“Everyone was a junior at some point, helping everyone up can only benefit the industry as a whole.”

In an industry in the midst of a talent crunch, Brixton Finishing School alumni, Larisa Wong, shares a poignant reminder of the importance of helping others to thrive for the overall benefit of both the workplace and the work.

With the great resignation far from over, talent is facing a job market in flux. At one end of the spectrum, there are reports of job title inflation as ambitious talent scrambles to catch up with the stagnation of the pandemic. At entry-level, roles that demand far more than entry-level experience mean that opportunities are being stifled at every level.

When you layer these challenges on top of working environments that do not foster an environment of inclusiveness it becomes a perfect storm. Talent is voting with their feet. Instead of inspiring new talent the industry is at risk of burning people out before they get the opportunity to really flourish.

Yet the creative industries are not bound to structure and routine. The opportunity to change is clear. With this in mind, Brixton Finishing School alumni share with BITE their experiences of the industry and hopes for future changes.

What attracted you to the advertising/marketing industry?

Back when I was at university studying illustration we had an ex-student who was an Art Director (now CD) come in to do a talk with us. He came in and told us he pretty much just thinks of ideas every day and those ideas sometimes get made into ads. I didn’t even know that was an actual job. 

He told us this cracking story about how he got his first job in the industry... He made this massive shoe (like over a meter long), wheeled it into agencies and as he was struggling to get through the door he’d say “I’m just trying to get my foot in the door”.

On my course I wasn’t much of a drawer/painter, I enjoyed the creative problem solving and the conceptual ideation part more, so thought being a Creative is a bit of me.

Later on in the year, I got to meet the illustrator behind the John Lewis Christmas ad - Bear and the Hare. I enjoyed the craft behind it but also really loved the thought of being the person that links the idea to the visual communicator.

How has your experience at Brixton Finishing School shaped your approach to the industry? 

Before doing Brixton Finishing School I felt that not being educated in an advertising-specific degree was a real disadvantage. When first doing work experience, a lot of the time I was told I’d have to spend £10K plus doing a course to higher my chances of a job. 

When I initially came into the industry, I didn’t see many people who looked like me in many roles, never mind senior roles. Looking back I felt this had an adverse effect on my approach and my confidence towards the industry.

I now think of being a gay, mixed-race woman in the industry as a triple threat. BFS allowed me to see my differences as a positive. What felt like a hindrance before now feels like a strength.

I now want to make sure there aren’t others in the room that feel the same as I did before. If I can be that representation for just one other person in the room I’d be happy. 

What was the most important lesson you learned at Brixton Finishing School? 

Talk to everyone and make sure others have space to talk. On the course, you have no idea where a 5 minute chat can lead to. I was constantly learning and opening myself up to opportunities just by chatting to others.

I quickly realized working in a team that the best work is made with diverse thought and the more voices, the better. This is something that’s carried into my work at Anomaly, anyone in the room can have an idea, we always make space to listen to everyone when it comes to collaborating. 

What one thing would you change about the industry? 

I’d make it more transparent. When you have a group of us that are all going into the industry at the same time, you start to see that we’ve all had very different experiences; whether that’s work life balance, salary, being treated differently or ownership of work.

It would be a beautiful thing to see everyone being as open as possible with things like skill sharing, advice, tricks etc. Everyone was a junior at some point - helping everyone up can only benefit the industry as a whole. 

Do you think there is enough exposure/schemes to help young people start their journey in the industry? 

Honestly no, there’s a lot out there now especially London-centric and a lot of the time I can get stuck in a bit of an echo chamber because I’m one of the ones who have already benefited from schemes out there. But around the UK there’s more to be done. Exposure to these schemes is one thing but actually making sure there are enough places for people wanting to get into the industry is important, making sure it’s not just based on luck of location and these schemes are accessible to those outside of cities too.  

What would be your advice to young people struggling to get a first break into the industry? 

Don’t feel disheartened if you don’t get that 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th dream role. Everything happens for a reason, you don’t know what other door might open when the one you thought you really wanted shuts.

What attracted you to the advertising/marketing industry? 

