How I Got Into Advertising, Got Wild and Got A Life!!! (And also learnt how to plagiarize famous book titles…)

(An article for IMT Nagpur)

As a part of the Placement team for IMT-N I still remember waiting at the Percept office in Mumbai, at 7 pm that December evening, knowing well that the train back to Nagpur was going to leave within an hour. But such was the passion to work in an agency, I just had to get an Agency on campus, even if it meant taking the bumpy 18 hour bus journey on my way back (And making other team-mates do the same).

About forty-five minutes and another hard-selling attempt later, I realized that the agency would hire only post-March(that’s when most agencies get new hiring budgets). We, were looking to close placements by January. “Well then, ok sir... it was a great pleasure meeting you! And when can we get back to you?”, said the jubilant junior accompanying me. “I, will get back”, was the stoic reply.

I knew he wouldn’t.

Not that he didn’t want to. But for some reason, (which is still not clear to me) advertising agencies rarely have an HR department and so, a clear recruitment policy. Recruitment happens through references almost all the time and salaries are either decided by the Admin dept. or the head of the agency(depending on how big or small the agency is). And yes, I did miss that train.

Oh well…two months later, just had to settle for a high-paying, high-flying, be-in-a-suit- everyday IT sales job in Dubai. Couldn’t have possibly left the campus without a job you know!

Six months post-joining and a relationship later, I was wondering whether life was going on the right path. Was what I was doing, really my strength? Was it what I wanted to do for the rest of my life? Not that the current job didn’t give me a chance to use my marketing knowledge, but seriously, how much of your creativity can you use in an IT sales job?

Decision made.

Back in India and without a job, I applied to a couple of Ad Agencies. They all said they’ll get back. A month later, I was still without a job.

As luck would have it, a friend happened to be working at one of the best below-the-line(BTL) advertising agencies in Mumbai. And as luck would have it further, I happened to call him on a day he was looking to hire someone. Three days later I had my offer letter in hand. Jai Pangaonkar, Account Executive – Client Servicing.

Everything’s not that easy though, when you join the ad world. Especially if you happen to have an educational loan for your MBA. Agencies frankly don’t pay you much. And it rarely matters if you are an MBA. It takes a lot of guts and even more passion to take the plunge.

But boy…once you are there…don’t expect miracles! (Gotcha!). Like me, you are most likely to start off checking copy of an ad for spelling mistakes. And then be part of a brainstorming session where everyone talks so much, you start wondering whether you have any knowledge at all.

It takes about a month to understand the true working of an Agency and its people. And yes, it is as much about understanding the people inside, as it is about your creativity and client-handling skills.

For all of you wondering what Client Servicing does here’s a pictorial representation:

Yeah, basically you get your ass kicked from all sides or put in other words, Client Servicing is the common touch-point between the client and the various departments within an agency.

Note: This is the advertising world from a client servicing guy’s point of view. From a creative persons point of view, the representation of the same image would be:

Anyways, more or less a month into the agency, I had a good hang of managing people and their egos. If you can do that, you’ve got it done in this industry.

As far as clients go, come prepared thinking they are never going to be intelligent. Also keep in mind You are going to become a client some day. (As and when you shift to the ‘other’ side)

It is crucial to understand how a clients organization works. Whom does your client report into. What kind of a boss he/she has. Because all these will directly affect your client relationship. For example, if a client(who would generally be a marketing manager) has to take feedback from her own boss, plus a departmental head(Lets say a sales head), he/she is going to take longer to revert on a creative than a client who has to report into one boss. These minor things will tell you how and when to react to your clients feedback.

If you are thinking that client servicing means chilling out and partying and a lot of girls, you are thinking right. But it also means a lot of late-nights (without the girls), a lot of client pressure and amazingly irate creatives trying to kick your ass all the time. If you are lucky you might also get to go on a photo-shoot or two (Yes. I went on one)

But all in all, advertising’s a fun world. You get to wear what you want(most of the times), nobody expects you to come on time(except your client) and you get a great outlet for your creative cravings. Mix that with some of the not-so-fun things above and you have a really interesting industry which has a lot to offer to those who have even something to offer to it.

- Jai Pangaonkar

(The writer is an alumnus of the 2006 batch of IMT Nagpur. Currently working with TEQUILA\, the BTL arm of TBWA\ worldwide, he is also looking out for a new job. If you have one in mind or have any queries on advertising you can mail him on: jai.panga@gmail.com)