Breaking Into Advertising: What A Chief Creative Officer Screens For

Eric Levin runs creative at Publicis Media. He got there by walking into rooms he was not qualified for, which is exactly why I wanted him to talk about breaking into advertising with no experience.He is a Michigan State grad who did not take a marketing class until his third year. Started in movie marketing, opened an office in Chicago, went brand side for a bit, then got handed a digital media team at a time when he admits he knew nothing about media. That is the story I wanted, and it is the one most people breaking into advertising need to hear.If you are trying to break into advertising or marketing and you have been told you are not the creative one, this episode is for you. We get into what "creative" actually means now that the job has split into ten different versions of itself, what he screens for when a candidate has almost no experience, why he wants junior people to push back in the room, and what he learned from a run of genuinely terrible bosses. He's willing to talk about getting fired, which is something senior people almost never say publicly.After that, we get into the future of the creator economy. He thinks the easy phone and ring light version of it is played out, and he says the next wave of creators are already becoming networks, producers and film moguls. I think he is right.FREE: The No-Experience PlaybookEverything Eric said about getting hired before you are qualified, written up as a one-page plan you can actually work through.https://playbooks.broxtendigital.com/no-experienceCHAPTERS0:00 Meet Eric Levin, chief creative officer at Publicis Media1:20 MSU, and the marketing class that changed everything3:45 What he actually screens for in new grads6:58 Why they want your opinion on the brand7:43 "I always said I'm not a creative"8:57 What creative really means now12:27 How to find your way into advertising14:45 Your passion outside work matters16:17 Movie marketing, Chicago, and the long route20:24 Bad bosses, and getting fired24:40 Chasing the shiny object29:02 The ring light era and the shill problem31:46 Creators as networks, moguls and producers35:04 The campaigns he loves right now39:00 What he'd tell his 23-year-old self40:22 "Let's make better mistakes tomorrow"41:05 Rapid fire: cars, pizza, bagels and campusSubscribe to get more actionable advice from the best in advertising & marketing.Connect with Eric Levin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlevin11/Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/broxten-davisFollow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebroxtendigitalshow#BreakingIntoAdvertising #AdvertisingPodcast #MarketingCareer #YoungProfessionals #DigitalMarketingPodcast