The Walker Agency and friends at Saatchi

I was lucky enough last Weds (10th Dec) to visit The Walker Agency, an advertising agency in Bournemouth (and the largest in the South of England outside London). One of my best friends is the art director there and I asked if I could pop in for a few hours and see how he works and what the agency is working on at the moment. I'm not sure if I want to go in the direction of Advertising, but it does interest me and I know I would like to be an art director.

It was a fantastic experience. I was able to see the briefs (or lack of) that they were given and also the timescales they have to work to (hours rather than weeks). There are two people in the creative department and they talked me thorough a campaign they are producing for an organic clothes company that want to advertise on the underground in London, on the posters you see on the other side of the track. They talked me through the brief and explained why they had taken a certain approach and what they were trying to say and then asked me for my opinion!

It was a little embarrassing really but I suggested a few things that I felt could be improved and they were appreciative of my input and actually changed part of the advert on my advice :-)

They asked what I was working on for my course and I showed them the brief for the Amnesty International project and they both had some good advice for me and even had a bash themselves at producing some ideas for it.

I also found out that a mutual friends uncle had in fact designer the Amnesty International logo while he was working at Saatchi's!!! So now I'm hoping to get some work experience with him!

It was a really constructive day and I learned a lot even though I was only there for a few hours. They were interested in my ideas for Amnesty and have said I can go back there anytime I want to watch them work, for advice or just to help them on future briefs ;-)