It’s a slow news week here at Division of Labor. But the same internet marketing experts we rely on to help our clients amplify their message insist we post blog updates at regular intervals. And, really, what sort of ad agency would we be if we didn’t heed our own brand advice. With that in mind, we’re introducing our first installment of “Ask The Intern” featuring our new creative intern Drew Weber, who has hit the ground running, since joining the DOL team earlier this month. If he has any major skeletons in the closet, we have yet to discover them.
According to our thorough background check (Read: We didn’t do one. Though we did stalk his Instagram feed to confirm he is indeed a huge Sharks Fan, and not just posing as one to get the position), he’s a standup guy motivated enough to drive all the way from San Jose to get his foot in the door in the crazy, world of advertising. And after forcing him to participate in this sham blog post, we actually do feel we know him a little better. And now you can too!
1. What Made You Decide on a Career in Advertising?
“When I was in college I studied aviation. But then I realized learning to fly is stupidly expensive for someone working like 10 hours a week at minimum wage. So I switched to journalism and started covering the NHL for some small websites. That got boring, though, since you can only write so many articles about Marc-Edouard Vlasic getting snubbed for the Norris. Plus, as it turns out, journalism jobs pay only slightly better than minimum wage. So, yes, I decided to sell my soul to the devil and use my writing skills for a career in advertising and digital marketing. I love the idea of creating ad campaigns from scratch and doing something new every day. It can be hell, but it’s a fun hell.”
2. What compelled you to send a job query to Division of Labor?
I thought your work for the San Jose Sharks was what the kids would call "totally lit, yo." Or something like that—25 years old is the new 100 years old. Being at a small ad agency, particularly one that won Small Ad Agency of the Year, was also something that appealed to me. I like being close with my coworkers. I want to work with people, not mannequins. Nothing against mannequins, though. Y’all are cool too. Oh, and there are dogs here.
3. Did the classes you took in college prepare you in any way for a career in advertising?
The classes I took at San Jose State and Miami Ad School definitely helped me on my journey to becoming a handsome man who happens to write for eight hours a day. I not only learned copywriting, but also digital marketing, UX/UI, and—for some reason—standup comedy. But nothing quite prepares you for the pain of seeing a script you wrote on the Google Doc receive the dreaded strike-through of doom from the CD. That’s stuff you can only learn on the job.
4. Question: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far?
I’ve learned a lot of important skills since I started: How to get a good insight, writing faster, making sure every word counts, and the importance of brand strategy. But the most important thing I’ve learned since getting to DoL? Don’t change the music when Josh is in the office.
5. Question: What shocking truth about yourself have you managed to keep hidden from your Division of Labor colleagues?
I’m a guitarist and songwriter who has recorded EPs, played at bars, and performed in musicals. My most interesting musical moment, though, was when I made a terrible song/music video with my friends about the book Ender’s Game for a library competition. The author randomly saw the video and tweeted it out to thousands of followers with the caption "Give these guys a Grammy!" Despite this recognition from Orson Scott Card himself, we only got third place. Which was probably deserved, because none of us actually read the book.
6. Question: What is your favorite ad of all time?
While I've gained an appreciation of digital media, guerilla marketing, and other non-traditional advertising strategies, my favorite thing to consume is still a good ole TV spot. Do you guys remember TV? It came before Netflix, but after radio. Anyways, my favorite spot is "We're Going to the Playoffs" from Allstate's Mayhem campaign. I've watched it three times just while answering this question, and it still never fails to make me laugh. Plus it does a solid job of blending entertainment with product benefit.
7. Do you think Josh has an unhealthy attachment to his 17-pound rescue dog, Mort?
I mean, yeah. But he’s the boss, and everyone else has been acting like it’s perfectly normal to serve a dog baked salmon for breakfast. I’m certainly not gonna be the one to point out the insanity. On the other hand, Josh lives in Marin. So, maybe it’s a cultural norm I’m just not aware of.
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The Small Agency Blog is produced by Division of Labor; a top San Francisco ad agency and digital marketing firm that’s been named Small Agency of the Year twice by Ad Age. The award-winning creative shop services clients on a retainer or project basis. They also offers brand consulting services and hourly engagements for startups and smaller brands. Click here for a free consultation.