Another Way to Get Inside an Ad Agency

Frustrated by the weekly onslaught of mailers from photographers and illustrators, a group of US ad creatives have set up an online alternative. "Our creative department gets about 60 lbs of paper promos a month from illustrators and photographers, most of which ends up in the trash," says Lance Vining, an associate creative director/art director at an agency in San Francisco.

To discourage the use of paper promos, Vining and a group of friends launched First-Stop.org as a side project to showcase the work of illustrators and photographers in the hope that they would use the site instead of sending out printed materials. "The only thing we ask of the artists whose work we display is that they agree to significantly reduce the amount of paper promos they send to ad agencies," Vining says.

This gives a good idea on what art directors in ad agencies receive, standing out from the crowd is always difficult, promotion is key to your success as an illustrator. And you're not only competing against other illustrators but photographers as well. Keep in mind there is no one single way to promote to art directors. A mix of online and print materials is the best tact—always staying in front of potential buyers is the best way to get noticed, remembered and sought out. Going green is a good idea but remember you're still in the masses, you need to find avenues to approach art directors and art buyers from many directions, not just one or two. And while the sound of "free" sounds good, the adage still applies, you get what you pay for. Going green doesn't necessarily mean you're earning more green.