Larissa Magera is a junior copywriter at BBDO, one of the most-awarded ad agencies in existence that spans over 81 countries worldwide. In this role, Magera works specifically on branding efforts for companies like Snickers, Twix and Foot Locker. For Magera, the most rewarding part of her job is seeing her work come to life.
“It’s tough here because you’re constantly competing against more senior teams on the bigger briefs, so it feels like a big deal when you get your own ideas sold and produced,” said Magera. “Being able to play with the big boys—even if we can’t hang—is inspiring.”
Magera majored in advertising and was part of the first class of students to go through the Minerva creative specialization program, which gave her a portfolio of work that ultimately helped her land a job. During her time at UA, she was involved in Capstone Advertising Federation and competed with the department’s Ad Team. In retrospect, Magera wishes she had minored in creative writing so that she could spend more time writing for herself instead of solely focusing on brands.
While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Magera was inspired by advertising professor Mark Barry. “He cared about getting the best work out of us, and pushed us to make our portfolios as competitive as they could be. He was tough to impress, but was by far my favorite professor to work with,” said Magera.
Moving forward, Magera hopes to continue to make strong content, get good briefs, and work her way up to the top in the advertising industry.
By Alana Doyle