Why I Chose Advertising

Kiley Fletcher

Throughout high school, many of my friends already had set ideas on what they wanted to major in. My best friend wanted to be a Biology major, so she could become a doctor, and another was set on going to law school. I never had an idea of what I actually wanted to pursue until my senior year of high school when I discovered what advertising was and how many paths I could end up taking with it.

I have never been math oriented, so a business major was off the table for me. I knew I wanted to pursue something that would bring out the creative part of myself, which is when I started researching into the Advertising program here at University of Illinois. My creative side has always been something I never had the chance to fully develop due to the lack of creative outlets I had growing up. The program was the first created in the country, so I knew the program would be evolved and rich with history. It wasn’t until I was sitting in my introductory ADV 150 class that I realized how complex the advertising industry really is.

Whether you’re more on the creative side and want to be a creative director or copywriter, or you’re interested in marketing and want to be a research analyst, there are so many paths you can take with an advertising major. It seems intimidating at first, especially if you’re not entirely sure what your interests are, but the advertising professors at UIUC are a great resource when helping you decide your future. I’m very lucky that I’m surrounded by fellow advertising students who have the same drive as me, and professors that help me achieve my goals. I think advertising is a great major for people who want to combine business and creativity and apply it to their future career.