The Top Ten Advertising & Design Schools of 2023
By Alixandra Rutnik on Jul 24, 2023
If you consider yourself to be a creative individual, you’re in the right place. If you’re going into your junior year of high school and college applications are in the front of your mind, scroll thoroughly. And if you dream about a creative career in advertising or design, this article is for you.
At The One Club for Creativity, we celebrate the global advertising and design creative community. And every year in May, we host Creative Week– a week of galas to honor and award the best work in advertising and design. This past spring we celebrated The One Show’s 50th Anniversary, The ADC 102nd Annual Awards, and The Young Ones 2023 Student Awards.
Young Ones is a competition where college students and recent graduates from all over the world compete against each other on a creative scale by submitting their best projects and solving real-life business challenges for top brands.
After every award season come the highly anticipated rankings, and here we’re highlighting The Global Creative College Rankings of 2023. These rankings are derived from the top-scoring work in The Young Ones Student Awards.
What is it about these ad and design schools that land them on the top ten list year after year? What is it that draws prospective students in? What is it that makes them tick?
We wanted to unravel these mysteries, so we laid it all out for you below, in detail, by talking to the Educators and Young Ones Student Winners from The Top Ten Advertising & Design Schools of 2023.
#1 ArtCenter College of Design
#2 Brigham Young University
#3 School of Visual Arts
#4 Miami Ad School
#5 Savannah College of Art and Design
#6 Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
#7 Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
#8 University of Washington / Seattle
#9 Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München
#10 Berghs School of Communication
Hillside Campus
#1 ArtCenter College of Design
| Campus Location | Pasadena, California |
| Degree Duration | 4-years undergrad; 2-to-3-years MFA |
| Student Body | 2,423 undergrad; 246 grad |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 8 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Angad Singh; Felix Soletic; Lavinia Lascaris; Paula Seo; Constantin Chopin; Erin Hill |
| Fun Fact | ArtCenter has a 94% placement rate within six months of graduating. |
Sean Adams, Department Chair, "ArtCenter has a long history of connections and dedication to the professional world. Our program focuses on craft, skill, leadership, and strategy. Our students are committed to being the best and finding their unique voice. They have an extraordinary work ethic and recognize the importance of research and concept in any solution. Overwhelmingly, they tell me they want to be a great designer not just a good one."
Weiying Ma, Graphic Designer, "ArtCenter College of Design is more than just a school - it's a place bursting with innovation and creativity. It's where we push the boundaries of traditional design and explore exciting new fields. Since I started at ArtCenter, I've had the chance to learn about 3D modeling, creative coding, spatial design, and motion graphics. But what's really awesome is that ArtCenter also values traditional skills alongside these new technologies. They teach us data visualization and spatial experiences that we actually use in our everyday work. ArtCenter isn't just keeping up with the design world, they're leading the way.
"ArtCenter isn't just keeping up with the design world, they're leading the way."
ArtCenter also focuses on developing our leadership abilities, which has been a game-changer. They help us gain confidence and learn how to make a real impact in our chosen fields. With the combination of technical know-how and leadership training, ArtCenter has set me up for success in design, branding, and advertising. Being a part of ArtCenter means being at the forefront of change, and I feel lucky to have this opportunity every day."
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Photo by Jaren Wilkey
#2 Brigham Young University
| Campus Location | Provo, Utah |
| Degree Duration | 4-years undergrad; 2-years AdLab |
| Student Body | 31,389 undergrad; 3,001 grad |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 21 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Evelyn Harper; Jason Bagley; Brent Anderson; Matt Miller; Pierce Thiot; McKay Hathaway; Andy Laugenour; Bryce Cline |
| Fun Fact | The annual recruiting fair at the Sundance Film Festival attracts the top agencies from around the country. And if you do a summer study abroad in Europe you will attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the London D&AD New Bloods Awards. |
Jeff Sheets, Director & Professor, "The BYU AdLab plays at the intersection of business, art, and culture. We teach creative problem solving and focus on helping students find and develop their creative voice.
