THE Hong Kong 4As is to launch its first graduate training programme specifically designed to attract new talent into the industry and groom its future stars.
The programme is open to anyone between 21 and 30 years of age, whether fresh out of college or working in another professions.
Anyone already working in advertising cannot enter.
The scheme has been modelled on courses successfully developed by the Advertising Federation of Australia and is being promoted in Hong Kong by Peter Stening, the 4As chairman, and Anthony Armstrong, head of the education subcommittee.
Mr Stening, who is also regional director of North Asia for the Euro RSCG Ball Partnership, said: 'Hong Kong is full of creative minds. We need to attract more of them into the advertising industry.' The preliminary stage of the 4As advertising campaign centres on a poster with the text: 'Long hours, low pay and the distinct possibility of being fired at the end of the year.' Despite the brutally honest precision of that job description, more than 400 inquiries had been made before the campaign got out of first gear, Margaret Wong, secretary of the 4As, said.
With an application cut-off date of November 30, the final total will be considerably higher.
The promotion will continue with a series of short informative programmes, in Cantonese, on RTHK, outlining what advertising agencies do and how they operate internally.
