THIS IS NOT A PLACE TO ADVERTISE. YOU WILL BE BANNED.

I own a medium-sized full-service advertising, web dev, and creative agency. A hallmark of our business is our service and our refusal to automate processes that are integral to having great customer service. Literally half of our staff is account staff, and most of our service packages are custom-tailored to our clients.

Up until now, I've been building our proposals in InDesign; they're gorgeous, but they take me a long time to create. I was hoping to find some recommendations for a proposal software where I can build out a design and have *some* stuff automated (services like Google Ads and SEO that don't really change based on the client), but allows me to easily build out more custom services for things like website development projects and video production under one roof? We also almost always do proposal meetings in-person with hardcopies of the proposals, so a lot of the automated ones that focus on sending out proposals via email en masse don't really fit our needs. It seems like ones like Proposify and PandaDoc really hang their hats on that functionality. It's nice to have, but definitely not something that we'd use often.

Some features that I'd love, if they're available:

• Automatic calculation of contract pricing (bonus if it shows total and monthly costs)
• The ability to have both monthly AND one-time services on a single proposal
• Templated service descriptions that can then be tweaked to fit individual needs
• Some sort of nicely-organized table to show labor hours breakdowns for larger projects
• Generic pages that don't change, like team bios, etc.
• Functionality to show long-term budgets and timelines of services

I know there are quite a few out there and I'm getting a lot of analysis paralysis trying to compare them, especially because most every review or overview I can find is actually just a marketing blog and no real use cases from people in similar situations. A lot of them don't have trials, which is making the decision a little tougher, even.

Does anyone that offers primarily custom services, especially creative services, have any recommendations?

Thanks, guys. It's much appreciated.

Hey everyone! I’m 19F, and although I’m technically a virtual assistant, I’ve been working as my client’s right hand in marketing. He’s an entrepreneur, so I’ve ended up taking on a lot.

Here’s a glimpse of what I’m doing: I handle email marketing (designing and automating campaigns), manage HubSpot CRM, create social media content, and even do some basic SEO. I also manage his LinkedIn , creating and scheduling posts, researching trending topics, optimizing his profile, and designing visuals. Every day, I engage with his audience and connect with other creators to grow his network, and I’ve even coordinated live events with other creators.

Recently, I helped him create organic social media strategies that have brought in 11k new users on his platform in just 3 months , all without paid ads! I’m feeling really confident that I can achieve great results with organic marketing, and it’s made me realize I want to move fully into this field.

That’s where I could use some advice. I’d love to transition to a marketing assistant role under an experienced marketer to keep learning and growing, but even though I’ve reached out to some good marketers on LinkedIn with personalized messages, I haven’t had any luck with responses.

So, I’m feeling a bit stuck. Should I try posting about this in the freelancing communities I’m part of on WhatsApp? Or is there a better way to connect with someone who might be open to bringing on a junior marketing assistant?

I’m super passionate about this field, and any advice would mean a lot. Thanks so much!

Right so here goes nothing. Deep sigh what on earth am I going to do? I have worked in advertising in account management since 2019. I haven’t passed my probation for the past four jobs that I’ve had so I have made the decision to leave the industry. However, I am now unemployed and it feels like the only option I have with my rent being increased is to look for another advertising job.

As a black woman, the all white advertising agency environment has been incredibly toxic for me and I want to work in an environment that is based on education and skill set. Because of this I have decided to undertake a masters in law. Unfortunately all the paralegal starting salaries are in the mid £20k mark. I currently earn £36k in account management.

My masters is a three year part-time course and I need to be able to live alongside that so I don’t know how I’d survive on £1000 a month salary living in North London.

So far the only solution I have been able to think of is finding a commission based role like recruitment consultancy where I can save my bonuses for the next year and then use that to feed my income when I choose to start a paralegal role.

Obviously, this is a very stressful situation moving back home isn’t an option. My father doesn’t live in this country. My mother isn’t well. I have to fend for myself. I just want to know what my options are and I’ve had some really helpful opinions in the past and advice from Reddit thank you so much.

Hello everyone! I am new to the Content Creator space and I am looking for the best short content builder tool to start and scale my business. I’m considering Opus Clip, but I've also recently seen people mentioning WUI.ai.

Is WUI.ai cheaper than Opus Clip. What would you all recommend based on your experiences.I appreciate all the feedback!