BYU is a unique educational environment, where you get the best of both worlds in terms of an advertising education and a top-tier liberal arts undergraduate education to inspire your mind with the works around you. BYU is an elite advertising program that rivals the best portfolio schools in execution and portfolio preparation. We also focus on education for the whole-person with a focus on inspiring learning experiences for both the intellectual and spiritual side of each of our students.
"BYU is a unique educational environment, where you get the best of both worlds in terms of an advertising education and a top-tier liberal arts undergraduate education to inspire your mind with the works around you."
We are looking for passionate and curious students who want to be creative problem solvers and help address the world’s largest issues through love, empathy, compassion, and creativity while sharing light and hope through our communication."
Annabelle Peterson, Art Director, "The thing that makes BYU so special is the people. I loved my class because it was like my family– we cared more about the well being of each other than the work. I knew each classmate by name, where they were from, their hobbies, likes/dislikes, and each one of us can recall a fun memory with each other. So when it came to working with each other we already all had personal relationships with one other.
At BYU the work mattered, but what mattered more was each one of us. My professors knew me on a personal level and took the time to know who I am and who I wanted to become. I knew I could walk into any of their offices at any given time and they would get excited about the idea I had or help me solve a problem ad related or not.
The BYU Adlab set me up for success by helping me realize that yes the work matters and is hard work, but ultimately what matters most is the people and how we come together to listen, collaborate, and have fun. That's what fuels great work."
Gwynie Bahr, Art Director, "The mantra 'the Adlab is a people' fills the BYU Adlab halls and classrooms. The people really are what make the Adlab great and I will forever be chasing after that my whole career. We’re lucky enough to have incredibly dedicated and smart professors who want nothing but the best for us. They’ve established the Adlab to be a place where we get real hands on client work and professional opportunities, while simultaneously filling our buckets through spec work, passion projects, and good community. We are family and care deeply about one another’s success, which really allows us to spread our wings and hit the ground running. It’s incredibly inspiring to come to a place that’s supposed to be school or work and not feel that pressure at all. At the end of the day, it’s a bunch of chaotic and truly loving and determined people who have passion and creativity in their hearts! We desire to make messages that matter so we learn from the best, try our hardest, make a few stupid jokes here and there, and overall push each other to be the best. Sounds cheesy, but it’s true."
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SVA Flatiron Windows
#3 School of Visual Arts
| Campus Location | New York City |
| Degree Duration | 4-years undergrad; 2-years undergrad |
| Student Body | 3,533 undergrad; 594 grad |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 8 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Shantanu Sharma; Mo Hinojosa; Dominique Marchini; Chanyu [Oscar] Chen; Anna Chandler; Elizabeth Galian; Doyun David Kim; Oscar Ma; Marcus Lim; Anna Heath |
| Fun Fact | One of SVA’s most valuable assets is that its faculty are also working professionals. |
Gail Anderson, Department Chair, "The School of Visual Arts’ campus is New York City, and for the right person, that is magic. Students wanting Greek life and quads will look elsewhere, but those who want a college experience informed by and mingled with the extraordinary, gritty, and dizzying energy only a city can provide, thrive. True to its roots, SVA Design and Advertising maintains an art-and-creativity-first philosophy that attracts both daydreamers and doodlers as well as the ambitious and determined. And combined with a curriculum that encourages big, fresh ideas, unmatched visual sensibilities, and harnesses new technologies, a picture of the prototypical SVA student and what makes them unique comes into sharp focus."
Zedan Peng, Graphic Designer, "I enjoyed my four years of studying at SVA– the creativity and inclusiveness have propelled my success for sure! With industry professionals as faculty, the school offers practical learning and a diverse curriculum spanning design, branding, and advertising. I loved talking with talented designers in my classes, fostering inspiring discussions, and sharing ideas. Its inclusiveness extends to students and professors, and has exposed me to various design styles and guided me through different branches of graphic design. This cultivated a diverse aesthetic, helping me shape my own style. In addition, I participated in various courses out of my major like 3D modeling, illustration, and silkscreen printing, allowing me to break free from the limitations of my artistic creation."
