news flash: ad broad joins a gym

So there I am in the trainer room getting my Complimentary Fitness Assessment when the trainer (nice guy @ 25 yrs old) says he's going to take my blood pressure. He reaches for some sort of contraption. "Wrong one," he says, putting it back. "They sent us these new pressure monitors, but they don't work as well as the old ones." He grabs a contraption that is larger, less sleek looking. "This is the old one," he says, slipping the sleeve on my arm. "It works a lot better."

I know, of course, what he is too young to realize: that this is the first of many times he'll wonder why they made a new version of something, when the old works better.

The hard part of learning new technology as you age, is having to UNLEARN the way you did it before. (Craig Daitch wrote a fine post about this in a recent Ad Age.)

"Your pressure is fine," says the kid, beaming at me. And this handsome young guy who is in the best shape he'll ever be in in his life--suddenly, I feel sorry for him.

that's why it's manAGING

Thanks to HighJive for pointing me to Steffan Postaer's column which is a must-read for anybody over twelve in this business. Because no matter how much you bench press, age will happen to you.

Aspire to management. In ad agencies the most advantageous place for an oldster is at the top. Take that elevator. Don’t stop at just being a good writer or art director. That’s merely the price of entry. You need to be exceptional at your craft. Always. But remember there are LOTS of guys with 5 or 6 years under their belt, making LOTS less money than you, who are damn near as good. Naturally, they want your job. You should want the job above yours. That would be MGMT.

So how does one grow successful as well as old in advertising? My advice in three not-so-easy steps:

1. Don’t shun meetings because, “they suck.” One day there will be a meeting and you’ll be the topic. ‘Nuff said.
2. Sell work. First your work. Then someone else’s. In that order. If you can do both you will be twice as valuable to your firm. MGMT does both.
3. Stay relevant. Nothing is sadder than the graying copywriter who waxes nostalgic about cutting film with a knife. Dead man walking. 3a) As with meetings, do not ignore popular culture because, “it sucks.” If you don’t keep up with people… you won’t.

another unassailable truth indexed by Jessica Hagy