I can't remember the last time a movie's advertising has been so hard to avoid. Barbie was everywhere last year, but a lot of that was organic/UGC. Wicked has shoes, board games, beauty, apparel, tech, food, toys, a deal with Lexus(?), displays in every store and restaurant, ads everywhere... do they just have a huge budget? What's going on here?

I remember watching an ad I can swear it was an Apple film that won a couple of awards, but I CANNOT seem to find it again.

Basically in the film someone is walking around and whenever they touch something it turns into a white puff, looks like snow or something. It's pretty recent I think maybe like 2 years old?

Does anyone knows which one it is? It's killing me trying to find this reference hahahah

Thanks in advance!

What’s the best move to land an entry level job as junior art director for older worker coming from commerical photography? I would keep shooting occasional jobs on the side but want to move away from freelance hustle and really enjoy working on a team.

Considering a max 2 year type edu program, nothing on east coast only Colorado to western states like California.

Background: photographer and film industry work for 7+ years. Undergrad BFA in Art and Visual Technology. Everyone tells me I have an incredible eye (both for photography but also for styling and all visual aspects). Lots of experience producing my own shoots and working on agency 7 figure budget commercial advertising jobs. I really enjoy the backend creative direction, ideation, styling, moodboard creation, making pitch decks, etc when I am doing it myself on self-produced work.

Always overflowing with creative ideas in life, constantly observing design, colors, etc. The chair of the art department of my undergrad told me most students struggle with creative ideas/concepts I always have too many and they are usually good and I probably should be in the business of selling my ideas.

Feel like I would thrive in this position if I could get some starting experience!

Hey everyone!

I’m working on launching a small tech startup that focuses on smart home devices, and I’m looking for some fresh ideas for reaching out to potential clients. 

One idea I’ve been thinking about is how a tech company I saw once hosted an interactive workshop. They let people try out their devices, and it really created a great engagement. Attendees not only got hands-on experience but also shared their excitement on social media, which helped spread the word. Recently, I subscribed to WarpLeads and got access to their unlimited export leads feature, which has given me a solid list to work with.

I’d love to hear about any unconventional advertising strategies you’ve tried that worked well for you. What unique methods have helped you connect with your audience? Looking forward to your insights!

Thanks!

I see a lot of job postings for SEO, Search, and Social. Not much love for linear, video, audio, display, and video. What do you think?

Hello! Apologies if I am shamelessly exposing my ignorance, but I'm looking to hire a digital billboard in Central London for one day, preferably around The O2. I'm aiming for a classic 48 page landscape 3 x 6m to play a short video on loop.

I've found a few large providers like Clear Channel and Global but I doubt they'll pick up on scrappy jobs like this at all.

Also looked into CAAsie but I don't really understand / trust their listings (please prove me wrong as that's the only factor preventing me from working with them). They're quite attractive considering their pricing (I am self-funding this so can't afford massive corporate budgets).

Any thoughts on how I can proceed would be appreciated!

Has anyone ever gone to this? Do you have to attend all days? And what is the ‘industry immersion’ part? We want to go JUST for the sony music portion haha.

Thank you!

Alright, marketing mavericks, listen up. The ad game is half art, half science, and 100% easier when you’ve got the right tools. Here’s my list of the top software for creating killer campaigns, tracking data, and keeping the whole operation on track. Plus, I'm dropping a secret weapon you’ve probably never heard of. Let’s get into it:

1. The Creative Arsenal (For Ads That Don’t Suck) 🎨

-Canva: Fast, easy, and foolproof. Canva is a powerhouse for anyone who wants pro-looking ads without learning Photoshop.

-Adobe Creative Cloud: For the serious designers, this suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects) is the ultimate creative toolkit.

-PeakFiction: This one’s a secret weapon—especially if you're in the business of storyboarding. PeakFiction uses AI to turn basic doodles into storyboard scenes in minutes. It’s perfect for anyone who wants quick, creative visuals, or if you’re pitching to clients who need a visual without the hefty production.

-Lumen5: Turn blog posts into videos with zero production skills needed. Super slick, super easy.

2. Social & Ad Management (Because You Can’t Be Everywhere) 📲

-Buffer: For simple scheduling across platforms. Set it, forget it, track it later.

-Hootsuite: Got a big campaign? Hootsuite’s got social listening, scheduling, and a decent analytics dashboard.

-Facebook Ads Manager: Facebook and Instagram ad wizardry with intense targeting options.

-Google Ads: For search and display ads, Google Ads will stretch any budget.

