Meet Madeline, Breaking and Entering Network Spotlight
1. Your name?
Madeline Bieniarz
2. What college are you attending?
DePaul University
3. What is your major and minor?
Majoring in PR and Advertising and minoring in Creative Advertising
4. Expected graduation date?
June 10th
5. What role will you break into within advertising? Or what job do you have lined up?
I want to be an Art Director but I am interning with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra right now for graphic design. I would be happy doing anything related to design in the advertising world!
6. Dream agency?
Probably Leo Burnett! I’m a sucker for Charlie the Tuna Fish.
7. What do you do within the Breaking and Entering Network?
I do a podcast with my friend where we review current advertisements and campaigns that we see!
8. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. Where did you grow up, and how did you become interested in advertising?
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. I’ve always been interested in advertising. I remember sitting in the back of my mom’s car and just staring out the window at the billboards on the highway. I would stay just as interested when the commercials would interrupted my cartoons. Not even just toy commercials. I memorized an entire commercial for Nationwide insurance and, to the dismay of my parents, recited it as often as possible. I would pick up magazines just to look at the print ads. I’ve also always loved art and design, and I think my passion for those two things is what nudged me to study creative advertising.
9. What made you decide to pursue a degree in advertising, and how did you choose your university/program?
I knew I wanted to go to a school in Chicago, and I applied to DePaul as an undeclared communications major even though I had no idea what I wanted to study. I started hearing about the ad classes in my intro to communication classes and decided to take my first ad class spring quarter of my freshman year. It really didn’t occur to me that I could combine my love for art with my love for ads until I got further into the PRAD program at DePaul. After I learned about how campaigns come together, I was hooked and everything fell right into place.
10. What do you think are the most important skills for success in the advertising industry, and how are you working to develop those skills?
I think a really important skill is teamwork. You have to be open to all ideas that are put on the table. I enjoy working with a team but it can definitely be challenging, especially when we’re sharing ideas and receiving feedback. I’m trying to become better at receiving feedback and constructive criticism because I know that feedback is so valuable.
11. What are your thoughts on the current state of the advertising industry, and where do you see it heading in the future?
I love that we’re seeing more transparency from brands currently. It’s not uncommon for brands to have all different forms of social media and to speak about issues going on in the world. I think we are definitely headed in the direction of more transparency and more accountability from brands and companies.
12.How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in advertising, and what resources do you rely on for industry news and insights?
I check LinkedIn daily to stay up-to-date on the latest ad news. I also follow brands on social media because so many of them take on different personalities on their pages.
13. Can you share any advice for other students who are interested in pursuing a career in advertising?
My advice is cheesy and cliche, but it’s don’t give up. I know I have been very discouraged by the countless rejection emails I’ve gotten from agencies and internship programs. It’s hard, especially as a creative, to not compare yourself to others and to keep your head up when you really don’t feel good enough. But I promise you are good enough! Everyone truly does bring something different to the table and everyone deserves a chance to tell their story. The road into world of advertising is a bumpy one and definitely not a straight shot, but it’s a road nonetheless. Besides, what if the real career in advertising was the friends we made along the way?
