It seems that you really can achieve your dream if you put your mind, body, and spirit into it. In Sophomore year of high school I was given a copy of a conspicuously red book titled “Lovemarks: the future beyond brands.”

My high school teacher/mentor/advisor/partner-in-crime Mr. Carl Schmidt hoped that we would take away some of the insightful points that the book covered and apply it to our business competition events.

    

Though the bizarre right-side brain craved some intense MBA-level, jargon-packed tour de force of marketing, I found it to be entirely different.

Pictures. Everywhere. Everypage. But damn, do I like pictures.

After reading/checking out all the photos, the publisher’s name stood out to me in particular: Saatchi & Saatchi.

How dumb.

“How conceited,” I first thought “that you need to put your name twice in your company’s name.” 

But I was fascinated.

The name was stuck in my head like a piece of popcorn kernel in your braces (No es bueno).

          

As I grew more and more experienced and aware of my career aspirations, I began to learn about Saatchi & Saatchi. Man, it was such a cool company. Started in London by some genius ad-men Brothers (think Mad Men but with British Accents), Saatchi^2 became one of the largest ad agencies in the world.

That’s Sir Don Draper to you.

I wanted/needed/craved/lusted (jk not that far) Saatchi & Saatchi more than possibly imaginable.

Then opportunity struck.

A summer intern program. An application that tested my creative juices. Phone interviews to question my mettle. Plus an interview that took 2.5 hours to drive to (courtesy of my Fraternity brotha).

My Responses to the Online Questions:

1. What are your Lovemarks? (
My Lovemarks are:
-Creative Recreation…the perfect fusion of urban style and sophistication.
-Franco Uomo…my fashion aspiration I hope to meet one day.
-The Phoenix Suns…my team that I cry/sweat/bleed/(other excretions too) for; a perennial symbol of hope and reincarnation.
-Kentucky Fried Chicken…my most reliable and faithful company; my first job and believer.
-Wisin y Yandel…their music taught me more than a , but a greater understanding of a culture and granted me mastery of a language.
 
2. Why did you choose to attend the college you are currently studying at?

Irvine and I are parallel entities in both nature and practice.  At first I chose UC Irvine because it was my favorite school out of those that I could afford to attend.  I made the right choice. As the expansion of businesses and the increasing prestige of UC Irvine has finally made its spot on the map, it has mirrored my professional endeavors. Check my LinkedIn for My Story: LinkedIn.com/in/MrDerekWong
 
3. How would your peers describe you in 3 words or less?
Check My Status.

Link: http://bit.ly/fJ1OHa

4. If you were a salad, what type of dressing would you be?

Roasted garlic ranch. My drive and body of work are akin to the buttermilk and spices that make ranch dressing  everybody’s favorite and most versatile flavor. However, my added punch of garlic, manifested in my unorthodox execution and vibrant creativity, sets me apart from the rest. Just like the dressing, I can be used in any recipe but it’s the garlic-enthusiasts that inspire and keep me going.

 Roasted garlic ranch; take me or leave me, love me or hate me, I’m here to stay.

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Yesterday I received a call: I got it.

It blew my mind away. I was finally part of Saatchi & Saatchi.

Can’t wait for summer!