Tufts alum Denise Rosenblum (J '87), senior vice president at Arnold Worldwide, explained the ins and outs of the advertising business to about 35 students in Eaton Hall yesterday.
"You've got to be great at selling because if you can't market your ideas, they'll just stay as your ideas," she said. "It's a tough business. You've got to love it."
Rosenblum described the different facets of life at an advertising agency and showed examples of successful advertisements, including those from companies like Citizen's Bank and Truth.
She said successful advertising agencies are now judged more for their "proven tools for building a business" rather than their ideas and creativity, as they were five to 10 years ago.
"We live in a world where competition is greater than ever," Rosenblum said. "Companies are looking for success and results." She said a successful ad agency should understand their clients' business and how they make their money while developing sustainable, long-term campaigns.
"It's not just about the [traditional] ads anymore," she said. Advertising currently extends beyond traditional mediums like print and television to include direct mail and the Internet.
The bulk of Rosenblum's experience in the world of advertising was as an account manager - or a "suit" - where she directed daily marketing activity and acted as the chief liaison to clients.
Other positions in the advertising world include account planning, which provides insight into the customer base; media, where executives determine the appropriate vehicles, locations and demographics for ads; and creative positions, which actually develop the distinctive image of a brand.
All positions require excellent communication skills, strategic and analytical thinking, as well as good salesmanship, Rosenblum said.
The advertising industry has always been one of the most competitive job markets, she said, adding that 10 to 12 resumes are considered for even entry-level positions at Arnold Worldwide. As in many job markets, internships are the best way to break into the business, Rosenblum said.
The business is not all glamour. Besides being a low-paying industry - salaries usually begin at an average of $27,000 per year - advertising also requires employees to work long hours.
"Typically, I never got out of work before 8 p.m.," Rosenblum said. "It's a very demanding industry and it doesn't get easier the older you get ... but the expectation is that you have a positive attitude."
But Rosenblum said the job is worth it. "You won't find people under 30 who love their jobs as much as advertising people do."
Rosenblum, who majored in political science at Tufts, first became interested in advertising through the annual career fair, which she herself organized.
After graduation, she worked at several small advertising companies in the Boston area before moving to New York City, where she gained experience in larger ad agencies.
Rosenblum returned to Boston in 1997. She currently supervises various training programs for all branches of Arnold Worldwide, which includes offices in New York, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Toronto.
Arnold Worldwide, Boston's largest advertising agency and the center for the global network Arnold Worldwide Partners, has created campaigns for clients like Volkswagen, Titleist, Jack Daniels, Colonial Williamsburg, Bermuda, and Celebrity Cruises.
Among its many awards and titles, Arnold Worldwide has been voted the second-most creative agency in the United States by Creativity Magazine and is currently considered fourth in the world. Arnold was also named as one of the top 50 "Best Places To Work In Massachusetts" by Boston Business Journal.
The Communication and Media Studies Program sponsored yesterday's event.
