30 days of fame

Think about it. What was your perception about the advertising industry before you stepped into it and got stuck for life?

Was it the glamour, the gorgeous people, the free booze, the privilege of being invited to the coolest parties in town?

Now for a reality check: Did what really happen come anywhere close to the perception you had?

I say, let's not kid ourselves and say, "We had a damn good idea of what we were getting into."

But somewhere along the way, we just got used to all the late nights in the cubicle, impossible deadlines, endless meetings and dark rings around our eyes that just refused to go away.

The reality of advertising seemed so far from the initial perception.

What happened to all the glamour and shimmer that was supposed to make you feel so fabulously cool and hip among your friends and the people you vaguely knew?

Even today, things haven't changed much. Young first-timers are still thinking what I thought 18 years ago.

Albeit with a difference.

They come into an agency and suss out the reality pretty quickly. And guess what?

They are gone in 30 days!

A little hardship. A couple of tough meetings. A string of weekends. And they throw in the towel.

What happened to perseverance, passion and chasing that dream of being in advertising, no matter what?

Advertising is not a job. When you look at it that way, it becomes mundane; sometimes even painful.

Advertising should be a calling. You should love it, live it and enjoy it. Only then, can you experience pure joy stepping into the agency every morning.

So where does this leave us? Dearth of talent. We don't have enough new blood coming in, loving it and staying on. And how do we fill the gap? Hire more foreign talent? Convert those from other industries?

And what about those who managed to hang on when others made the exodus? These stayer-ons rise up the ladder quickly; not by years of experience but by default. Many of our senior people today lack the depth of experience compared with their counterparts on the client's side. This leads to a gap in expectations and results.

So what can you do?

Perhaps the next time you give a talk in a university or college, you should emphasise the reality and rigors of the job, not just the Hollywood made-up hype that youngsters think we're all about.

Perhaps more practical training is needed in our institutions. Work attachment stints should be no-holds-barred; giving a cold, hard dose of reality. Advertising is, after all, not for the fainthearted.

Perhaps the next time you interview a fresh candidate, you should look beyond the high-sounding string of degrees and search for hidden passion and the ceaseless will to succeed.

Only if we can do that, can we discover young men and women who're not looking for just a job in advertising, but for a life in a wonderful and rewarding career.

These will be people who will enjoy a lifetime of fame. Not just 30 days of it.

Subba Raju
CEO
Grey Global Group Singapore