When Texas advertising graduate students traveled to Toronto last month, the agencies they visited had one question above all:
"Why on earth would you visit Toronto in January?"
They were being too modest. Toronto may be cold, but the advertising industry there is heating up - fast. So, from Jan. 8 to Jan. 12, the Advertising Graduate Council braved the Canadian winter to make its first-ever trip outside the United States.
The 14 agencies students visited there were TAXI, Ogilvy Canada, DDB Canada, BBDO Canada, Cossette, Publicis Canada, Lowe Roche, john st., TBWA, henderson bas, Bensimon Byrne, ACLC, Grip Limited and Pirate. Many of these agencies are rapidly gaining worldwide reputations.
"It was fascinating to be able to see such a wide range of different agencies," said Isabella Castaño, who went on the trip and aspires to be an art director. "The industry in Toronto may be smaller than the industry in New York or Chicago, but it's definitely just as diverse. And it's growing."
The decision to go to Toronto reflects an increasingly global advertising community with tight connections across borders.
"In a way, the advertising industry is getting smaller and smaller," said Jessica Iseman, an account planning student. "So even though I might not end up working in Toronto, it's valuable to make connections there."
The reputation of Texas's advertising program seems to be growing even north of the border. Students were greeted by the president or founding partner at seven of the 14 agencies.
In all, twenty-seven graduate students from the Advertising Graduate Council went to Toronto, the latest in a series of trips the Council organizes each semester. Other cities the Council has visited include New York, San Francisco, Dallas and Boston. It will visit Chicago in May.
2/4/2008