What caught my eye when reading this blog?
Wieden Kennedy Portland is looking for creative talent:
http://www.wk.com/seeking
Just the application process made me want to go work there.
So I applied.
Then I got a mail from Robin Rosenberg:
Hi Christian,
You sound like an interesting person. We want to know more. We want to
see what you can do. Send us something before January 1 and maybe win a
prize.The content is up to you, but here’s our guideline for format: a pdf
document, 20 pages or less, formatted 11×17 landscape, no larger than
6MB. It will be viewed on screen and not printed, so design with this
in mind.
So I got a bit over a month to make a 20-page .pdf that shows what I can do.
I have no idea what I’m going to do but I think it’s going to be an interesting journey.
And I’m going to document that journey right here.
And some other stuff.
For instance, who am I? What is Portland like? Do I like advertising? (I’m writing all this is one big stream of consciousness so I know what to write when I run out of stuff to write) Where does my favourite media “the interwebs” fit in? 20 page pdf? Portofolio or Nofortolio? Portland has a lot of microbreweries. WANT! DO NOT WANT! (can’t find one, maybe later). If I was W+K, would I hire me? Tire-bouschtroumpf ou schtroumpf-bouchon?
All that and more, coming up.
Good luck to both of us!
Yes.
And thanks!
Hey there, I got the exact same email. I Googled Robin and found your post.
I was also the lucky recipient of this (identical to the word) email, but did get a response from her when I emailed an additional question.
Is this Robin real, or a fabricated apparition?
And are you going to take on the challenge? I think I will, but would like to know if it’s a creative hoax before doing so.
Email me if you have any ideas, Christian.
She’s real.
It’s not a hoax. I got another mail recently saying they’re expecting 5000 entries, 50 people will be flown to Portland etc.
I agree. maybe they’re trying to steal our ideas.
also I’m drunk.
xoxo
-alicia
Whad’ya drink?
Hi Chris, got any reply yet? I’m waiting in unbearable tension for Jan 15.
Hi Chris, got any reply so far? I was told by Robin that a reply would come by Jan 15 or earlier.
A bit surprised to know that they are gonna select 50 guys. Is it true?
Is it true that they are gonna sift thru 5000 mails to pick the 50 best guys?
I’m getting increasingly nervous about Jan 15.
to think i was the only mega-nerd that Google Searched “Robin Rosenberg Wieden and Kennedy” and look what it got me? a friggin blog with other mega-nerds who are trying their luck at winning the lottery. i just hope it’s not some competitive reality tv show like “American’s Next Top Ad Exec” or something. jesus … if only. good luck all. may the best bearded-vegan-lo-fi-indie-rocker-hipster win!
Weiden + Kennedy has been “pulling” this scam for the past few years. It is not for a job, but rather an intermship that cost’s the 12 lucky finalists $15,000! However, those fortunate 12 can work off the tuition during there internship at Weiden and Kennedy. The 12 “winners” usually are rewarded with an entry level position at the end of the internship.
It is unfortunate that W + K has to mislead people with job postings on craigslist and follow up emails just to recruit free labor.
^ I could not have put it better. I’m totally not hipster enough for this. Though as evidenced by all of this, I’m stealth enough in Google searching WK people.
I also received the exact same email from Robin.
another email I got was:
“Hi Shawn,
Thanks for sharing. The review process will take some time. You’ll
hear from us by January 15, maybe sooner.
In the meantime, we’d like to have your mailing address. We’d also like
to hear how you found wk.com/seeking. Thank you for your patience,
Best wishes,
Robin”
I followed up on the 12th of January and got this as a response.
“Hi Shawn,
We’re deep in pdf review now–I hope to get back to you within the next
2 weeks with updates and what’s to come…
Stay tuned,
Robin”
I see all to many postings for jobs that give no compensation and list it as an internship so they don’t have to pay. The amount of money that any ad agency such as WK makes off of artist is tremendous. Especially if they don’t pay the artist. The only thing you get is “Job Experience”.
Such a let down.
It makes me not want to share my artwork. I feel like they are just going to copy it. I send my portfolio to posting online but never hear back. I am no longer going to do that. Not unless I can meet with them.
maybe if we all put our collective thoughts into my entry, i’ll win. iamseeking4seeking.com
In regards to my last posting, I contacted Robin to find out if this was in fact true, that it was unpaid and was a competition. I was a little upset about what was posted in the beginning of this blog. She replied that they “are hiring” in their creative department and their internships are paid. The fact that the emails are similar in their responses to the artists, I find it highly unrealistic for her to have to individually write each email to all the applicants that WK finds desirable.
Hope this clears somethings up for everyone. So I suggest that if they offer you a job, that it would be very unwise to take it. And if you hear anything on a blog, that you should investigate it for yourself before you decide, so you do not in turn spread untrue statements.
So I’m guessing someone must have been misinformed somewhere along the line, but that will happen.
