Alumnus shares expertise, advice for success during on-campus lecture
During his lecture, Chris Cole discussed what it was like to work with early Macintosh computers.
Advertising & Graphic Design alumnus Christopher Cole (CCAD 1989) returned to campus to share his advertising expertise with CCAD students Monday, February 28 in Canzani Center Auditorium. Through the telling of his story—from graduation to his current position as senior vice president and creative director at global advertising powerhouse BBDO—Cole shared his advice for success.
Enjoy “stepping stone” jobs. These jobs are meant to build experience, to serve as a chance to fail (which means, they are chances to learn).
Don’t be a jack of all trades. During interviews, focus on what you want to do and what your interviewer wants you to do. Tailor your portfolio to your interviews.
Be smarter. Something CCAD grads have going for them is the ability to be smarter, to apply their work to the real world.
Be a “go to” person. Be the person in the office who the company can’t afford to get rid of. Win awards, solve problems, bring in and relate to clients. When you start a job, ask yourself, “What do I have to do to make myself invaluable?”
Cole has worked on advertising campaigns for Duracell Batteries, Pespi, General Electic, Mountain Dew, Mitsubishi, AOL, Cingular Wireless, and Hyatt—among others. He was nominated for an Emmy for the commercial, Cingular Wireless, Raising the Bar.
His lecture was presented as part of the Visiting Artists Series, which is sponsored in part by the Skestos Endowment Fund for Visiting Artists & Lecturers, the Ohio Arts Council, and Downtown Columbus’s Renaissance Hotel.
For more information about upcoming presentations in the Visiting Artist Series, visit the CCAD Event Listings.