I know what you’re thinking—DePaul has an advertising major!? No, but DePaul does have a Public Relations & Advertising major, where you pick either path to take classes in. This is for all the students who chose the advertising route, you know who you are! Here are 10 ways you know you’re an advertising major:
1. You watch Mad Men.
If you’re majoring in advertising or marketing, you’ve probably seen Mad Men at one point or another. Set in the 1960s, this show follows a man trying to keep up with the high-pressure world of Madison Avenue advertising firms. Some students will even argue that the show teaches you more than your major classes do. Either way, it’s a staple if you’re majoring in advertising.
2. You critique all ads on the ‘L’ on your way to class.
People may think that the train ride to class is an innocent affair, but for advertising students that could not be farther from the truth. Scrutinizing every ad inside the ‘L’ car is just habit at this point. The cheesy ads practically beg for your attention! Thinking to yourself, “That font is terrible,” or “What is this ad even trying to say?” is part of the process of getting to class.
3. Okay, not just the ‘L’. You critique ads, everywhere.
Whether it be on TV, Youtube, Instagram, or a billboard, you always find yourself picking apart advertisements. A number of things might catch your eye—the lack of diversity, the unrealistic body expectations, or the corniness of the entire ad. No matter what it is, you find yourself a little ticked off and make a promise to the world that you’ll do better.
4. You get confused when you see a major class in Lincoln Park on CampusConnect.
Run, just run. Towards the Loop where your class should be.
5. You always check the weekly internship email from the College of Communication.
Whether it be in anticipation or dread, you always find yourself clicking on that email. Gotta land that internship! (hopefully at Leo Burnett).
6. You wanted to be a Creative Director at some point in your career, but then realized you have to go to Portfolio school.
The creative director has such a cool job. They get to design and help produce all of the advertisements at the agency! However, it’s very hard to become one. You have to major in some sort of fine arts and then go on to a portfolio school. However, it’s not impossible! If you’re reading this and you are going for it, kudos to you! Follow your dreams and we will keep a lookout for your ads.
7. You are extremely excited about DePaul’s new ME Lab.
DePaul’s PRAD program received a grant to build the ME Lab, which is the Media Engagement Research Laboratory. There are special eye-tracking equipment and other fun gadgets that focus on consumer behavior. Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds. If you’re an advertising major and you haven’t checked it out yet, do it!
photo courtesy of D2L.
8. You know at least one professor extremely well.
In the PRAD program, chances are that you’ll have a professor more than once. Taking multiple classes with one professor helps you get to know them very well. This is extremely helpful when networking, as they can write you letters of recommendation or get you in contact with people. Professors are here to help you, so get to know them!
9. You joined the DePaul Ad Society.
If you’re interested in advertising, chances are you’ve signed up for the DePaul Ad Society. Don’t forget to iron that shirt for the agency visits! It’s a great organization that will help you advance in your career and get your foot in the door, but you already knew that.
10. You love living in Chicago because there are ad agencies everywhere!
Ah, yes. The city of Chicago. It’s a beautiful place full of opportunities. Going to school in a cornfield would just not be same in terms of opportunities. Tons of top-name agencies are housed in Chicago, so it’s the perfect place to go to college. You may not have walked into DePaul thinking you were going to study advertising, but now it has a special place in your heart. And thank goodness the city is full of agencies—get that internship, girl!