Meet Ashley Rutstein, B.A. in Information, Communication and Technology and M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communication graduate from Florida State University

 

Name: Ashely Rutstein
Degree: Bachelor’s in Information, Communication and Technology. Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communication
Hometown: Cabot, Arkansas
Current City: Denver, CO
Job: Copywriter at LRXD and Owner of Apparently Ashley

Meet Ashley

Who do you admire and why?
All the small business owners out there. I started my business last year, and it’s been an eye-opener. I knew I would love the marketing side of it (and having the final say on it), but there are so many pieces to the small business puzzle I never knew about. It’s so much hard work, and as small business owners, we put everything we have into it – love, sweat, tears, soul, and some more tears.

What Jeopardy category could you clear, no problem?
The one with all the Friends trivia.

Favorite office snack?
Snapea Crisps.

Best account to follow on social media?
@Adweak on Twitter- a painfully accurate “parody” of advertising life.

Best piece of advice you’ve received?
“A real loser is somebody that’s so afraid of not winning, they don’t even try” -Little Miss Sunshine

The Career

Tell us about your job:
As a copywriter at LRXD, I write everything from digital banners, to video and radio scripts, to billboards. Campaign concepts are my favorite part of the job. My partner and I just throw ideas on a wall, no matter how crazy, weird, or seemingly impossible they are, and figure out how to make them actually happen. I created a weekly internal newsletter called “Ash’s Weekly Rehash” where I share recent internet memes, viral videos, and quotes from around the office completely taken out of context.

What does your average day look like?
I like to start my days with a muffin and black coffee from the coffee shop around the corner before I head to the office for our daily stand-up meeting (no sitting allowed), where all the creatives and account managers talk about what’s on the to-do list for the day.

Then, it’s time to write. I’m usually working on a different client every day, unless we’re in the middle of a new business pitch, which usually involves working solely on that client’s work for an entire week, if not longer. After work, if I’m not feeling lazy, I’ll drag myself to a yoga class. Once I get home, I get to work on my side business!

How did your education prepare for your career?
My education really helped me look at my work from all angles. Yes, I’m a writer, but because of what I learned in school, I think about the psychology of the target audience, how the analytics and research can help shape the creative, and how to sell my work to my Creative Directors and, ultimately, the client.

How has working in your industry changed the way you look at the world?
Working in marketing has made me so critical of advertising. Every commercial I hear, every billboard I see, every social post that comes across my feed makes me think how it could have been done better, or how it’s obviously staged with actors, or how I can tell the client turned the creative into something corporate and less, well, creative.

Share a notable (funny, embarrassing, exciting) experience you’ve had at work:
A few jobs ago, I was the Digital Content Manager for Krystal Burger. When we first got the account, the whole team visited a Krystal and ordered literally everything on the menu. EVERYTHING. You know, for research. We all felt pretty awful afterwards, and you could hear painful moans around the office, but it was a team-building experience we’ll never forget.

Who do you look to for inspiration?
Writers of any form. I consume so much media – books, articles, social media, movies, tv shows (whaddup, Netflix?) – every single day. All those different tones of voice, character personalities, and points of view give me a wealth of information to pull from in my work. As a writer working on multiple clients, I have to be able to write in any voice at the drop of a hat. I absorb as much as I can and keep it in my brain so I can pull from it whenever I need.

How do you handle work-life balance?
Unfortunately in the marketing industry, crazy hours are seen as the norm. I lucked out finding a company that values work-life balance as much as I do. I love my job, but that doesn’t mean I want to stay at the office for hours on end. We have a very organized schedule that helps us avoid those crazy hours, but of course, it’s advertising. Some long nights are unavoidable. Thankfully, my bosses make those long nights as enjoyable as possible with great attitudes and lots of food.

What motivates you?
My coworkers. In advertising, you work with a bunch of weirdos, but those weirdos make coming to work so much fun. We vent to each other, we encourage each other, and we put fart noises on the office speakers to lighten the mood whenever life gets a little too hectic. 

What advice would you give yourself in college?
Be prepared for the haters, but don’t let them get you down. This industry is full of opinions, and sometimes, those opinions can really hurt. As a creative, you put your heart and soul into the work just for it to get shot down, either by your Creative Director or the client. That doesn’t mean you suck at your job. If you did, you wouldn’t have said job. Just keep going, keep writing, keep creating, and something will stick.

Connect with Ashley

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