marketing in traffic by brian branca

I read an article today on Sportsline.com called Sports Appreciation Day that poses the question, “Why did I ever like sports in the first place?”  This question is asked on the heels of the ongoing investigations of Barry Bonds’ & Roger Clemens’ use of performance enhancing drugs & lying while under oath.  Throw in the Tim Donaghy gambling scandal, Michael Vick’s conviction & jail time for running & funding a dog fighting ring, some other very unfortunate events & you can paint a pretty bleak picture.  As we all know, it only takes a little negativity to ruin all that is good. 

All of this got me thinking.  When did I decide on a career in advertising & marketing?  As I am wont to do, I then thought some more.  I want you to tell me when you knew a career in advertising & marketing would be your path of choice.  Have you ever doubted or regretted your decision?  What are some of your fondest memories?  How do you stay motivated & inspired?

Me?

I majored in Business Administration & chose to take the vast majority of my junior & senior year electives in marketing-focused classes.  A class I took during my last semester was essentially a culmination of everything I learned within my major as we entered the American Advertising Federation’s National Student Advertising Competition.  Back in the Fall of 1998, our project was to create an advertising campaign for what is now Toyota’s Prius.  This was my initial foray into the dynamic world of advertising; cross-functional teams, lots of research, story boards, long hours, stressful situations, clashing personalities, & deadlines. 

I loved it; I absolutely loved it & was disappointed that I would not be around in the Spring (because I was graduating) for the actual competition.  We did not end up winning (so I didn’t miss out on much), but the experience left an indelible mark on me.  I wanted to work in advertising, but not just behind the scenes (you can blame that on those damn Simmons Market Research books). 

There have been lots of pitfalls along the way; I even considered doing something else about seven years ago.  The internet & all its wonders saved me.  Its consistent evolution, fueled by some really smart & dedicated people & innovative brands, motivates me & continually piques my curiosity.

Anything you would like to share, please do!  Heck, even if your career is in something unrelated to advertising or marketing, this applies to you.  So, let’s hear it…