-LinkedIn Campaign Manager: For B2B folks, you need to be here.

3. Analytics & Automation (Make Data Work for You) 📊

-Google Analytics: The OG of web analytics. Non-negotiable for tracking and optimizing web traffic.

-Sprout Social: Social media insights that dig deeper and help you fine-tune content.

-HubSpot: A CRM and analytics dream for tracking leads, pipeline, and data in one place.

-Optimizely: A/B testing for the data-driven marketer. Perfect for tweaking landing pages and ads to boost conversions.

-Zapier: Automate the little stuff. It connects your apps to cut out busywork so you can focus on the big stuff.

Alright, advertisers—what did I miss? Drop your secret weapons below! 🎉

Hi everyone! I’m seeking advice on getting into the advertising field, specifically focusing on ideating ad campaigns and working on the creative side. I’ve got companies like Dentsu and Ogilvy on my mind for the time being.

A bit about me: I left my job at a Big 4 firm last year to focus on preparing for a master’s program in advertising/marketing. I’ve been busy with GRE and IELTS prep, so I haven’t been working in the meantime. Now, I am considering this career shift and looking for insights on making a smooth entry into the industry.

I’m particularly interested in understanding what job titles would be suitable for someone with my background. Some roles I’m considering include Copywriter, Creative Strategist, and Art Director.

Any suggestions on breaking into advertising, especially in creative roles? Would love any advice on relevant skills to build, networking tips, or portfolio ideas that might help with companies like Dentsu or Ogilvy. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I’m seeking advice on getting into the advertising field, specifically focusing on ideating ad campaigns and working on the creative side. I’ve got companies like Dentsu and Ogilvy on my mind for the time being.

A bit about me: I left my job at a Big 4 firm last year to focus on preparing for a master’s program in advertising/marketing. I’ve been busy with GRE and IELTS prep, so I haven’t been working in the meantime. Now, I am considering this career shift and looking for insights on making a smooth entry into the industry.

I’m particularly interested in understanding what job titles would be suitable for someone with my background. Some roles I’m considering include Copywriter, Creative Strategist, and Art Director.

Any suggestions on breaking into advertising, especially in creative roles? Would love any advice on relevant skills to build, networking tips, or portfolio ideas that might help with companies like Dentsu or Ogilvy. Thanks in advance!

I'm considering moving to the United States. I'm currently a Creative Director at a large agency in my country, in Latin America. How much does a Creative Director with awards and a strong portfolio earn per month at a small, large, and top-tier agency?

Considering doing long-form posts on Reddit does that work to get engagement?

I'm doing my 6-months probation at a big agency. I've been fired before at a freelance gig for not being good enough. Lately, I had to present ideas to a CD for a social post where he didn't choose any. I feared that I might fail just like last time and get fired.

Is there any way to deal with this?

People often buy fresh berries from the store only to get them home and have them get moldy within the first few days.

I developed and patented a custom solution that extended the life of these tiny fruits for over a month without sacrificing quality.

The brand is called Fruitlife and has already received excellent feedback.

Cost of product shipped $3.5 landed to customer and can retail for $9.99.

I ordered 3k units to gift to influencers to generate sales and seed the advertising pixels.

Another opportunity that was taking priority presented itself, and I can’t pass it up even though I know this product is a winner.

I’m looking for a partner with professional experience successfully bringing a single product to market using social strategies and ad funnels.

Please respond with any interest or questions. I’ll also check my inbox.

I want to promote my restaurant on Instagram Facebook and TikTok. I primarily focus on Instagram but I will soon start focusing more on TikTok as well. Anyway regarding these platforms. How often should I post reels and posts to keep the audience I have engaged and increase the audience that I am targeting which are people from my county. What about stories for Instagram. I guess for TikTok I should post as much as possible. What are your thoughts?

Imagine a text-based NFL ad showing up naturally during a chat about football. Since it’s so relevant to the conversation, this could mean higher engagement. Would this type of advertising fit your strategy?

Why are platforms like Netflix and Amazon raising prices and also bringing in more ads?

I noticed that for prime video they not only raise the price, but it seems like anything good you wanna watch it still have ads.

Also, I noticed that more apps are following by trying to find more ways to show you ads and even a game that I was playing and paid for a lifetime subscription that promised no ads has now started showing me ads! Part of me wants to email the creator because WTF.

Are companies struggling and want to advertise more or is this a good sign that companies are actually doing well?

