DDB SF Launchpad

To apply, send a link to your work to intern@sf.ddb.com.

Advice from Maria

If you’re a student putting your book together, here’s some advice from Maria Scileppi, director of 72U:

Lead with personal projects. That’s what people really want to see; how you’re thinking, how you’re solving problems, how you see the world. Show the process if you can. And then have three or four campaigns to show that you can blow out an idea. But personal projects are a must, and I would lead with that. That’s how people get hired. Agencies want to see that you can make advertising. But what gets you hired is the personal project, because it resonates with us. It’s contributing to the culture. It’s not just giving a message. It’s being relevant in culture. And that’s what advertising wants to do. That’s what brands want to do. That’s why we connect more to these personal projects. They’re a reaction to the world we live in.

You can see some of Maria’s personal projects here.

The New 72U

Maria Scileppi doesn’t like to call 72U a portfolio school. Before heading things up there, she was the director of the Chicago Portfolio School, so she knows what a program full of art directors and copywriters looks like.

“This is really strategic art school for the maker,” she says.

Oh, yeah. And it’s backed by and housed in 72andSunny, AdAge's Agency of the Year.

72U Application is live from 72U on Vimeo.

I had breakfast with Maria last week and asked her about the new program. I gotta say, I’m jealous something like that wasn’t around when I was trying to break into the industry. Here are some of the highlights:

Forget what you thought you knew about 72U. It’s a new program. It used to be 10-months. Now it’s 12 weeks. It used to cost applicants $10,000. Now it’s free. (Students will pay $1,000, which goes toward their final project.)

Six applicants will be selected, and they’ll work individually, in groups of two, in groups of three, and all together. They’ll be sharing space with 72andSunny employees. They won’t be grouped together, and they won’t be separate from the agency. They’ll be seamlessly integrated.

They’ll have a range of assignments. Not all – in fact, very few – will be making ads. One assignment will be to develop and market a brand that embodies who they are. Another will be to fix a broken system. Maria says the purpose of each exercise is to make sure students come out with a stronger creative process. They’ll think and make faster.

Who should apply? Maria says, “It’s an intense curriculum, so people won’t be able to hold a job while they participate. I imagine they’re a couple years out of college. Maybe they got stuck at the wrong job and don’t know how to switch over. They don’t have to have any advertising experience, but they do have to have talent.”

Applications for 72U can be found at 72U.org. The deadline for applications is April 5^th. The program will begin May 27^th. The next session is planned for October 2013.

If you've got questions, reach out to Maria and 72U on Twitter.

Portfolio Night 11

If you're a student in advertising, attend Portfolio Night. You'll walk out with a better understanding of how creative directors will view your book. That's something you can't get from your professors, peers or parents. It's worth the cost of admission. And if there's not one in your city, it's worth the cost of admission and a road trip.

Here's an old post featuring me and my dearly departed friend, Sonya, talking the day after Portfolio Night in Chicago.

The Woodshed School - March 16th

If you're in Dallas on Saturday, March 16th (or if you're up for a roadtrip), check out the first portfolio class from The Woodshed School. Click here for details.


The Woodshed School is run by industry veteran, former VCU instructor, and genuinely nice guy, Peter Wood.

Headline Tips

A friend of mine recently asked if I have any tips for writing headlines. I'd never stopped to write any of them down. But here's my incomplete list of headline tips. Like all the advice on this blog, these tips are only sometimes true. Sometimes they will help you write great lines. And sometimes they will be wrong and lead you down paths of lameness. But most of the time, they'll be mostly true.

1. You’ll write 100 headlines for every one worth keeping.
2. Sometimes great body copy can come from the 99 lines that you threw out.
3. You can make your line stronger by removing every word that’s not absolutely necessary.
4. If you have an unusual visual, go for a straight-forward line. If you have a straight-forward visual, put as much character and personality in your line as you can.
5. Finally, we should all stop writing headlines that begin with “Finally,”
6. Avoid the “It’s like a (blank) for your (blank)” formula. This has been done to death.
7. Take inspiration from the Communication Arts Advertising Annuals. Over a decade later, I still think the 1999 and 2000 issues have the best collection of headlines.
8. Headlines are often easier to write when you have a visual in mind – or better yet, a specific photo or illustration tacked to your wall.
9. Don’t believe the platitude that negative words like “not” and “don’t” should be avoided.
10. Write the way people talk. Not the way companies or mission statements want people to talk.
11. Puns are not punny. See?
12. If you’re not having fun writing, you’re not in the right job.

Thank You

You probably know this (hopefully) and you hopefully already do it (probably) but, if not, this is something you need to know and do.

If you interview at an agency, write thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed you. 

Just a simple card or email (cards are nicer, emails work) that thanks them for taking the time. Maybe you mention something you talked about. It goes a long way, and it reminds them of you.

This means that when you interview with people, you might ask if you can have a business card or at least write down their name (spelled correctly).

Chicago Haiku

On this site, we love bragging about other people's side projects. So forgive me while I brag about this one.

Chicago Haiku is a short collection of poetry about the Windy City. If you're from there, you'll understand. To read Jim's review, click here. To preview or order a copy, click here. I hope you enjoy it.

Truth In Advertising

Truth In Advertising is a new book by John Kenney. I haven't read it, but here's a promo for it.


I thought this was worth sharing for a few reasons:

• Focus groups can be like this. Especially the lady with all the issues, and the guy who changes his mind.
• The piece was funny, but I thought it was very over-acted. Subtlety always works best. If you want someone to act confused, don't have them scratch their head; have them bite their tongue in a way you barely notice. I promise - you'll notice.
• I find it interesting when books use social media as marketing. It's probably not a coincidence that authors with backgrounds in advertising do this best.

Three Intangibles

Aside from a great portfolio, here are three things I look for when I'm interviewing someone:

1. A curious mind. I get suspicious if the person I'm interviewing doesn't ask any questions. Our most recent hire, when he interviewed, asked me about our strategies, wanted to see a strategy, asked about the worst part of my job, wanted to know about the structure of the place, the process. He asked me about our client relationships. He asked me what was my favorite work out there. He talked about the kinds of classes he likes to take and his philosophy of always trying new things once. It said he was interested in growing and learning as much as he could.

2. Drive. I like to know that the person has had to work really hard at something. Maybe there's a project that the client killed but they executed anyway because they loved it. Or a side project. Maybe they run a successful website or have started a business or invented an app. Maybe they run marathons or wrote and directed a full-length film. All of those things tell me that this person has the will power to accomplish things. 

3. Enthusiasm. Some people are more low-key than others, but occasionally I'll have someone sitting in my office for an interview and I'll want to reach over the table and feel their neck for a pulse. Creative businesses run on the energy of the people. You don't have to be loopy, but it's nice to, as my little league baseball coach used to shout at the outfielders, "look alive."