It was a great way for me to be as creative as possible in an industry that platforms and welcomes that creativity where other industries may seek other approaches. 

How has your experience at Brixton Finishing School shaped your approach to the industry? 

There is an issue that BFS seeks to remedy in the advertising industry, and that is the under representation. It showed me that I can not only exist in an industry that does not entirely look like me, but truly flourish in these rooms. 

Do you think there is enough exposure/schemes to help young people start their journey in the industry? 

I'm pleased to see that there are schemes and exposure appearing for young people to break into the industry, but the issue I'm seeing is that while it's great that they are letting them into the door, there’s not enough said people being kept on, or being offered anything permanent. 

What would be your advice to young people struggling to get a first break into the industry? 

There are resources available for you to grow and shine within this industry, and it's important to seek them out and utilize them. Whether it be mentorship schemes, Creative incubators, and schemes like BFS, you’d be surprised how well-connected they are and how much they can offer you what you seek, granted you seek it. 

What are you most excited about experiencing or learning? 

I love that I have a job where I can be creative and get paid for it, and everything I do and learn at work influences and improves my creative endeavours outside of work. I've seen my brief writing get better, I've seen how ideas get executed as a team, I've seen ideas go from paper to production sets and I can't wait to develop ideas into mountains like this as well.

What attracted you to the advertising/marketing industry? 

I’m definitely a creative person and have always taken interest in exciting ads and marketing campaigns. I love that the industry is essentially the pairing of human behaviour/psychology with creativity, to produce ideas used to sell products and brands. Watching The Apprentice as a child, I enjoyed the process of creating, producing, pitching and marketing a new product or service. I always thought “I'd be good at this”, but never really knew about the industries behind it all. Then in Year 10 I did work experience in a branding agency. There I learned more about the design/branding process and how agencies operate. It gave me my first real insight into the industry and since then I've been hungry to learn more. 

What was the most important lesson you learned at Brixton Finishing School? 

To be yourself. We all have our own stories, identities and skills that make us uniquely powerful. Especially in the creative industry, thinking and being different is good. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, creative or analytical there's value in your presence. Learn how to work with others to maximize results. We can’t be good at everything, learn what your strengths are and lean into them, but also acknowledge your weaknesses. I think too often we focus on practical experience and technical knowledge (which can be taught and learnt), never forget the value of having good interpersonal skills. This is a people’s business, who you are is just as important as what you know. 

What one thing would you change about the industry? 

I’d make it more accessible, diverse and representative of the general population. Advertising is an exciting, lucrative industry full of great opportunities. However, it’s still one of the most elitist industries in the UK. Without schemes like BFS it can be hard to know where and how to get your foot in the door. The strength of your network is key and this is the same for most creative industries.  It is getting better though and I hope to be a part of the change. My journey has been heavily supported by charities, programmes and people willing to give their time. So I aspire to be someone who can help in the same way and make a positive difference. 

Who would be your dream client why? 

Might be a bit cliche but definitely Nike. I'm a diehard Nike trainer lover and would love to design my own pair one day. My favourite ads always have strong insights and feel authentic. To me, a great ad doesn't even feel like one. I think Nike has mastered the art of this rather well. As a global brand with lots of influence and attention - working with Nike allows for some really big and creative ideas with a strong message. We saw with the Colin Kaepernick “Dream Crazy” campaign that they are not afraid to utilize their platform to speak out. The response to “Nothing beats a Londoner” demonstrated the impact of strong insights and playing into culture correctly. 

What would be your advice to young people struggling to get a first break into the industry? 

Get out there! Meet people, listen to their journeys and ask them questions. You have to be proactive. Whether IRL or on Instagram/LinkedIn, don't be afraid to reach out. The worst that can happen is they don't reply. Understanding how the industry operates, how each role fits into the wider system, the daily activities of such positions, but also any misconceptions or challenges, is truly invaluable. Through BFS I was able to meet experienced professionals who knew the game and have supported me even as an alumni. Mentorship is a great tool before you enter the industry but also as you continue to progress. Creative Mentor Network, Cats Mother, WACL and Small Green Shoots have been amazing at supporting me with networking events and mentorship opportunities.