How We Got Here

The path into the advertising and marketing industry is rarely a straight shot. Some have known their entire lives this is where they want to end up; others stumble upon it as if by chance. It’s certainly a unique environment, and one of the few places where people from fields as distant as art and sales can meet. Here’s what inspired each of us at Devise to maneuver ourselves into the positions we hold today.

Rob, Partner & Account Director

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

Who do I have to thank for my career in advertising? A copywriter. As a young, impressionable college student, I was inspired by a copywriting adjunct professor who walked into class every day fresh from the Motorola office with insights from behind the scenes of their extensive marketing department. The clean intersection of creativity and strategy within his day-to-day duties is what originally set the hook. 

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

Two things: One, the amazing creative. It never stops giving me goosebumps when I see a great idea revealed. Two, the people. I'm a firm believer that everyone in marketing is either hard-wired to exist in the client or the agency world. Those who thrive in the latter are just an interesting bunch. 

Jessica, Director of Client Services

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

As a kid, I was always interested in how brands presented themselves with logos, taglines, jingles, and commercials. That fascination never faded and in college, I focused on marketing as part of my business studies. I have dabbled in other things, but always found my way back to marketing. 

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

Hands down the people. I get to work with so many different types of people with different areas of expertise. Moving into the agency world has also allowed me to work with multiple types of brands and companies which keeps things exciting and challenging.

Tom, Partner & Creative Director

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

I don’t think I set out with the idea to end up working in marketing & advertising. I did, however, love art and design at an early age so my journey ended up here. 

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

Working with and being inspired by other creative people. There’s an unbelievable amount of talented people who constantly blow my mind with their visionary creative work. 

Kirsten, Project Manager

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

The creativity and communication aspects appealed to me. I love the combination of creativity and analytical thinking the industry provides. As someone with both a creative background and a more analytical background, I get to combine both ways of thinking daily in marketing.

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

As a project manager in the industry, I like that I get to see behind the scenes of projects. It’s fun to be part of the building process and see creative projects I’ve been a part of from their initial conceptions to their final forms flourishing in the wild. 

Chris, Senior Designer

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

I took a few exploratory classes in college to get an idea of what I wanted to do, including psychology and graphic design. I enjoyed psychology but I LOVED the design class. I was captivated by the ability to communicate complex ideas with simple images and shapes. I love the subtle psychology found in design. I love the problem solving aspect of it. Every project is like a puzzle, with your objective being to find the right pieces that fit together to communicate the right message. Advertising is everything I love about graphic design, whether it’s branding, UI/UX, marketing, etc. It’s all psychology, problem solving, and storytelling. And I freaking love it.

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

I love how every project is something new. No two projects are the same. There might be similarities between projects but the solution to each is unique. It keeps things fresh and engaging.

Kelly, Project Manager

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

I come from a production studio background and wanted to make the switch to marketing when I realized both teams (marketing and studio) were having a lot of miscommunication and I felt like I could help bridge the gap between the two. The marketing world hooked me. I love working with both creative and technical teams and the challenge of having to problem-solve at a fast pace.

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

I love that we get that opportunity to always work with clients and help solve problems. As a project manager, you get the opportunity to help make the projects come to life by helping the team stay focused on time and the task at hand. It’s so rewarding to see the process of launching a new brand, product, or website from start to finish.

Daven, Senior Writer

Why did you want to work in marketing/advertising?

I remember being mesmerized by magazine ads as a child. The way imagery and words worked together to make a product seem almost irresistible. I just thought that was so cool. It wouldn’t be until well into my 30s that I started working in advertising, but the spark of interest had been there since the beginning.

What's your favorite thing about working in this industry?

There’s a lot of variety in the assignments. I might be working on a website in the morning, a blog post in the afternoon, and brainstorming a video script in the evening.