My Journey so far… Brand strategist
“We are nothing but pencils in the hand of the creator”
I had always wanted to be an engineer from secondary school all in the name of my love for physics and mathematics and I wanted to keep applying it all my life… Very funny, uhn?
Then in the latter days of my final year in secondary school, I realized Civil Engineering is that aspect of Engineering I’ll do without complaining. I got in to Yabatech to study Civil Engineering, but my parents were not having it, all because of the BSC and HND dichotomy.
I wrote another UTME the second year, got engineering but Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering this time. I had plans to switch later, but my HOD said No. I stayed true to the course, but there came a turning point from 300L second semester when I tried running PR for small businesses as a side hustle.
My PR job was going on well, but I realized that I always know somebody that knows somebody, to get things done. Then I developed an interest in advertising, which I started a Brand Managing business, helping student entrepreneurs in marking out strategies till I graduated. I had gone into contract with graphics guys and PR guys, but I stopped in 500L when I couldn’t cope again.
Ever since then, I knew Marketing is something I want to do and I drafted a plan of working/learning in a marketing firm before I revive my business again, as plan A, while I still have my Engineering as plan B.
I started reading Brand management articles, following any advertising agency I come across on social media and persons. I wrote 22 application letters to marketing firms, I wrote to X3M the most. They replied once and said no opening. I was not going to take NO for an answer. I did a media stunt with X3M ideas, to ensure I got their attention, which I did. All I wanted was to be an intern, so I can learn.
X3M acknowledged my attempt and gave me a brief, but told me I can only get in later in the year. At this point, I will say I am entirely naive to document presentations. A few weeks after X3M, a Health safety firm, where I had interviewed mistakenly sent me a mail to come to resume work. On my day of resumption, I got to know the mail wasn’t for me. Still down, I got a call from one of my Egbons to come for an interview in a marketing firm in Gbagada that same morning.
I rushed to Gbagada, did my interview, and almost trekked home if I hadn’t waited for COB. One week passed, nothing, two weeks, nothing, third week, nothing. Then a certain Martha called me, the same lady that had interviewed me.
Long story short, she asked me to resume the following month. I did resume on April 23rd. Fast forward to today, my third-month learning, I can boldly say, that novice have been involved in drawing strategies upon strategies for multinationals, marketing plans for organizations I never knew about. And I am still waxing strong under the tutelage of one of the best “Idea man” I’ve ever met, Odunlami Daniel.
Thank you GDM for a wonderful three months experience.
Let’s continue to do this!!!
GDM just won five awards at the recent Experiential Marketing Association of Nigeria (EXMAN) awards, and I had my input on it too. Smiles!
