MORE THAN LUCK

Young & Hungry is like no other class offered at Academy of Art University. It is as close to working at an advertising agency as it gets. The process of getting into the class begins with a formal interview which helps students prepare for life after graduation. The two instructors, Jim Wojtowicz and Terry Jones, serve as the Creative Directors. While the students serve the roles of Art Directors, Copywriters, and Strategists. Whatever skills the students possess, Jim and Terry will find a role for them to succeed. Functioning as a working agency, students get the opportunity to deal with real-world clients.  They are faced with the challenge of creating meaningful and impactful ads and communication solutions. In the process, they learn functions and workflows, how to meet clients’ needs, and how to pursue new business.

A recent Young & Hungry alumni, Daniel Cosgrove, says it was the most helpful class he took over his four years at the Academy. Working closely with Jim and Terry provides an experience which many students in college can only dream of. According to Cosgrove, it was more than just the experience these two brought to the table. “They are simply great people who help you really enjoy the time you spend in class. They create the perfect environment for people to express themselves and really take chances on their work.” After all, it is an art school and this is the time when students should be taking chances with their work.

The advertising world is all about experience. Those with the most experience are most likely to land the internship or job. A semester with Young & Hungry can go a long way to landing that first gig. Cosgrove claims “the class not only bolstered his resume but more importantly taught him how to hold himself in a professional environment.” This experience went a long way when he was interviewing for positions post-graduation. He was able to tell his prospective employers about his time with Young & Hungry and how he worked with real clients with real deadlines. The maturity he gained from this class gave him an edge over other recent graduates who never got the same opportunity.

Daniel Cosgrove, a native of Ireland, came to the United States on a golf scholarship. Juggling school and sport is not always the easiest task but he was able to excel in both and graduate in four years. Artists and athletes rely on their creativity to drive their careers. In golf, one is often faced with challenges and must come up with solutions on the fly and under extreme pressure. This provides much-needed experience when it comes to any other career path. Cosgrove claims his creativity comes out best through his problem-solving ability. ”I could never take a blank sheet of paper and design something visually appealing like all of the talented art directors I went to school with. But when it comes to getting a problem, breaking it down into each individual aspect and thinking through the best strategy to be successful, that is where I let my creative side take over and usually come to the best and most efficient answer.” He is no stranger to pressure. Being raised an athlete had a huge impact on his ability to come up with solutions to problems in a quick and concise manner.

After graduating in the spring of 2018, Cosgrove quickly landed a job. But staffing cuts happened quickly and he was laid off only months later. He was hired at another agency which was a much better opportunity. Unfortunately, due to the volatile nature of the advertising world, he was laid off again. By no fault of his own, sometimes the business can be a struggle for young workers trying to make a name for themselves. “It is very frustrating to lose your job over something that had nothing to do with your performance. The industry I am in right now is shifting heavily towards programmatic solutions rather than the more standard business to business deals that have been the norm for years. Because of this, the Account Manager role is changing and in most ad networks, becoming much less important.” The ups and downs of the industry haven’t got him down.

Cosgrove has taken the punches and come out a stronger more experienced worker. He has learned great lessons of being able to look ahead and adapt. The industry is rapidly changing and in order to keep up, one must stay up to date with the latest trends and technologies. Cosgrove grins as he says, “Fortunately, the Irish are a tough and resilient people. I’ll be okay.”

Growing up with two successful parents has inspired Cosgrove and left him with a strong internal drive to be just as successful. This mindset began with sports at a young age and now has translated into his working career. There is always something to learn in this industry which has lead him to look towards his superiors for guidance. “I look to the “higher-ups” in my company and am really impressed by their abilities and competency and it’s something I strive for in my career.”

After bouncing around jobs, Cosgrove has now settled down as an Account Manager at Chartboost, an advertising network located in the City. His new job requires him to be in constant contact with his clients, knowing what their goals are, and how much of a budget they have to spend. His duties are to set up their ad campaigns, monitor the performance, and make sure his clients are getting the highest return on investment possible. In such a tough business, Cosgrove is able to attribute his success and perseverance a great deal to his time with Young & Hungry.

Client: Young & Hungry