to write copy for ads

●        Examining brilliant campaigns from all over the world

●        Researching and working on Ad Strategies

●        Exploring the Digital Landscape

●        Figuring out the Canadian Media space

I’m a tad sleep deprived from the work already but I’m enjoying every minute of it!

Such is the post grad life.

A word of advice:

Have you thought about joining the Advertising industry but aren’t exactly sure where to start? That’s the same dilemma I was facing about a month ago. I can say with confidence that picking this program is one of the best moves I could’ve made to help myself figure it out. I highly recommend it!

Student Profile: Kashmi

Kashmi

Where did you complete your Undergrad Degree/Diploma and in what subject area?

I completed my undergraduate degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University (United Kingdom) in Business Administration and Business Studies.

When did you first discover an interest in Advertising?

I majored in Brand and Communication Management during my undergraduate degree. I was fascinated by the subject and after successfully finishing my degree, I joined Dentsu Group Sri Lanka as a media executive. I worked with different brands, supporting and watching them evolve positively through successful advertising campaigns. This fostered my interest in advertising.

Why did you choose Sheridan’s Advertising Account Management Program?

Sheridan’s one-year Advertising Account Management Post Graduate Program offers knowledge in media, marketing integration, creative development, research insight and a digital landscape of Canada. Professors with valuable connections and experience provide insight into the working process and client-business relationships that make up the industry. The vast network of alumni that are in agency positions offer positive recommendations about Sheridan, which made my decision easier.

How are you finding your experience at Sheridan?

Amazing! The educational knowledge comes with real world experience when dealing with clients such as Canadian Tire. We experienced the process of conducting consumer research with industry software such as ClearDecisions, vivadata, Infosys, and more. All of the professors are friendly, supportive, and always willing to help students with their studies and career goals. The agency visits at Alpha Zulu Kilo and McCann, through our professor’s connections, opened opportunities to network and learn hands-on, which is vital for a career in the Canadian advertising industry. 

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

This is an amazing opportunity to explore and learn about the advertising industry in Canada. For students who like to work hard and obtain industry insight through real experience, I would recommend Sheridan’s Advertising Account Management program.