Leon Celan

Profession

MA Advertising alumni

College

London College of Communication

Person Type

Alumni

Biography

Leon is a recent graduate from MA Advertising at London College of Communication.

Interview

Why did you decide to pursue a postgraduate degree in advertising?
Whilst studying BA Communication in Social and Economic Contexts at the Berlin University of the Arts, I developed an academic interest for the field of advertising. I wanted to focus on one key area in my postgraduate studies, which lead me to the University of the Arts London. What better place to study advertising than in London?

What was the highlight of the course?
Working with real clients on live briefs, attending various industry events such as D&AD, and visiting New York to attend the annual Advertising Week.

What was the most valuable lesson you learnt on the course?
Through completing my Final Major Project I realised that in order to be interesting to advertising experts you need to bring something with you from other fields you’re really good at. This is what the industry is looking for in new talent and why the industry is so open towards a variety of backgrounds.

Why would you recommend MA Advertising to prospective students?
This course helped me think of directions the advertising industry can go in the future. This is a strong advantage you should use when starting to work in the industry. It’s important to get to know the status quo, but likewise it’s vital that you keep being visionary and that you can actually bring something new to the table. The industry is in constant movement and has no firm shape, even if it wants to seem like it. This is great news for anyone who loves shaping things!

Did you complete any work placements whilst studying on the course?
During my Final Major Project, I worked as a strategy intern at German advertising agency Scholz & Friends in Hamburg. It is important to get some real agency experience to increase your employability when applying for jobs. I also found it helpful for my project as I’ve had daily stimulation from the industry whilst working on solutions to the industry’s pain points. I’d definitely recommend completing an industry placement whilst studying on the course.

What have you been up to since graduating from the course?
I’ve just finished an internship at communications agency, adam&eveDDB, where I got to work on some amazing projects. One thing I really enjoyed doing was a small qualitative research study for a client of my choice. I interviewed people who switched from iOS to Android devices in order to find new insights. I‘m currently working on a freelance marketing project with a friend for a U.S. based, luxury flooring company.

Related area

Visit the MA Advertising course page.

Leon Celan

Biography

Interview

Related area

London College of Communication

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