I'm new to advertising, what is exactly what you do?

Well, most of us in the field get that a lot. My usual reply is that I get paid to read, think, write and talk. And yes, that is something we all do except that I get paid to do it exclusively for a specific client, brand or product that needs to solve a particular problem or meet a certain objective.

In a more familiar TV show context, let’s say I do for my clients what doctors do in the hit series House. They hold meetings to throw ideas based on what they know about medicine and patients history. They agree on diagnosis and decide the best course of action. For example, the options for the best course of action could be treat the infected liver (the cause) or treat the fever (the symptom). The treatment could go from antibiotics to surgery or both. Translating this into what I do:

- The product or brand is the patient.
- I read and/or ask questions to understand the “patient’s history”.
- The “throwing ideas part of the meetings” is brainstorming (thinking).
- Using my experience and whatever information available about the “patient” to identify the problem to be solved or the objective is the diagnosis.
- Deciding the best course of action is defining the strategy.

To understand what in my job is equivalent to treatment, let’s take a closer look to our example:
- I do make recommendations ie. Antibiotics vs. surgery, etc. meaning I could tell you “your best option is to do a TV Ad or a web banner’s campaign” or whatever applies.
- I can provide you with the antibiotic or the scalpel in the form of an idea, a text for an ad or a PowerPoint presentation of a Marketing Plan if that’s what you hired me for.

BUT MY JOB ENDS HERE.

What I’m trying to say is that I do not administer the treatment or, in advertising terms, I do not design the ad, produce the commercial, buy the media spot, or coordinate the event. The farther I can go, if you ask for it when you hire me, is to be part of the process to make sure everything is according to strategy or within the creative scope you approved. Also I can be there to help you making decisions about the project ie. during the casting process, the approval of a layout, creating a presentation, etc.

I hope this helped you get a better idea. As you can see there's not much glamour or parties involved; not in my role. If you asked the media people that's another story. f you need more info let me know ;-)