AFA TARGETS UNIVERSITY GRADUATES TO CONSIDER A CAREER IN ADVERTISING

University graduates have been targeted in a new marketing campaign designed to promote advertising as a career.
'Free Your Right Brain', the first-ever campaign promoting advertising to final year university graduates was developed by The Campaign Palace Sydney and integrated agency Wunderman, for the Advertising Federation of Australia.
Executive Creative Director of The Campaign Palace, Paul Fishlock (pictured) said the campaign draws on the scientific principle that the right brain is associated with creative thinking, intuition and imagination, while the left brain deals more in logic, numbers, critical thinking and analysis.
“The advertising industry wants to attract people who are in touch with both sides of their brain to work in an exciting creative business that thrives on diversity.” Fishlock said.
Initially, the campaign is designed to promote the 2007 AFA Advertising Graduate Trainee Program in which selected graduates undertake a nine-month traineeship in a leading advertising agency. Graduates can apply now for the traineeship via the website. www.freeyourrightbrain.com.au
Information nights on the program will be held in Sydney on 6 November at Saatchi & Saatchi and in Melbourne on 8 November at Leo Burnett.
Longer term, the campaign is designed to make advertising a more attractive career option for top graduates than professions such as accounting and law.
AFA Chairman Russel Howcroft, said the campaign would compete with increased efforts by other professions to attract the ‘best and brightest’ from university.
“Advertising, is an exciting and influential business. Brilliant advertising and branding are behind many of the great business success stories of our time.
“We are very excited about the campaign which will help graduates understand that advertising offers a wonderful career path especially for people who are both creative and business oriented.”
The Campaign Palace’s Sarah Jacobs, a 2005 trainee who worked on the Free Your Right Brain campaign, said the pace and diversity was what had attracted her to advertising.
“As a junior planner I am helping to build some of the most exciting advertising campaigns with some great brands. I am thrilled that ‘Free Your Right Brain’ will open the possibilities up to a whole new audience,” Ms Jacobs said.

About the AFA Graduate Trainee Program
The AFA Advertising Graduate Trainee Program has been operating for more than 20 years. It provides practical on-the-job training in a leading advertising agency for nine months.
Trainees work as account executives and gain exposure to account management, strategic planning, media, creative, and TV/print production. They are paid a basic salary over this period. Competition for the limited number of spaces available is very strong and graduates are expected to demonstrate superior communications skills and the ability to generate ideas.
Applications for the 2007 Program are now open and will close on November 17, 2006. Selection days will be held during December 2006, for further details and downloadable entry form visit www.freeyourrightbrain.com.au

Who is behind the Program?
The AFA represents more than 160 leading advertising and marketing communications agencies in Australia. It has recently implemented an Accreditation Program for agencies to help lift professional standards and promote training. Only accredited agencies can apply to take a trainee.
A team from The Campaign Palace led by Managing Director Lindsey Evans and Executive Creative Director Paul Fishlock volunteered to develop the ‘Free Your Right Brain’ campaign. Leading integrated agency Wunderman, part of the Y&R Brands Group, developed the website.
A series of fabulous photographs for the posters and website were captured by photographer Helen White who also generously donated her services.
Others who donated their services included Convenience Advertising and the Print Centre in Melbourne. The AFA is immensely grateful to all these companies for their talent and generosity.

Former Graduate Trainees now in leading roles:
Many former trainees have achieved senior positions in Australia's leading agencies: Matthew Melhuish CEO, BMF Advertising; Belinda Rowe, Managing Partner, Optimedia; Julian Martin, CEO & Head of Strategy, LOVE; Matt McGrath, CEO, Y&R Brands Australia and New Zealand; Matt Cumming, Interactive Creative Director, M&C Saatchi, Jane Connor, Client Services Director, Clemenger BBDO; Ben Lilley, Managing Partner, Smart.
Of the younger generation, former AFA Graduate Trainee at Saatchi & Saatchi, Tim Bullock is making a name for himself as a director at Prodigy Films. He won first prize at Tropfest in 2003, directed Yellow Pages, Virgin Blue commercials and the ‘No Gary, No’ spot for Nicorette, an episode of Bryan Brown’s ‘Two Twisted’ and is developing a series for Andrew Denton.