LEADERS OF THE NEW: Andrea Alexis-James

Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click here to check the archives.


Name: Andrea Alexis-James

Career Path: The wonderful world of media planning

Education: 2 years in the psychology program at York University, 2 years in Seneca’s Creative Advertising Program


Advertising Experience: Internship at PHD

One Thing About You: If you want to win my heart, scrap the flowers, bring me feta!

Contact: aalexisjames@gmail.com

Full interview after the jump!

When did you know that advertising was for you?

Well, first of all I knew that psychology wasn't for me by the time the first semester of my first year at York was drawing to a close. I started shopping around for alternatives, and although I had never really considered the college route, I explored it. I found the Creative Advertising program and Seneca and found myself back on the course descriptions website almost daily, wishing I were there instead. I convinced my mother that the world would in fact not crumble if I left York and applied crossing my fingers that out of the 800 odd people that apply, I would be one of 75 chosen…and I was!

I noticed just recently that it’s always been part of me. I recently found a small hoard of ad clippings I had put aside years ago because I really liked them.


When you first entered the Creative Advertising program at Seneca, did you think you would want to work in media? What swayed you to the media side?

God no, much like the rest of the class, when second semester Media class rolled around and we were told we needed a calculator, my initial reaction was, “WHHOOOAAAA! Hold on there buddy, no one said ANYTHING about math!”. I was convinced I was going to be a copywriter. I didn’t have any interest in media until me and another classmate paid a trip to the agency formerly known as ACLC and got talking to members of different departments. For whatever reason the media planning spiel we received stuck with me, and I mulled it over the summer and decided it was right for me.


How did you get from being a student to being an intern at PHD?

Simple. I had an informational interview with someone from the company, and she seemed to like the cut of my jib. Unfortunately, she was soon to be going on maternity leave, so she gave me the email and name of someone else to get in touch with. And then I harassed her until I got a start date =).


Describe a day in the life of Andrea at PHD.

I roll in sometime between 8:30 and 8:50, fetch a coffee (for myself only!), check my email, check the entertainment, weird news and business RSS feeds in outlook, send an email to the two people (one on the planning side, one on the buying side) that I work under and ask who I belong to that day, and then either enter a LOT of data or if its planning work, I could easily spend 5 hours staring at PMB and Nielsen data. I grab lunch somewhere in the middle, sometimes there will be a meeting or presentation (complete with swag!) and then quittin’ time rolls around and I head home. Then I get home and I’m severely at a loss of what to do with myself now that I have no homework =\.


What were your experiences of real-life media planning/media buying like? Do you have a preference?

Media planning is definitely my preference. There is definitely a lot more creative license to be had, and you’re in touch with reps and making contacts from earlier on in the game. As a junior buyer, your life is pretty much data entry from what I can see.


Usually when people think of media planning, they think numbers. But do you feel there’s creativity in media planning?

There are definitely numbers but there is definitely creativity. A few weeks ago I was asked to put together a rough magazine plan for a new make up product, and then at the end my supervisor threw in that I could suggest any different creative treatments I thought of. Those wacky installments you might see brands advertising their products with? Yeah, a lot of that is us.


What campaign that is currently running do you really like and why?

I think a lot of people like it but I’ve got to say the Stride Commercials. I’ve only personally seen the one commercial with the ram, but it gets me every time and has definitely made me turn to Stride when I go into a convenience store to buy gum, for Kudos if nothing else.


What’s the next move for you?

Who knows Jett, who knows. I don’t know for sure what my future is at PHD, so I’m shopping around, and my supervisor has assured me that she will write me a letter of recommendation should I need one.


What do you do for fun?

Chicken wrestling, tractor pulls, ya know, what normal 21 year old girls do on their free time. I guess I like movies, and I probably spend 50% of my (currently nonexistent) income on concerts, go to bars now and then. I like adventuring. I’m the friend that will call you up at 3 on a Monday and say, “Hey…wanna go to Barrie? I dunno why, just cause we can?”.


E-Elevator Pitch: Sell yourself in 140 characters or less.

Seneca Creative Advertising grad, complete with fresh ideas, weird in a way that can only be beneficial and a great team player.

If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at jettlandicho@gmail.com