CHAPTER 12

GETTING OUT

There aren’t many old creatives.

Before they get old, most creatives seem to leave. But the question of where they go and what they do has never been satisfactorily answered.

However, the three most common exits seem to be Up & Out, Down & Out, and Deciding To Do Something Else.

UP AND OUT

Successful creatives who go on to become creative directors or start their own agencies eventually get “squeezed out of the top” of the business.

Creatives who start their own agency normally do so for the thrill and the autonomy. But after about five years of bloody hard work, they will (assuming things have gone well) get offers to sell. They may say no—the challenge of growing the agency to the next level may be compelling. But if ...

Get How to Make it as an Advertising Creative now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.