To Advertising, With Love…

By Ranjana Naik 

Ah, February – The Hallmark-manufactured month of love. I’ll admit I’m a sucker for the first two weeks of February. The mushy, gushy, sentimental candy hearts and chocolate melt my heart. I can’t help but be in my feels! (And, yes, I am listening to Taylor Swift’s Love Story as I write this article.)

Sitting here with the Chiefs MVP in my ear, I can’t help but reflect on my career – and life! – in Advertising. I love my Advertising job! Now, love isn’t easy. Love can be challenging and messy; Love can change you for better or worse. 

But love is also something we can all be thankful for. Let’s be honest: the world is in its Flop Era, from record levels of anxiety and loneliness to global warming and warfare. This is why we must cherish the people, places, and things we love now more than ever. 

So, Advertising, let me pronounce my love with an open letter.  

-

Thank you, Advertising. 

Thank you for paying me to have my head in the clouds. 

Thank you for making me look at the world differently.

In full, beautiful color. 

Thank you for the hard times because they only grew my confidence. 

Thank you for building the thick armor that protects my soft heart. I never leave the house without it. 

Thank you For showing me the type of leader I don’t want to be and the one I do. 

Thank you for the stress-induced IBS. Without it, I wouldn’t have found my love for holistic wellness. 

Thank you for pushing me to my limit. 

And teaching me when to be easy on myself. 

Thank you, Advertising. 

Thank you to the coworkers who’ve become my friends. 

Thank you for introducing me to people I never would’ve crossed paths with. 

And for the conversation starter at church when I bumped into Actor Anthony Ramos. “Hi! I’m Ranjana! I worked on a Tommy Hilfiger campaign you were in! Well, I wasn’t on set. But trust me, I worked on it! Anyway, have a nice Sunday! Byeeee!” 

Thank you for the chaotic 9-5. It makes my offline 5-9 that much better.  

Thank you for being my excuse for turning down plans and ignoring texts. “Sorry, I’m working on a really, really big pitch.” 

And for tuning out a bad date. “Sorry, what’d you say? I couldn’t help but analyze that…Arby’s commercial.” 

Oh, and thank you for the occasional free wine. 

Thank you, Advertising. I love you. 

Thank you for breaking me open. 

If you were a person, I’d give you a one-armed side hug right about now. 

Xoxo, 

Ranjana