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by Megan Kimball on 11.29.2011 in Advertising, Company News 0

I am running two minutes late to a meeting, an art director is drawing animal shapes on my already crowded white board, my lunch just exploded in the microwave, my phone is ringing and I’m in the middle of writing an email that should have gone out yesterday. Welcome to advertising and marketing.

I love my job, but sometimes the work can be a little overwhelming. One word: Yoga. Ever since I rolled out my purple mat and did my first downward-facing dog, I was hooked.  Brighton is such a wonderful place to work because we are always encouraged to bring our own personality and work style to the mix. Since yoga is such a big part of who I am, I wanted to explore how core principals of yoga apply to the “practice” of advertising.

1. Be Flexible: Standing on your head sounds like a breeze compared to a looming deadline. Working as an account manager, I have learned the value of flexibility. Deadlines get moved up and projects can change like the wind. Having an open mind and a positive attitude is a must in this business. Similar to the continuous flow of a yoga class, be prepared to move fluidly from project to project, idea to idea. Otherwise, you might get stuck in an awkward position, and trust me—it is no fun to be upside down with no place to go.
2. Anticipate: In yoga, a teacher wants to carefully design his or her sequence so students can anticipate the next pose based on the flow of the class. A well-designed class can actually create a hint of desire for certain poses. In advertising, being ahead of the curve means anticipating what consumers want before they realize they want it. Effective marketing starts with creating desire. Anticipating the thoughts and emotions of a consumer can be a powerful tool when planning out tactics. The strategy behind tools such as print and television advertising is to drop hints in consumers’ minds about your products so the next time they are standing in an aisle and see your product, they won’t need additional persuasion to make the purchase. Tip: it is much easier to sell a product to a consumer who is already convinced he wants it.
3. Be Creative: When crafting a yoga sequence, being creative helps yogis experience different postures and deepen total body strength. When preparing for a new product launch or campaign initiative, fresh thinking is essential. The tactics you applied in the last initiative might not fit this time around. Be ready to scrap old ideas and brainstorm new ones. Inspired thinking is a vital part of a successful advertising campaign.

Working in the fast-paced world of advertising and marketing can be intimidating, but that’s true of standing on your head. Sometimes you just need to change your perspective…literally.

Namaste!

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