Another success story for AdSchool's Class of 2018

Art Director, Lily Macintosh came to Creative Advertising after completing her Bachelor of Media Design at MDS. Copywriter, Maisie D’Cruz, opted for MDS when she finished her Communications degree at AUT. After just 40 fast and furious weeks at AdSchool (and one nail biting month waiting to sign on the dotted line at DDB) they’re now a fully-fledged creative team. So, hot off the press, here are their thoughts on what Maisie has described as a life-changing year doing creative advertising at MDS:

Why did you choose the AdSchool?

Lily: I did an advertising paper as part of the BMD and after that I just knew it was something I wanted to do. Maisie: After just finishing my degree, I was told by someone in the industry that they preferred teams from MDS. I hesitated at first but after my interview at MDS I realised it wasn’t going to be ‘just another year of study’ and it was going to get me where I wanted to be. 

What was the highlight of your year at MDS? What challenges did you overcome?

Maisie: The highlight ? Coming out of it with a portfolio I was proud of. The challenge? Initially, coming up with ideas for a brief because there are so many directions you can take. But with so many rounds of feedback at MDS you quickly get skilled at identifying ideas that work.  Lily: Working with a partner full time takes a bit of getting used to, but it’s crucial to doing good work. The highlight was the end of year show, seeing all our work pulled together and having queues of people waiting to talk to us on the night.

You’ve landed at one of the top ten creative agencies in the world.  Tell us about the job.

Lily: Things have been pretty crazy. Already we have had some really interesting briefs and I’m excited to see where the next year takes us. Maisie: Everyone is really kind and helpful, but they definitely don’t waste any time. By our third day we were writing scripts. We’ve got big boots to fill but the agency is buzzing and there’s so many creative opportunities already.

How was that ‘job-hunting’ (or choosing in your case) experience and why did you choose DDB?

Lily: Because portfolio night was such a success, and thanks to some awesome mentors, we had a few different interviews lined up within days of finishing. We ended up taking a big risk and turning down our first job offer to hold out for a position at DDB, because it’s the best agency in NZ and somewhere both of us had always dreamed of working. Maisie: Thankfully the risk paid off and after an anxious wait we got the call just before Christmas to say the job was ours. 

Any advice for any future AdSchool people? Or anyone going into the industry?

Maisie: If you’ve had a few failed attempts of getting into the industry or urgently want to spend a year working towards a career, I can’t recommend this programme enough. If you attend the course, listen to Kate, she’s incredible at what she does. Lily: Ditto. I can’t recommend it enough, the work is all industry based and prepares you perfectly for a job in a creative department. However, be prepared to work your butt off and always listen to Kate!