Hi everyone and happy new year!
It’s good to be back from winter break and I’m excited to start this semester and year off with a bang – even if that meant having to say goodbye to the 75-degree California “winter.”
I always look forward to the beginning of the new semester because I love the first day of classes where I get to meet new professors, see old classmates, and learn about the exciting work that the semester holds for me. But the class I’m looking forward to most this semester is AdLab.
AdLab is COM’s very own full-service, student-run advertising agency and the best part is that it’s a class! While getting course credit, students also get to experience what life is like working in an advertising agency and get the privilege to do so within the comfort of our very own school walls. Each student first interviews for the position of their choice whether that is an account executive, account planner, art director, copywriter, or interactive director. After receiving their position, students are then assigned to their teams and their client. The teams work closely with the client throughout the semester to create work that fulfills the client’s needs that may include, but certainly are not limited to, logos, taglines, print advertisements, commercials, website design and programming, and social media planning.
I took AdLab last semester and loved it so much that I decided to take the class again this semester. Last semester, I was an Account Executive and my client was Positive Living Magazine, a startup online magazine that sought to promote a positive, healthy, and balanced lifestyle. This semester, I have been promoted to an Account Supervisor and will join the Executive Board in monitoring the status of my assigned accounts while helping out my Account Executives with any problems that may arise throughout the semester.
AdLab is such a great opportunity and employers even consider it as real-world experience. Under the direction of our professors, Professor Tobe Berkovitz, Professor John Verret (on sabbatical this semester), and Professor Judith Austin, students have the opportunity to create work for real clients while having these amazing professors as a resource for guidance.
For anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in advertising, I highly recommend taking AdLab. It was my favorite class last semester and I’m really looking forward to taking on a new position and seeing a different side of agency life.
Stay warm, everyone!