Slippery Jelly At The Helm Of A Dubious Idea
January 5th, 2010 | 
Author: Slippery Jelly At The Helm Of A Dubious Idea
Ever hear about David Jelly Helms famous check selfpromotion he did when he was an ad school student?
He sent a box to The Martin Agency. On the outside of the box it said I understand The Martin Agency is hiring art directors for 22000. Inside theres a check for 22000 made out to The Martin Agency along with a note that said When do I start?
Very clever. It made the One Show annual. And it helped Jelly get a job so the story goes. But now he wants students to pay to work in advertisingfor real.
Hes starting a program called 12. Its a 13month experimental ad school program to be headquartered at Wieden and Kennedys Portland office. Twelve students will be admitted per year hence the name.
According to an article in ADWEEK tuition will be 13000. When I saw that number my eyes popped out of their sockets.
So what does the 13000 tuition buy them?
Theyll do everything from answering phones to shipping materials creative strategic development and media work Helm told ADWEEK.
In other words students will pay to do things other people get paid to do. With no guarantee of a fulltime gig at Wieden or anyplace else after completing the program.
Is it just me or does this program sound completely sleazy?
This seems quite different than a typical unpaid internshiplured by the promise of running their own agencywithinanagency it sounds as if students are selling themselves into a year of indentured servitude from which WK and its clients may profit immensely.
Wieden Kennedy seems to be taking a lesson from its largest client Nike. Some of Nikes shoes are made in Indonesia by workers who earn 2.50 a day. But even thats 2.50 more than the Wieden kids will get.
Its reported that over 1000 people expressed interest in joining 12. Yes buying your way into the advertising industry has become an attractive option. We all know that attending an ad school is for creatives at least a method of getting to the head of the line. Hell even a college degree comes with the unspoken promise of a better life.
But accredited ad schools full disclosure: yes I went to one offer flexibility so students can get parttime jobs to defray the cost. Would anyone want a parttime job after working all day and possibly night at Wieden?
What about living expenses and room boardother than sleeping on Dan Wiedens couch how does Jelly expect students of 12 to pay for it all? Would any rightminded parents want their kid to do this? And does the tuition assuming this is not an accredited educational program student loans arent an option mean only rich kids could afford this?
I cant think of any other industry that recruits young people this way. Maybe Hollywood still reeks of a sleep your way to the top system. But even working in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency is a paying gig.
No agencies dont train creative people anymore and no they dont have time to waste on juniors who cant hit the ground running. But one mans realworld educational experiment is anothers cheap help. Which means that Jelly will now be leading the newest legal form of slave labor. And since its Wieden not some directmail shop in Indianapolis he can get away with this nonsense.
I hope theres more to this 12 program than what has been publicized so far.
Ive met Jelly Helm and I know he has a deep passion for advertising and a true desire to see advertising have a positive impact on society.
But this idea smacks of manipulation. Convincing hungry adindustry wannabes that theyre fearless reckless passionate and prolific as WKs website suggests when theyre merely gullible ambitious desperate and most of all wealthy.
Perhaps Jelly should return to what he started out doing: making ads. He could art direct a sequel to his Good vs. Evil spot. And cast himself in both roles.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Branding. Religion. Censorship. Office politics. Global politics. Sexual politics. And getting drunk during a job interview.
Since 2002 Danny G. a.k.a. Dan Goldgeier has been writing the most provocative advertising columns ever published. They’re all witty thoughtful and probing and a must read for those who want a perspective rarely seen in traditional industry publications.
An Atlantabased copywriter and ad school graduate Dan has worked at shops big and small. He reads incessantly about advertising and is a whiz at rock roll trivia. Learn more about him by visiting his copywriting website or AdColumnist.com the View From The Cheap Seats Archive website. You may also find articles by Danny G at TalentZoo.com.
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