I got all the same emails listed above, plus had a little weekend banter with Robin. It was nothing really, but she did have some wit about her and it wasn’t canned. In saying that, I don’t believe I have a chance in hell to win or go to Portland. I did also try to apply for a job through w+k’s regular employment, and it shot me back a message saying if you are applying for a creative position, then go to wk.com/seeking. I do think it’s a fun I’d on their behalf…much like winning the golden ticket in willie wonka and the chocolate factory. good luck to all and we should know something soon.
sorry ^^^ “it’s fun on their behalf…”
What did people make for the project?
Anybody heard anything??
Just got e mail that they’re sending out responses by snail mail. Guess I didn’t make the cut. I’d assume invitees get e mail invitations.
[...] Kennedy Seeking, THE RESULTS!!! (W+K) Chen, in the comments, said he got an email saying they’re sending out the results by snail mail. He also jumped to [...]
I had a fedex waiting for me when I got home yesterday. Inside was a letter saying that there were 1500 submissions and I had been chosen as one of the 40 invited to Portland in March. I can’t believe it…but I still wonder if it’s just recruitment for the WK12 program. I hope not. I’ll be very disappointed if that’s the case.
Best of luck all.
Wow, congratulations!
Congrats, Travis. What puzzles me is that they said “1500″ There were 7227 applications IIRC.
Hmmm…That’s what the letter said. What is IIRC, btw?
Yeah congrats.
I think WK12 is separate from Seeking and had it’s own deadline for submission, which was Feb. 15th. Here’s the link if you haven’t checked this out already:
http://wk12.com/
Click on the red dot the hamburger dude is pointing to.
@Travis –
IIRC stands for If I Recall Correctly.
Are you from USA, Travis? It’s good that you got the good news pretty on time. My hopes are almost extinguished by now.
Congrats on selling your soul and creativity to ADVERTISING! Getting people to buy things they don’t need! Further filling our world with plastic wrapping and styrofoam (sp?) protective packaging!!!! Co-opting everything creative and reformatting it to get people to buy Nikes!!! Toyotas!! Twinkies!!! Whatever!!!!!!!!!!!!
The video of the little kid opening the package says it all. It made me laugh, but also almost made me throw up. It’s sick!!! We’re all gonna die (animals and plants included) a little bit sooner and sadder thanks to Wieden + Kennedy. Sorry to sound like a big baby, but look in your soul. You know it’s true.
Hi Ernest, you’re funny.
Thing is, most people that comment here found this blog because they googled W+K seeking. Because they participated.
How did you get here?
Travis, hate to be the one to ask, but: Can we see what you sent? If you don’t wanna, that’s cool. Congrats.
I like Travis, Also got a FedEx letter in the mail inviting me to Portland. Oh…sorry, that must’ve been my dream phase. It would be great to “win” but what is that really? Guess a chance to work for one of the ad greats, but I don’t see much in the way of negotiations being this was a contest. If you make it that far, I’m guessing whatever they offer is what you take. With maybe an award for your desk. (;
Travis, just curious are you a Creative Director, Art Director, Designer, Writer, Interactive, etc…?
Thanks for the congrats – Not sure exactly what it’s all about – It’s a bit of a mystery…The letter doesn’t give any detail as to what we will be doing in Portland for 3 days and 3 nights. Other than saying there will be an agency visit, a party and plenty of time to explore Portland.
I am an Art Director from the United States. If you’d like to see my entry go here:
http://artforindustry.com/other/wk-seeking/
Click on the first thumbnail and you’ll see larger images you can page through.
thanks, Travis. nice.
I also applied, got the same emails, and have received neither fedex nor rejection letter. Has any body gotten a rejection letter yet?
lila
just got my postcard from Wieden and Kennedy. It is a large sticker saying, “Wieden + Kennedy gave me this sticker.” Not that great.
hey…if anyone checks this. i just checked out wieden+kennedy office this morning…got a nice tour and pitched myself as well…huge emphasis on the 12 program…everyone told me to consider it…i remember reading this blog in the past months and deciding that it was not in my budget or time frame really to go back to school…but now, i’m really seeking a slight career change from the working chef/painter that i am and going completely towards the creative side…if you think 12 is worth the money, time,and stress…please get back to me…and be honest cause i’m really thinkin’ about it. thanks.peace
so it looks like it’s been a couple of months since anyone has posted about the WK job/internship and I am just wondering if there has been any recent news about it.
I will be graduating from grad school at the end of the year and am really interested in applying for a position there, however, after reading everyones hilarious (though enlightening) posts, I’ve had a doubt or two…
so, just wondering what the deal is. thanks!
Is this being done again? I submitted for the last one, got all the emails everyone else got and a mixtape/sticker for my troubles.
Nope, isn’t being done again I’m afraid.
I submitted for this and was passed, but received the april fools w+k book as a thanks for submitting.
seems like a hangout for rich spoiled people
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