So It Begins

I've always found it unfair that teenagers are basically forced to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives by the time they turn eighteen. But I've also always felt very lucky because unlike many of my friends, I've known for quite a while what I want to do: advertising. People are often surprised when they hear that's my chosen field. They say, "Saige, you're so nice, you don't want to be a shark like them ad folk!" This generalization has always bugged me because while I may not know the ins and outs of the business, I do know that there will always be room for kindness and compassion when trying to sway a consumer. That's something that excites me about advertising - there are countless outlets, countless approaches, countless innovations that can be taken to get the job done. Of course some work better than others, and I have much to learn in that regard, but I find myself smiling when I think about the creativity I will be able to use in my everyday life while working in advertising. 

I've always been interested in the psychological aspect of advertising, and how the rapidly changing technological and social aspects of our generation affect how a consumer thinks. I think the most important part of advertising is its fluidity - there are certain things that will always remain true about selling products and ideas, but there's also an endless world of possibilities that fluctuate alongside the progression of society. An advertiser must be acutely aware of his audience and what message that audience will receive best. I find so many aspects of advertising to be intriguing and I am actually perhaps a little too excited to explore them all.

Still, the whole "shark" thing eats away at the back of my mind. If there's anything that actually disgusts me about advertising, I guess it would be the notion that I could one day become a heartless soul-sucking monster who values revenue over integrity. I think this is where being kind and compassionate comes into play - I will do what I must to succeed in the business, but I refuse to sacrifice my conscience in the process. Maybe this means staying away from political advertising, or maybe this means I'm not cut out to be a part of the industry at all. Only time will tell; I've got a lot to learn and an open mind will be my closest companion.

And so it begins. I look forward to learning all I can from this class. 

-Saige