"I enjoyed my four years of studying at SVA– the creativity and inclusiveness have propelled my success for sure!"
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Miami Builing
#4 Miami Ad School
| Global Campus Locations | Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL; NYC; San Francisco, CA; Berlin; Buenos Aires; Madrid; Mexico City; Mumbai; Punta Cana; Rio de Janeiro; Sao Paula; Sydney; Toronto; Sri Lanka |
| Degree Duration | Portfolio School 2-years; MA 2-years (partnership with FIU) |
| Student Body | 275 (Miami) |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 9 to 1 (Miami) |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Hatem El Akad; Larry Luk; Luis Bravo; Archie Bell; Andrew Keller; Nicole Riekki Long; Jenny Lam; Brennan Boblett; Todd Simmons; Dave Werner |
| Fun Fact | The M.AD internship program offers students to participate with top agencies and design firms around the world, and the NoM.AD exchange program allows students to take classes in any of M.AD's global locations. |
Hank Richardson, Director of Design, "In a school where visual narratives, copywriting, and storytelling is at the heart of our education, a student best suited for our school is one who is constantly curious, culturally intent, passionate, genuinely concerned, and one who seeks to find challenges and conquer them — a student who fights to disrupt a status-quo. We believe each student has an opportunity to change the world."
"A student best suited for our school is one who is constantly curious, culturally intent, passionate, genuinely concerned, and one who seeks to find challenges and conquer them."
Louié Smit, Art Director, "What intrigued me about Miami Ad School Europe was how they have been extensively awarded while being one of the youngest M.AD locations. I also wanted to study in Berlin because of the city's history in Design and subcultures.
But what truly got me hooked, was the interview with our CEO, Sabine Georg, who radiated kindness and boundless energy.
After I started studying at MASE, I realised that, like in life, what you put in is what you get out. The mentors teach us well, but the true magic begins if they see ambition and hard work. Mentors will then often grind you a bit more, give additional sources, and even more extensive feedback. Students are also encouraged to discover answers and techniques in their own way, not just follow the book. Students, not only have the freedom, but also are expected to come up with ideas that are crazy, tear your heart out and make you cry, or are so undoubtedly true that there's no doubt about your strategy– as long as you still meet the brief, of course. I also never felt like any of us were being treated differently because of our race, religion, or culture.
What makes MASE special is that it is like a strict mother - it judges you not on what you look like but who you are as a person and as a creative. It will help you when you need it, but won't spoon feed you. It is this balance between give and take that I enjoy and admire about my school. Give nothing, and you receive nothing. Give everything, and receive it all.
It is how Miami Ad School Europe pushes us towards great ideas and instills a strong belief in ourselves that helps students at our school achieve success in their future."
Kunal Khade, Art Director, "Picture this: a vibrant oasis of creativity known as Miami Ad School, where magic and imagination collide to shape fearless dreamers like myself. It's more than a school— it's a catalyst that transforms self-doubt into unshakable belief and molds ordinary minds into extraordinary forces.
With every step I took through its doors, I left my comfort zone behind and embraced the exhilarating unknown. Guided by mentors who saw my dedication, I learned to fearlessly conquer creative challenges and unleash my untamed potential upon the world.
But Miami Ad School Europe is more than just a collection of individuals, it's a symphony of brilliance, where diverse cultures and ideas blend harmoniously. Together, we created a creative fire that burned brighter than the sun, igniting our imaginations and propelling us to new heights.
Within these walls, failure became a stepping stone to success. It was a playground where I could experiment, stumble, and refine my skills without hesitation. Here, the power of bold ideas and unconventional thinking revealed itself, fueling my unquenchable desire to leave an indelible mark on the industry.
So, let's embark on this electrifying odyssey, where the realms of imagination converge, and our creative spirits dance among the stars, shaping a future brimming with brilliance and boundless possibilities."
