Killer Idea, but How to Break In?
Submitted by ryryslide on Wed, 03/24/2004 - 20:55.
That*s a though one! In my experience, (10+ years) as an Art Director. I can*t really find an easy answer for you. The problem is that even if it really is a REVOLUTIONARY idea like, a new media or a new way to distribute a product or simply a brilliant campaign. You will at best end up with someone else taking credit for it. Sucks! I know but in a business where ideas are the most valued currency a LOT of people don*t mind cutting a few throats and backstabbing a few youngsters to get where they believe they are entitled to be.
Best you can do (if it is a campaign) is to find an AD if you are a copy, or find a copy if you are and AD or if your capable by yourself produce the Campaign as a dummy. If you need a photographer / model / etc. to do it don*t worry. If it truly is a great idea finding a photographer or model that will do it for "free" won*t be that hard. (They are as eager as you to get good stuff in their portfolio). Once you*ve produced it place it in your portfolio and show it to as many people you know in the business. If one of the people you*ve shown it to decides to use it without your consent. You can always write in here and prove that it was your idea.
If you land a job, and the opportunity arises, do it for one of your new clients. You*d only be copying yourself and that*s pretty cool!
Most of the more seasoned Creatives keep their old sketchpads with rejected (but sometimes brilliant) ideas for a rainy day.
Hope this helped.
Best of luck
Cris
P.S. If this still doesn*t answer your question. Write me a personal message and I*ll try putting you in touch with some honest people in the business (That is if I know any where you live)
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I am a student, and I have a what I consider to be a very good advertising idea that would work best with the cooperation of larger companies (not mom and pop shops). Nothing like headvertisements or anything, (lol) but my question is, how do I get the attention of large corporations and get them to invest in my idea without having any connections? I imagine if I try and send letters to the general corporate office address they will be ignored. If I can*t go directly to the companies, should I try going through ad agencies and have them market my idea to these corporations? Should I get the attention of the press? If so, do I try to get the attention of ad-related mags like Adweek or Ad Age or newspapers or what? How do I get the press to pick up my story when I don*t know anyone there?