August 22, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR CHRISTINE KUTE IN MA
No, your mother is not trying to trick you. She is presenting you with her interpretation of the world, with which I happen to agree. It is actually quite difficult these days to find a career in which a strong understanding of technology is not useful. Advertising is no exception to this. While there are jobs in advertising that one can do without a technology background, there are many advertising jobs that require it. For example, there is a lot of technology that goes into making commercials. Presentation media, such as the web, have exploded in recent years. There is a lot of technology that lies behind it. I have written some patents for it. So don't use advertising to get away from technology -- use technology to give you an edge in advertising.
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August 19, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR NANCY WHITE IN WA
In any field of communications (including advertising) electronic communications is an integral part, so understanding computer and Internet mediated communications would be an essential, regardless of a college requirement. If you understand the underpinnings of how electronic communications work, you can use that tool better.

I'd like to add one little anecdote. I'm currently assisting an organization to collaborate online. One of their leaders, a brilliant, successful woman, shared that she was scared of the technology because she had no experience with it. We mused a bit together how this is something I hear more commonly from women than men. Having comfort and experience with technology will not only help you do your job, but it will also make sure you don't get left behind when someone else in the advertising field does! So it is also a competitive, success related factor. (Plus, it's fun!)