Case studies: Art director: Rob

Rob completed an HND in Multimedia Design at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2002.

Whilst I was at university, I attended a careers workshop exploring creative career pathways including advertising. It was this, coupled with some projects I was working on, that gave me an interest in advertising as a career.

After completing my HND, I contacted a small creative hub based in a relatively deprived part of Leeds. It provided lots of facilities for creative people to use to develop creative concepts and incubation space. I worked for a company based there who specialised in tutoring local people and was involved producing videos. This was something I’d done quite a bit of at university and I tutored others in the basics of editing, scriptwriting, storyboarding, etc. This was voluntary for the first couple of months but then I got some funding via a government scheme for a further four months. I enjoyed this and it kept my skills fresh, and towards the end of the scheme I was contacted by someone from a local multi-media design agency who’d picked up my business card at my end-of-year show and liked my work. I was offered work at their company, which was mainly web- based. Although this was valuable experience, I knew I didn’t want to work purely as a web designer and after a few months, I enrolled with a specialist advertising recruitment agency in Leeds.

The agency found me a position with a creative agency where I worked on their large and very busy Asda account. Although the role was more account management based than creative, I did get to work alongside the creative teams there. I did this for around a year but at that point decided to make the move back to the Nottingham area where I wanted to be based. I wrote a number of speculative letters to creative agencies in the East Midlands and took my portfolio along to show them. This proved to be successful as a Nottingham IPA- accredited creative agency, Sellers and Rogers, was looking to expand its digital offer. They liked my book and my blend of creative and management experience and offered me a position.

Sellers and Rogers is a full-service agency, which means that they produce work above and below the line. I work closely with the managing director, who is a copywriter by trade, and due to his experience, tends to drive the agency’s digital projects. As it’s a regional agency, it’s important to have a very flexible approach.

While there’s no typical day or week, I’d say my main tasks are:

• directing the agency’s key accounts;
• developing marketing and creative strategies;
• writing creative briefs;
• briefing creative departments;
• directing the creative process;
• pitching to clients and developing new business;
• managing projects through to completion.

The client base is very diverse from construction to garden products, and veterinary medicines to wines and beers. I really enjoy this variety, the creative input and the relative freedom I have. I’m very happy where I am and, although I’ve considered moving to the capital, I have no plans to do so.

I’d advise any new entrant to build a relevant portfolio which is up to date and diverse. It’s also vital to show a real passion for this sector and your own ideas.