Fernando Curcio, Art Director & Designer, "What enchanted me most at Miami AD School was the opportunity to take classes with renowned professionals who are working and winning several awards in the job market. It is filled with very up-to-date and very competent professionals and teachers. In addition, networking with other students who are also looking to learn and grow in their career makes a lot of difference."
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Savannah, GA
#5 Savannah College of Art and Design
| Campus Locations | Savannah & Atlanta Georgia; Lacoste, France |
| Degree Duration | BA or BFA 4-years; MA 1-year; MFA 2-years |
| Student Body | 16,000 undergrad; 3,000 grad |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 20 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Zelia Zhou; Beatrice Ferro; Mary Paisley; Shreya Srinivasan; Meredith Phillips |
| Fun Fact | Multiple classes at SCAD incorporate The One Club’s briefs into their syllabus' for a quarter long project. |
Judy Salzinger, Associate Chair of Advertising and Branding, "There are several things that make SCAD unique. SCAD’s mission is to prepare talented students for creative professions through engaged teaching and learning in a positively oriented university environment. In the advertising and branding programs, we look for students who are curious and innovative storytellers. The educational experience here at SCAD takes place both inside and outside of the classroom. Industry leaders act as mentors and offer workshops through special programming including lectures and panels that take place throughout the year at TVfest, SCAD Film Festival, Animationfest, SCADstyle, Gamingfest, SCADamp, SCAD Museum of Art, and SCAD Fash: Museum of Fashion + Film. SCAD also offers unique programs like SCADServe, which empowers the SCAD community to listen to the needs of its neighbors and local leaders, and to create meaningful design solutions that improve the quality of life."
Alexandra McGuire, Art Director, "SCAD is such a special school– the professors are always hands on and listening to their students. Everything we did was open ended, and we were encouraged to take assignments and turn them on their heads. We were always put in real world scenarios, and given real briefs and problems to solve. Another amazing aspect that set me up for the future is the connections I made– meeting professionals and hearing their insights will ultimately push me forward."
"We were always put in real world scenarios, and given real briefs and problems to solve."
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Campus Urstein
#6 Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
| Campus Location | Salzburg, Austria |
| Degree Duration | BA 3-years; MA 2-years |
| Student Body | 3,200 |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 3 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Thomas Garber; Yafes Sahin; Kathrin Roessler; Carmen Treichl; Walter Mayr |
| Fun Fact | Student projects reflect current sociological, artistic, political, and cultural developments, and address and make statements on contemporary issues. |
Till Fuhrmeister, Professor, Designer, Film Director, and Head of the MultiMediaArt Degree Program, "The DNA of our school embodies interdisciplinary collaboration across various degree programs within the Creative Technologies Department. We offer a diverse range of programs such as MultiMediaArt, which encompasses branches in design, film, audio, game, and animation, as well as MultiMediaTechnologies and Human-Computer Interaction.
Our school is driven by a shared vision to leverage cutting-edge technology in order to transform creative ideas into captivating artworks across multiple mediums. Whether it's through captivating films, innovative designs, immersive games, or transformative experiences in augmented and virtual reality, we strive to push the boundaries of artistic expression.
We deeply value creativity as a crucial and intricate skill that requires to be taught, developed, and cultivated. Our educational approach places a strong emphasis on providing students with the necessary tools and guidance to unlock their creative potential. By integrating state-of-the-art technology into our curriculum, we empower students to harness their power and create artworks that resonate with emotions, leave lasting impacts on people's lives, and foster meaningful and sustainable engagement.
At our school, creativity isn't simply taught— it is actively developed and cultivated within each student. Our mission statement, 'We create to engage,' encapsulates our commitment to producing artistic works that captivate audiences and initiate profound connections. We firmly believe in our ability to shape the creative landscape, and our successful projects serve as testaments to our dedication and expertise. Our belief: We Own Creativity.
"At our school, creativity isn't simply taught— it is actively developed and cultivated within each student."
As a testament to our achievements, we proudly refer to our portfolio of successful projects, which stands as evidence of our capabilities and the impact we strive to make in the realm of creative technologies."
