I'm starting this blog because I know that many girls and guys my age, those fresh out of college or approaching their final semesters, are intrigued by the world of work that is advertising. I'm here to temper all of your Don Draper fantasies with talk of pivot tables and flowcharts, powerpoint and planning tools. I am not the Don Draper you want, but the one you need. I want to give you a glimpse into agency life, and to let you follow my journey across the advertising universe.
So let's begin.
My name is Molly, and I am an Assistant Media Planner on the Burberry account living amongst the masses in NYC. Every weekday morning I walk over to my agency, weaving through the blocks according to the stoplight patterns. I do my best to avoid mysterious and odd-colored puddles on the sidewalk, and I dive away from puffs of cigarette smoke coming from the mouths of people in front of me. If you are one of those puffers, I might give you a dirty look as I scurry by you. Sorry. Kind of.
By nine o'clock I am taking the elevator to the 13th floor. Would I rather be on the 12th or the 14th? Yes. The superstition that surrounds the number 13 does not bother me. I am simply not a fan of prime numbers.
I get to my desk and open up my emails. If there is an urgent request, e.g. an MAF that needs to be sent or some discrepancy that needs to be resolved, I tend to that right away. MAF stand for Media Authorization Form, and it gives us on the agency side permission from our client to buy media. When all that is pressing is settled, I head up to the 14th floor to get my snacks for the day. Free (good) snacks. All day. Yes, my workplace is awesome.
The start of today, however, was different, because it was the beginning of Advertising Week. I spent the morning listening to shop talk at a conference. But that is too much fun for right now. I will talk of that tomorrow. For now, enjoy this picture of a dollar store snow globe that sits on my desk, taking cover under a miniature bus shelter complete with a Burberry posting.
