How to Be An… Integrated Producer: Jenae Boston

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Growing up in Harlem as a child, to then a hop, skip, and jump away to the Bronx at 13, Jenae Boston cradled dreams of becoming a talk show host. She dreamt of serving the community and celebrating individuality. Like many inner-city youths, Jenae was at first unaware of the flexibility of the corporate world and the creative niches it had to offer. It was not until her first internship with Wunderman, a global powerhouse advertising agency she would then choose to switch gears to integrated production. Today at the youthful age of 27, Ms. Boston serves as an integrated producer at renowned communications group, Publicis Groupe, spearheading an all-star team of creatives, managing heavy hitter client projects and staying abreast of industry developments and technologies.

 Today she defines what it means to be a producer of the digital world; Shares the importance of networking; Expresses the beauty of drawing inspiration from others.

Stats

Name: Jenae Boston

Age:  (Don’t have to answer) 27

Location: Bronx, NY

Profession: Integrated Producer at Publicis North America

Work

Why did you choose to be an Integrated Producer?

I chose to be a producer because I feel like the job functionality closely mirrors my natural personality which is very important to me. After I landed my first internship at Wunderman, I knew the advertising industry was the right industry for me. I was sold off of the culture of embracing one’s individuality and embracing change. Growing up in Harlem and the Bronx, I never thought places like that existed in the corporate world. Growing up, I worried that if I didn’t land a job as a talk show host I wouldn’t be able to find a career that would satisfy me long-term because I don’t believe in working in jobs where I don’t feel free to be myself.

How did you get started?/What were three of the key steps you took?

The {operative} step that I took was networking. The school of journalism that I attended at Hampton University always had industry folks come in and lead information sessions. I would always be sure to connect with them after the event, follow up and maintain communication. That is actually how I got the internship at Wunderman. Maintaining communication is the most important part. Getting the business card and sending that first thank you e-mail is easy but building a relationship is where most fall short. Secondly, I interned. Every year I managed to get an internship and employers admired that. Lastly, I would say my perseverance got me to where I am right now and is going to lead me to where I’m going. Do your research on how to get to your goal and stay committed to your goal.

What’s an average day like?

An average day for me consists of collaborating with the different disciplines within my company to deliver on a variety of client deliverables. Every day I work to cultivate my team to be as efficient and communicative as possible so that we can deliver quality creative work in a timely fashion.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

People around me. Being a producer is a lot of people management and no one producer operates exactly the same. I take notes on leadership qualities and management styles in people that I admire and fuse them with my own style. I also like to read up on different tools and platforms so that I am able to give an informed opinion on the best solution(s) for my client.

Why does your work matter?

Production and producer keep the wheels churning. Specifically, Integrated Producers are critical thinkers who manage client projects from conception to completion and ensure that the finished project is on brief, innovative, on time and on budget.

The {operative step} that I took was networking. The school of journalism that I attended at Hampton University always had industry folks come in and lead information sessions. I would always be sure to connect with them after the event, follow up and maintain communication. That is actually how I got the internship at Wunderman. Maintaining communication is the most important part. Getting the business card and sending that first thank you e-mail is easy but building a relationship is where most fall short.

Ups and downs you sometimes face on the job:

Not seeing a project come to fruition in my team’s vision can be upsetting sometimes, but then I remind myself that art is subjective. The best part is that there is an abundance of learning moments.

Biggest challenge so far?

Remaining authentic to who I am and what I believe without risking my career in the process. Throughout my career, I’ve learned how to find my voice and raise concerns while simultaneously maintaining my professional profile, especially about things I am very passionate about.

Your greatest achievement so far?

When I share a “greatest achievement” I want it to be something extremely outstanding. Perhaps, I’ve set really high expectations for myself, but I don’t think I am there yet. I am proud of myself for becoming a mentor, helping my company raise money for charity and knowledge sharing through the panels that I volunteer to sit on.

What is one thing an aspiring integrated producer can do today to get started?

Get an internship.

What might be next for you?

I might start a side hustle, but the idea is still in its fetus stage so I don’t want to share right now.

Let’s Talk Hair

What are your top 5 go-to hair tips?

  • Use little to no heat
  • Trim your ends when needed
  • Deep condition once a week.
  • “LCO” (Liquid, Cream, Oil) method to fortify dry hair
  • Use a steamer for your deep conditioner. Steam reduces breakage by increasing moisture and provides better penetration to deep treatments

Fun Fact

 I love to freestyle with my close friends for fun. The key take-away was “close friends” so don’t ask me to rap, lol.

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