Your mission should you choose to accept it ... Part Two

Before I begin I'd like to thank those that sent me e-mail last week regarding Part One of this column. In one of the e-mails I was alerted of the Cape Technikon that gives an excellent course for those in PR. Apparently they are one of the few educational institutions that actually give our young SA talent real experience. So if there are any people interested in learning PR and getting your hands dirty the real way then please contact the Cape Technikon. This info came from one of their great students so it's a very reliable source.

If there are any other instutitions like this that let you get involved in their own campaigns etc. then please click on "Comment on this" at the end of this column and let others know. Preferrably students/past students only! No College/Varsity staff!

Last week I mentioned a way that would help create industry exposure for our students and at the same time possibly threaten current ad agencies from losing accounts.

The idea in mind was having an advertising agency - one not full of professionals, but rather students and others that want to practice in the powerful world of media. All the Copywriters, Art Directors, Accounts personnel etc. would be students. The only people that would be from "professional" backgrounds would be the Creative Directors, Chief CW and so on. Now the "professionals" would provide assistance and final say over campaigns as usual, butthey would also be guides to the students.

This, we'll call it a Student Agency, could run two ways. One way could be a less threatening system where the agency shadows a present ad agency. Whenever the real agency gets a brief from a client, this student agency would get a copy. Both agencies would then create a campaign and whichever has the best ideas would "win" and their campaign would get used. This way though would require assistance from a fund of some sort so that the student agency can run independently and no corruption can start (like an agency threatening to cut funds in order to have control over the "whole" campaign). The way the student agency personnel would get paid would be up to the funders but the client would not need to give any money to them as there would be a fund supporting them.

The second way, more threatening though, would be to have the student agency AS a real agency. They would pitch and run campaigns for clients. The overall difference would be that they have the youngest dynamic brains and the present living ad agencies would have the seconds. The whole financial running of this second system would be just like the real thing, although for education's sake capital should be given to assist with start-up costs and day to day running of the agency till they have enough money flow from clients.

Whichever system you choose to think best would still achieve its objective -- to expose the talent that lies within. If ad agencies see someone they want and that's creating excellent campaign ideas, then they have the option of taking them on as their new CW, AD ... whatever. The teams in the student agency would constantly change to let other students and talent in, but they would be structured in a way that wouldn't affect the running of a client's campaign.

Having this new-breed in ad agency would educate the students in the full running of an agency and what it takes to do such work. There wouldn't be any paper exams - everything would be practical, but with short refresher courses to keep the theory they were taught back in college, varsity etc. if needed.

Won't this be dangerous though to the client? Letting "students" work on their brands? Perhaps you didn't hear me, there WOULD be very exprienced individuals involved throughout all the campaigns and providing assistance to the teams. If you're an advertiser and think that your ad agency is all professional, you'd be surprised to hear how some actually aren't - behind those doors.

This concept is of course very flexible as it hasn't been created yet so anything that would need more work on is invited.

This concept of the new breed of ad agency could be used throughout media. Its only limit is your imagination.

If you think this concept is a load of bull, though, then that's your opinion and you have the right to it. Just remember this, I had the balls to put it down for millions to read, so just ask yourself -- what have you done or suggested that would help talent in this country of ours?

But if you really think it has something then hopefully it won't just stay as an idea but rather become an upcoming project. This is afterall why I decided to let this idea out into the wild. I'm not an eccentric rich twenty-something year old ... (not yet), I'm not a TV presenter (though thinking of it... any offers?) and I'm not in a position to give commands to employees of mine to fund something like this, because I don't have a company full of employees!

Most important of all, what's the use of having an idea if you don't share it? Be inspired, make exposing great talent and ideas a part-time job of yours.

Next week I'll be discussing ways in which students/new talent can promote themselves to the industry. It's time to use your talents on a very personal client.