The Roles What they do You’re better off being at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than half way up one you don’t. Wise words I guess. But what if you don’t know where the ladder is? Or where it goes? What if you’ve never even heard of a ladder? Find out what the modern day Mad Men get up to and how they got there and then see if you fit the bill. The Neat Ones - Project Management Project Management Do you love making lists? Is your wardrobe organized by colour and cross-referenced by season? If everything around you has to be organized into a Zen-like state of calm and unity, you might just be cut out to be a project manager. What you do: Not too dissimilar to a prison warden – try to keep the fundamentally uncontrollable under control. Make sure projects are completed on time, to spec and to budget by effectively managing your resources. How you do it: By hook or by crook. Understanding the process of production and how long it takes. Being diplomatic with clients and co-workers. Keeping your head when all about you are losing theirs. Thick skin required. Caffeine. The good part: Delivering good work on time to appreciative clients. When you do your job well EVERYONE loves you. The bad part: It’s really hard to do your job well. The majority of your co-workers hate you for referring to them as ‘resources’ like a First World War General. Often heard saying: “I don’t suppose you could do me a huge favour? It’ll only take a minute…” The Suits - Client Services Back in the 50s and 60s, these guys put the ‘mad’ in Mad Men with their boozy breakfasts, long lunches and swanning around like the charming 007s of the ad-world. The mid-day Martinis might not be so frequent but the game hasn’t changed - you’re job is to keep the guys with the money happy. What you do: Keep clients happy by guarding their brand and making sure the money is spent wisely. Grab new business. Temper the urges of wild creative people. Send e-mails - thousands of them. Hourly. Waste paper. How you do it: Have a close and intimate relationship with your BlackBerry. When asked to figure out the cost of transporting a polar bear to Mumbai, do it. Massage egos. Get really close with your BlackBerry. The good part: The odd swanky lunch. Glowing praise from clients. The bad part: Visiting clients in industrial parks. Getting bollocked because the creative team thought the polar bear in Mumbai needed to have a jet pack and a light saber. Often heard saying: “Oh...right. Yeah. I’ll find out about that for you...” The Messy Ones - Creative Department As Far Back As I Can Remember I Always Wanted To Be Creative If you have a way with words or an eye for aesthetics then this is where you should set about building your cluttered and colourful home. Add a touch of arrogance and elitism a devastatingly cool taste in everything and you’re well on your way to being a creative. What you do: You paint the pictures or write the words that make the internet what it is. Come up with ideas. Apply a skillset you mainly developed in primary school. Complain. How you do it: i)Appreciate that purple on red makes for a shit colour scheme. Look moody. ii)You know the difference between its and it’s/ Look a little less moody. The good part: Having your ideas implemented. Winning prizes and pitches on the back of your work. Everyone who doesn’t know you thinks you’re really cool because you’re business card says ‘Creative’ on it. The bad part: Mind-blowing amendments from clients at 1 in the morning. Realsing you aren’t as cool as you once were because you have developed a terrifying obsession with fonts and/or appropriate use of the semi-colon. Often heard saying: “No…I’m not doing that…Why? Because it’s a fucking terrible idea, that’s why!” The Builders - Technical Development The newest breed of Mad Man, the techy remains an enigma to many still. You rock the biggest headphones. People are weary about approaching you. You speak many ‘languages’ but only computers and MIT students understand you. What you do: Turn the flowery work of creatives into something hard, practical and functional. Hate Flash. Confuse people and make them nod along in agreement. How you do it: I…I don’t really know. By having a couple of pints at lunch? Being a bloke? The good part: The ancient advertising traditions of drinking on the job and masculinity are still upheld. Your co-workers find most anything you do very impressive. People don’t like to hassle you. The bad part: All guts no glory. Everyone knows Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel but no one has a clue who Giovannio de Dolci is… Often heard saying: “Don’t worry. Its not worth explaining…You wouldn’t understand anyway.”
