Are you one of the Top 100 creatives?
CMYK is charging only $45 to submit up to 15 entries in their Top 100 New Creatives contest. That's the most inexpensive, high-profile contest you're likely to see in your career.Definitely worth checking out here.We get nothing from CMYK for mentioning this. But if you're in the Top 100, and a regular Makin' Ads reader, let us know and we'll give you a shout out.

Radio Lessons from a Young Creative
When I was a young creative, I wrote a radio spot that had my CDs and our clients laughing out loud. What made it funny was the way I read it. When we went into production, we tried to find an actor who could read it as well as I did. We found a guy who was pretty close. But it wasn’t exactly how I read it. And it just wasn’t as funny.LESSON 1:If you’re the best person for a spot, jump in the studio after the talent has left and try it yourself. I wish I had. And I’m sure Andy Azula is glad he did.

The Gang Bang
If you work in a big agency, you might hear about "gang bangs" from time to time (probably too often). This unfortunate nickname refers to throwing multiple teams at an assignment (the number of teams might be as high as 15, but I'd say 5+ teams qualifies it as an official gang bang). Although they can be potentially detrimental to the morale of the cr

Interview Questions to Ask
Yesterday, Ad Age reported that BBDO Detroit will be closing in January, and is laying off 485 employees. Yikes. I don't know any of them. But I feel for them.Yes, the economy's bad. But here's the thing: BBDO Detroit is closing because is lost Chrysler. And that was its sole account. 485 jobs. Poof. So when you start interviewing, remember: make sure you ask about the agency's current, paying clients. Not just the fun pro-bono accounts and side projects they use to enter award shows. Ask everyone who the most important clients are and why.Even if you're win

Bogusky on student books
David sent us a link to Justin TV where Alex Bogusky talks about some of the things that make a good student portfolio. Very good stuff.Watch live video from FearLess Q+A on Justin.tv