Career advice to the mediocre – get a job. Any job.

AUCKLAND, Sunday: Eminent adman, writer and Truth & Soul podcaster Paul Catmur continued his pro-mediocrity crusade in the Herald on Sunday business section yesterday.

This time he recalls (with horror and, later, satisfaction) his first gig – at Young & Rubicam London, “the advertising equivalent of cold porridge”.

“Y&R was a big, old, US-owned agency in a soulless ex-factory in London.”

“My art director and I, for reasons of youthful arrogance, reckoned we were among the better teams at the School of Commercial Arts – and therefore would be sent to one of the sexier agencies.

“When the internships were announced we had a shock. Y&R was a big, old, US-owned agency in a soulless ex-factory in London.

• It’s a fine piece. Read it here
• This is part 3 in the series. Read part 2 here
• And part 1 here