Careers in Advertising

The University of Oregon's bachelor's degree in advertising prepares students to become creative strategists who build campaigns and guide brands toward purpose, success, and social responsibility. Through the SOJC's Creative Strategist model, students develop a portfolio of real work while they study, pitching campaigns for actual clients and competing nationally. Graduates step into agencies and in-house brand teams ready to contribute, and some have gone on to shape work for brands like Duolingo and Nike and to launch companies of their own.

Advertising majors build skills across creative, strategy, and media that carry well beyond any single job. Our graduates work as art directors, copywriters, brand strategists, producers, account executives, and media analysts at agencies and companies in Portland, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and beyond, and many use the degree as a launchpad for entrepreneurial and social-impact work.

Where Our Advertising Graduates Work

Industries

  • Advertising and creative agencies
  • In-house brand and marketing teams
  • Media, entertainment, and sports
  • Technology and consumer products
  • Nonprofits and social-impact organizations

Job Roles

  • Art director
  • Copywriter or conceptual writer
  • Brand strategist
  • Media planner or analyst
  • Producer
  • Social media or content creator

Meet Our Alumni

Our graduates create campaigns for global brands, art-direct for major studios, and build agencies and companies of their own. See where an advertising degree has taken them.

A pair of SOJC alumni discovered a creative connection while pursuing their advertising degrees. Now they’re a professional dynamic duo at Wieden + Kennedy.
Rebecca Woolington and colleagues at the Tampa Bay Times won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting on the toxic business practices of a Florida lead smelter. But she got her start writing for the Daily Emerald.
Spencer Kupish makes advertising gold by infusing fun into complex ideas for Xbox. He also mentors SOJC students.
Advertising program alum Zaria Parvez is the “who” behind Duolingo’s mascot and TikTok sensation, Duo the owl.
Nicole Lee instantly felt at home on UO’s campus. The sensation repeated when the SOJC double-Duck landed her dream job at an international advertising agency.
Tylynn Burns used the skills she gained directing the SOJC’s student-run ad agency to launch her own event agency. She also stars in HBO’s “Sweet Life: Los Angeles.”
Brandt Hamilton cultivated his comedy-writing skills while attending the SOJC. Now he’s delivering yuks for NBC and Comedy Central.
As an associate strategy director at the New York-based ad agency Annex88, Chelsea Coleman influences some big-time campaigns.
David Hyslop’s career in marketing has taken him to a variety of destinations. But he continues to ascend by staying true to himself.
Advertising rockstar Brock Kirby garnered several honors during his early career. Now he’s calling his own shots as a freelance copywriter for major brands like Squarespace and Google.

Ready to Start Your Advertising Career?

Explore how UO's advertising major prepares you for creative and strategic careers at agencies, brands, and beyond.