Who cares about advertising?

A couple of years ago, a friend and former colleague (Dr. Danielle Sarver Coombs) approached me about writing an essay for a book she was publishing about advertising in America - aptly named Advertising in America. I was flattered but also worried about the pace of the industry. If I wrote about the current state of the advertising in America, it would be outdated by the time I submitted it and ancient history by the time the book was published.

I tried to offer some thoughts with staying power. I wrote about how sometimes this biz can be tiresome and soul-crushing but there are fleeting moments where that seems like a fair exchange to work in this field.

Thoughout my career, I've seen that the people that endure and succeed in the advertising business are the ones that care.

What should you care about?

The work - The best of the best care about the ideas and the thinking behind it. You've got to produce something, why not make it great?

Clients - Get to know them, grab drinks with them, truly listen to them and help them look smart in front of their boss.

Your colleagues - Foster camaraderie and trust so everyone can share their best ideas.

The industry - Become a student of the business. Know what's new. Know what's proven. Meet new ad pals. Help juniors become seniors. And don't be a dirtbag, it reflects poorly all of us.

I'm not going to give you all my pearls of wisdom here as I don't want to cost Dr. Coombs the extravagant lifestyle often afforded to published advertising professors. Plus, this book is loaded with lots of advertising wisdom from an assortment of experts.