Tatjana Redl, Multimedia Artist, "In Salzburg, the focus is really on practicing on the set. There's no point in learning theoretically about what it will be like on set, you just start on set, even as a career changer. So it was great for me to participate in many different projects and take away a lot for my future professional life."
Denise Hödl, Multimedia Artist, "It's a very hands-on degree program with a strong interdisciplinarity approach, due to the various departments from different creative disciplines. Their is close collaboration with lecturers who always challenge you and push you out of your comfort zone."
Felix Foltas, Director, "It’s always the people that make a place. So what sold me the most on going here was that every conversation I had with people about the school was about the students and teachers being especially motivated and ambitious to create something that matters and has an impact– pushing for more then there already is, and advancing the status quo in some shape or form. What I learned is that people matter the most in every way of working and living."
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The Filmakademie
#7 Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
| Campus Location | Ludswigberg, Germany |
| Degree Duration | Full program 4.5-years; lateral entry (advertising directing or advertising producing) 2.5-years |
| Student Body | 500; 40 Advertising Film Students |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 2 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Francisco Gonzalez-Sendino; Ben Miethke; Thilo Gundelach; Christian Schilling; Eugen Merher; Zornitsa Dimitrova; Jonas Vahl; Sophie Lotsch; Stefanie Gödicke; Philipp Chrobot; Alexander Kühn; Sinan Sevinc; Dominik Ströhle; Vincent Dolinsek; Marco Henn; Michael Hessenbruch |
| Fun Fact | All professors are big directors, executive producers, producers, DOPs, and production designers from Germany and abroad. |
Olivia Marten, Student Coordinator for Advertising & Film, "The Advertising Film Department of the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg is almost the only school worldwide who apprentice in this depth in the handicraft of ad directing and ad producing. It’s a great privilege to be a part of it and most of the diploma students enter directly into the market. The contacts of all the lecturers who are professionals is worth its weight in gold. Students with prior knowledge of the advertising market are welcome to enter our school."
Nicolas Bori, Director, "One of the primary reasons for its success is its practical approach– emphasizing hands-on experience and learning by doing. Students at the Filmakademie are given numerous opportunities to shoot films, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world projects. This practical focus enables students to develop essential skills and gain valuable experience, preparing them for the challenges of the film industry.
Another distinctive feature of the Filmakademie is its dynamic and evolving educational model. Instead of fixed classes and traditional teacher-student dynamics, the school offers constantly evolving seminars delivered by industry specialists. This approach ensures that students receive the most up-to-date insights and expertise from professionals actively working in the film industry. By learning directly from industry experts, students gain invaluable insights into the latest trends, techniques, and practices, which enhances their understanding and readiness to tackle the rapidly evolving film landscape.
"Instead of fixed classes and traditional teacher-student dynamics, the school offers constantly evolving seminars delivered by industry specialists. This approach ensures that students receive the most up-to-date insights and expertise from professionals actively working in the film industry."
Furthermore, the Filmakademie fosters a rich network of contacts for its students. By bringing together motivated and talented individuals, the school cultivates a collaborative environment that encourages networking and collaboration among students. Additionally, students have the opportunity to connect with key players in the film industry through various events, workshops, and guest lectures."
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UW Seattle Campus
#8 University of Washington / Seattle
| Campus Location | Seattle, Washington |
| Degree Duration | 3 to 4-years |
| Student Body | 42,616 undergrad; 17,465 grad |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 20 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Eli Kahn; Maya Flood; Sarah Sivjee; Sofia Cababa Wood; Elyssa Yim; Taylor Miles Hopkins; Lavi Tang; Dustin Mara; Dana Golan; Minh-Ahn Nguyen; Coreen Callister Bell |
| Fun Fact | There is a regular evening seminar (open to all design majors) where designers and design alums are invited to come back to the university and discuss their post-graduation experiences (and recruit for new design hires). |
Karen Cheng, Professor, "I like to think of our program as being both smart and beautiful. There are schools that have a more analytical or theoretical approach to design, but they tend to fall short when it comes to form-giving. Conversely, there are programs with greater emphasis on developing unique aesthetics— a personal design style— but those schools can lack intellectual rigor. In our curriculum and culture, we emphasize both the rational part of design (solving the problem) with the visual and artistic component. We’re not so smart that we forget about beauty, but we also don’t pursue beauty in and of itself without a driving strategy or concept."
