A Step Closer to a Future in Advertising

I had the chance to go for this special workshop, called “A Portfolio That Gets You Hired” here at 95%.

What made this workshop so awesome was the chance to sit down with creative directors, experienced copywriters and dynamic account executives (depending on the department of advertising you choose to pursue) and have them look at my portfolio and provide me with feedback! It’s a very rare chance to have these extremely busy (and creative) people look at some amateur work, especially so for my case.

Who are these creative directors, copywriters and account executives, you ask? They are:

Chan Woei Hern - Associate Creative Director at Dentsu Malaysia
Cheryl Low - Account Executive, McCann-Erickson Malaysia
Faisal Ahmad - Malay language copywriter, Spin Communication
KC Aui - Dentsu Malaysia, Associate Creative Director
Vincent Chan - Creative Head GanForHire
Wong Sai-Meng - Creative Director, Womb Creative
Zac Labang - Director / Strategic Planner at Lucideas

I personally had the chance to speak with copywriters Chan Woei Hern and Vincent Chan.

I also learned about how to strategize and get ideas for an advertising campaign. It wasn’t easy, I tell you, but it was nevertheless challenging.

Long before this workshop, I had known that what I had learned in college was simply insufficient. I didn’t know how to plan for advertising campaigns, how to choose the right words to compliment my campaign and how to derive ideas from the insights that I get.



















Well, at least after this workshop, I have a better idea.

Here are some things I learned:

1. I learned how you can’t think like a student anymore! It’s time to our mindsets and working attitudes.

2. I learned that what I have now is not enough. I need to put in more effort to get something of more substance out. (Those assignments we have done in college or university? Yeah, those. They’re not enough.)

3. I learned that you need to get in touch with life, to connect with it. To be successful in the advertising world, you need to experience life, to live life.

4. I learned that in an advertisement, words and pictures are not all that matter. What matters is if the brief is met or not.

5. I realized that insights are not easily gained, but are powerful when gained.

6. I learned more about my strengths and weaknesses, and I am ready to work on them!

7. I got a better picture of what creative directors are looking for.

As for what the other participants learned, many of them shared that they now had a better idea of what creative directors are looking for. Many were pumped up to redo their portfolios, but we definitely left without a discouraged heart.

When’s the next time this workshop is organized? Well, you gotta stick around to find out when.

P/s: Good things don’t come by often.

By Jonathan Chu

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I am Jonathan Chu, 20 years of age, the new intern in 95%. I love music and writing, and am convinced that basketball is a far more interesting sport than football (you can scream “boo” now) and Mozart doesn’t make you smart.

“If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.” - T. Alan Armstrong