One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?

Last night I taught the first Digital Campaigns class of the quarter for the Miami Ad School. The reason I chose to teach at the Miami Ad School is that I want to help inspire and educate future creatives about the digital medium. Even today, I work with far too many creatives who simply don't understand, or are completely uneducated, about the digital medium. Designing, writing or even concepting for digital is completely foreign to them.

As with the previous quarter, I began the class by asking everyone to talk about 1) why they had chosen to pursue a career in advertising and 2) the type of work they expected to get following graduation.

The answers I got last night left me frustrated, disappointed and confused. While there were a few students who understood the power of digital and integrated communications, many had absolutely no desire to learn about digital and were in the class only because it was a requirement for their graduation. These students believed that they would easily be able to find a job in an agency working solely on TV spots and print ads directly out of college. As one put it, "I only want to work on TV and other sexy stuff."

Honestly, I felt like I stepped back into the 1990's where TV ruled the marketing world. I had always thought that this younger generation would be more fascinated and willing to learn about digital communications.

What the hell? Did I enter the Twighlight Zone, or is this class as naive as I think they are?

- Chris