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to get some advice for my mom, who's facing a challenging transition into retirement. She's a true pioneer in the advertising industry in Vietnam, having held senior positions and witnessed the field grow over the past 20+ years.

Unfortunately, she's been struggling with anxiety, which is a major factor in her decision to retire. One of her biggest triggers is uncertainty about what to do next. She's not ready to stop working completely, but wants to find something less stressful with more freedom and flexibility.

I work in advertising myself, but I'm still relatively junior and don't have the experience to guide her through this. I'd really appreciate any suggestions on how she can explore new opportunities and find a fulfilling path post-retirement.

Any advice or tips on transition will help immensely!

Thank you all so much for your help!

Hi- I’ve been doing casting for 15 years, 10 of which were in house with a photographer.

My portfolio does lean more fashion/editorial so I’ve been trying to branch out and do more commercial work.

This post is literally inspired by a white claw ad I just saw and was like, man that is right up my alley! I would love to do campaigns like that.

I mostly get hired by production companies that are subcontracted by ad agencies. I just wanted to see if perhaps there are people at agencies I could be reaching out to more directly. I occasionally get tapped by CMOs or CDs but that doesn’t seem very common.

Would love any insights on who is handling talent decisions from those closer to the source!

hi! i've been doing some reflecting as i'm currently in a career rut right now (can't find full time in ad :')) and planning my next steps. my career goal right now is to go international (preferably asia), but i don't have any experience that could help me go in that direction. i'm lucky enough to have the opportunity to go back to school for a masters, and i do want to study more about the international creative market.

however based on what i've seen, an international relations degree isn't the best idea (especially as a masters) and how getting a masters isn't necessarily needed in this industry. i wanted to come on here to ask for tips on working towards this goal (i know i would need to secure a job lol). if you have any experience with this, i would like to hear your side as well! thank you in advance :-) (mods if this violates a rule, please remove this as needed)

I have most of them in english and wanted to start getting only dutch ads, so that i can enjoy them and learn language from them, i wanna know if theres any direct way to change that (like ad language settings...) or if i'll need to go deeper, and maybe trick the ad's algorithem into thinking im dutch, but idk how i would do that since i dont know what the algorithems follow. (im mostly talking about youtube/google ads)

I posted a reel on instagram and it got an reach of 850 ppl but only 21 likes! The reel is to promote my restaurant and I am showing food in it. How can I increase the like count?

Hello! I work at an ad agency on the media/strategy side of things. I’ve been working toward a promotion, ever since that the dynamic with my manager has changed. She nitpicks every single thing I do. She never actually corrects any data or insights she just will move things around and change the littlest things so it sounds like her more than me. It often times feels like when I am a clone of her, all goes well. I’m a sensitive person so I take my work home with me and it stresses me out so much. I’m trying to be better with that but not sure how to lol. I work from home for context!

Funny as it is, this post isn’t even all about her - I’ve learned to do things the way she likes and things have improved. Shes going on maternity leave next week, my old manager will be taking over for her. I didn’t have a huge issue with her, but I will say she was very passive aggressive & if my status went offline she would message me right away asking if I was okay. Anyway, I realized today after she’s started giving me feedback that she is just as much of a micromanager as my manager. I wrote a talk track and she edited every single word choice, moving things around (saying the same things I said but just rearranging everything I had).

I’ve been miserable enough with my original manager now I’m going to have to deal with another type of micromanaging. It’s weighing on me and I’m just so stressed. Any advice on how to navigate this? Thank you all in advance!

Hi! I currently work in the programmatic field and am in the late stages of interviews for one DSP, one IPG agency and one Publicis agency, all based in New York. I have already received a verbal offer from one and expect to see an offer letter this week.

I am having trouble deciding which company would be the best fit for me. As I am a programmatic buyer, all of these roles are related to this obviously, so I think that the day-to-day responsibilities would be similar for each role. However, as much as I can, I want to make sure I am somewhere with a good culture (as much as possible lol) and also somewhere stable. I would love to know if anyone has any experience at any of these holding companies/at a DSP!

I graduated this May and worked at a pharma company as their art direction intern right after. Didn’t get a full-time role when the internship was over, so I’ve been on the job search.

I got an email last week for a full-time AAD role at the same company, had an interview with the executive CD of the team, and I’m having two more interviews with CD-art and CD-copy this week. What questions can I expect from these two CDs at the interview?