Hello, wonderful Ad Fam.
When we named this community the “UOadFAM” we did so because that’s the real and wonderful truth of our program. We support each other, give opportunity, find solace, fail, reimagine, and thrive. Together.
The issues of the day for us — COVID, safety and public heath in general, remote learning, mental health, the political and social divides around us — challenge us to consider why we’re here. Think about this. What are the questions we need to ask right now? I have three:
What matters?
As in what matters as you plan a career?
What matters as you make your way through the world?
What piece of your work will be memorable?
Keep asking yourself all of these things. Your career in the idea industry should matter.
What can I do to thrive?
That’s the question for all of us, faculty and students alike.
The key will be to find our people, make good things, stay curious, and learn. Thriving through challenging times — really challenging times for some of us — isn’t easy. But we have resources and opportunities to help us do that. Use them. Reach out to a faculty member you don’t know but who seems interesting. Talk to people doing work you respect. Ask the person in class who did a great project to a Zoom meeting.
Thriving is the goal. Ask for help. Seek advice. Reach out.
How will the idea industry react and reinvent in the next couple of years?
I’m not sure of all the answers. Looking at the industry right now, size matters. Smaller and feistier places will win more and more work and leverage skills better. Larger agencies with hefty overhead will have to find relevance. WFH and remote mojo will continue to be a way of life but it will all be used more purposely than pandemic mandatories.
One CEO told me just this week about her plans for post-COVID: “Why wouldn’t I let people work remotely, then gather every couple of weeks to celebrate, travel somewhere, and make memories together? We don’t need a watercooler or cool rolling chairs. We need to work hard, do great work, then get to know and trust each other.”
That makes sense. Clients pull in-house. Budgets rollercoaster. Layoffs happen and strong hiring trends follow.
Your superpower lies in being young, ready to learn, and full of ideas. Make the most of that.
The faculty and students in our undergraduate and graduate programs form our community.
Welcome to a landing place we hope will be useful, interesting, and full of ideas.