How One Wise-Crackin' Copywriter Landed a Job with a Major Toy Manufacturer
Creative and marketing careers can take strange twists and turns and you never know what will lead to your next job. This lesson was brought home to me when speaking with a talented copywriter and marketer represented by Aquent's Nashville office, Christienne M.
Christienne, who has written copy for everything from science fiction films to gastric bypass surgery, also happens to be an actress and comedienne. As it turns out, her pursuit of these latter passions has shaped her career path in at least two ways. On the one hand, since artists often have to pursue some sort of freelance trade in order to supplement their income, participation in an artistic community has frequently provided Christienne with a valuable network of contacts in a variety of fields when it came to looking for work. On the other hand, and more surprisingly, she has also landed jobs while actually practicing her craft.
Once upon a time, while doing stand-up at a club in Los Angeles, Christienne came to the attention of a brand manager at Mattel. Impressed by her sense of humor, she brought Christienne into Mattel to write scripts for new members of the Real Talkin' Bubba Bear family: Bedtime Bubba and Bathtime Bubba. When that project drew to a close she spent the next four years working for Mattel writing copy on Malibu Barbie and kin for toy fairs and other events.
Aside from reminding us that there are a number of ways to market our skills, including the frequently overlooked "public performance," this story also illustrates the importance of using the current engagement or project to lead to the next one. We are often hired to do one thing in particular - putting words in the mouths of talking bears, for example - but in the course of doing so, we inevitably end up demonstrating a broader range of abilities, making new contacts, and, ultimately, creating new opportunities for ourselves.
The fact of the matter is, when our clients and their colleagues find out that, in addition to writing, for example, we can manage people and projects, communicate effectively across the organization, and are fun to work with, they'll find new things for us to do. If you don't believe me, just ask the lady behind Bathtime Bubba.