"In our curriculum and culture, we emphasize both the rational part of design (solving the problem) with the visual and artistic component. We’re not so smart that we forget about beauty, but we also don’t pursue beauty in and of itself without a driving strategy or concept."
Dustin Mattaio Mara, Designer, "The University of Washington's design program is one of rigour and excellence, but also one of comraderie and community. Separated into three different design tracks, each cohort faces the design curriculum together — with a class ahead of them to look up to and a class below to foster. My tight-knit cohort, our in-industry faculty, and our multidiscplinary curriculum provided me with a world-class design education. I wouldn't have achieved such accolades without our faculty and peers pushing me through the program's intensity."
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Photo by Benedikt Geb
#9 Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München
| Campus Location | Munich, Germany |
| Degree Duration | 5-weeks in the winter; 8-weeks in the summer |
| Student Body | 350 |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 15:1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Berthold Wahjudi; Hilarija Locmele; Fariba Buchheim; Alex Bergmann |
| Fun Fact | Students work directly with professional creatives who work at top agencies. |
Ben Brummer, Professor & Director, "Our school offers the possibility to develop and produce a speculative spot for a product, a company, a NGO, or a hashtag. The school provides a solid budget, equipment, and post production. During the development process our students present their scripts in front of experienced creatives who work in advertising agencies, and give them feedback. Our students usually study fiction film or documentary film and are therefore trained in storytelling, dialogue, and developing their own artistic voice, which then flows into their commercials."
Hilarija Ločmele & Nuno Wong, Directors, "My film school is a place where creative, like-minded people meet and make great projects together. HFF Munich has taught me a lot about working in a team, especially in tougher situations, and has given me the necessary resources to create my films. For some, it may be a burden that in the first year of studies there's a quite full and strictly scheduled timetable, but it helped me to focus and dive into my projects. I appreciate that HFF Munich is a good platform for job opportunities, as we receive regular job announcements and invitations to pitches via e-mail. The film business is not easy, so I've also learned that doing just the necessary tasks in film school is not enough– you've got to go the extra mile to be able to work in the field."
"HFF Munich has taught me a lot about working in a team, especially in tougher situations, and has given me the necessary resources to create my films."
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Stockholm, Sweeden
#10 Berghs School of Communication
| Campus Location | Stockholm, Sweeden |
| Degree Duration | 2-years with 10-weeks of internships |
| Student Body | 350 |
| Student/Faculty Ratio | 1 to 1 |
| Award-Winning Alumni | Erik Nyström; Noah Bramme and Andreas Karlsson; Sebastian Pandonis; Julia Holtback Yeter; Teodor Fjäll; Viktor Einarsson; Inez Härneman; Josefina Norén |
| Fun Fact | Young Ones student awards is a tradition at Berghs. All second year students take part in the competition to some degree and they get to practice everything they have learned. |
Rikard Linder, Program Director, "Even though Berghs is a school with a tuition, we look at our students as junior creatives at an agency. We let them practice real briefs from day one. It's a fun and bumpy ride, but it really takes you places!"
"Even though Berghs is a school with a tuition, we look at our students as junior creatives at an agency. We let them practice real briefs from day one."
Ella Lewander, Copywriter, ”Berghs kind of translates into 'mountain' in Swedish, and I would say that perfectly describes what the school is about. It’s a climb. Two years in the Art Director/Copywriter program are sweaty but the reward is truly sweet. You realize ideas are one of the most valuable things one can have, and Berghs is all about how to get them. LOADS of them. You also learn to differentiate between good and bad ones. I have so many ideas now, all the time, and definitely not only for advertising. For anything really, and my life feels more generous because of it. The greatest idea I will ever have is applying for Berghs."
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