By Thomas Larthe

(to read with a French accent)

Hello,

It’s Thomas Larthe. We do not know each other for the moment but in 26 days we will probably work together on crazy ideas for the duration of the first term. As I write these lines, I’m actually doing an internship at Rosapark Paris and I guess that those who read these words are enjoying their holidays, lucky 🙂

It’s going to sound unoriginal but I don’t know what to write for these SCABs.

To be honest I’m not a huge fan of writing and I don’t want to write a book about my life. So, for the moment, I’m not sure that I will overcome the 500 words, but I will try.

My story with advertising started 3 years ago when a was in Preparation class for the National competitive entrance exam to leading French «grande école», what a shitty name isn’t ? It’s like a class that prepares you during two years for an exam, but doesn’t give you a degree if you fail it haha, what a scam!

The French educational system is very complex and weird because it pushes you to do what is the most prestigious and not what is best for you. I was blinded by this system until 3 years ago, when I realized, alone in my student room in Reims eating pasta (mmmh So many details) that I didn’t want to do a Business School.

How did I realize it?

By thinking about my life (Wow Thomas it’s so deep)

Yeah, I realized that my whole life revolved around creativity, I liked to draw, to create stories, to do little movies etc… And felt so dumb after this, because I had the impression that I lost 2 years of my life preparing myself for something that I didn’t want to do.

Despite this, I decided to change « my career » after achieving my exam. But then, the « problems » happened. Communication and Art schools didn’t want me in their creative program because I wasn’t creative enough and I didn’t have a portfolio.

So, I decided to « fool » the system, I entered a Marketing and advertising program in a French communication School. I didn’t have a lot of creative courses in this school but during 2 years I worked hard to improve my skills in advertising. At the end of the first year, I got an internship at Fred & Farid Shanghai. I felt so good, it was like an accomplishment for me because after all that criticism I thought that I wasn’t made for advertising.

Now, One year after my first internship, I enter a creative program in London corresponding to everything I wanted to do. And I realize that everything I told you before was my preparation for the first day at SCA. During the past 3 years, I prepared this day by working hard, following my objectives and face criticism.

And if I didn’t make this choice 3 years ago, I will not be happy and fulfilled as I am now.