*I’m not sure what different means, I just know that when I interviewed for new employment its ratio to the usage of any other word was formidable, although that is more than likely a flaw in my vocabulary.

 I’ve been working at my new gaff for a little while now. I’ve ended up going to a place that stood out a bit from what is a wide landscape of carbon copy bricks and mortar in different wrappers, and the wrappers aren’t really that different. I’ve come to realise due to the incestuous nature of talent and client pressures you're unlikely to walk through the doors or into a conversation that doesn’t feel like Groundhog Day.

Having said that I am fascinated by adland. I constantly find myself reading into agencies propositions and new entrants that state they are something different. There is some interesting stuff going on with the whole ‘integrated’ offering that agencies want to put on the table for clients, the truth is though not many deliver it. This does become a bit of a frustration as not many places seem to really understand what it is they offer, it’s just whatever encapsulates everything you think needs to be there; data, brand, social, experiential etc etc.

The reality that I understood was at this point in my career I have nothing to lose, it’s just all about playing the landscape that’s there and as long as I’m learning as much as possible and facing different variations of challenges there can be no bad decisions. I wasn’t getting the challenges I needed in my previous place, although it did give me a lot from the beginning, so the best thing for me (and it is of course a selfish decision) was to leave on the best terms possible and keep moving forward.

The things I bought into through the interviews at my new place were luckily supported in the first few weeks #1 Getting the right people interested and into a room to meet a cool new start-up to help collaborate on projects, that really are doing different stuff #2 The proud display and discussion of their work and #3 There honestly was an entrepreneurial spirit that allowed for a slightly different approach with briefs.

As I continue my journey though I am starting to loose faith in the adland model and the part I can play to avoid being a robot in a machine. I don’t know if advertising can continue to be the answer to do so, all I know is I will try my hardest to not be part of the monotony that my future may face.

*Please note the word ‘different’ has only been used 8 times in the article you have just read.

And here’s my leaving speech that I recently got sent, I was 9 pints in at the time which may explain why I look a bit spaced out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5RQ8Mttw9o.