The school of advertising & marketing

After completing the Creativity in Advertising course, I began to work with in-house digital product teams, so my creative work started requiring a deeper understanding of numbers. Hence, the newly launched Creative Performance course immediately appeared on my must-do list. I really liked having more than one course leader, because we got twice as much insights and relevant information, applicable to digital creation, planning and analytics.

Creative Performance MyBee After completing the Creativity in Advertising course, I began to work with in-house digital product teams, so my creative work started requiring a deeper understanding of numbers. Hence, the newly launched Creative Performance course immediately appeared on my must-do list. I really liked having more than one course leader, because we got twice as much insights and relevant information, applicable to digital creation, planning and analytics. The most interesting aspects of the course for me were their flexibility and the students themselves. The backgrounds of all the participants were quite different, and it allowed me to look into a lot of areas that I wouldn’t have thought of myself. Although the sessions were held after work, motivation was constantly boosted by the lively nature of the classes, which were tailored to the real world issues and needs of the time. It is only because of this flexibility that I have unexpectedly found a new topic of interest, which will certainly be easier to delve into with my fresh knowledge and contacts.

Despite the name, most courses available in the Lithuanian market still focus on the delivery aspect and cater primarily to Project or Backlog Managers, rather than true Product Managers. These were different—covering the entire range of Product Management activities from A to Z, with a strong emphasis on the most important aspect of Product Management – “Product Discovery.” Professional teachers + a well-balanced mix of theory and practice + curious and motivated participants = courses were useful not only for beginners, or those looking to start their careers in Product Management, but also those already working in the field and willing to learn some new stuff. Another advantage – it was a great place to meet professionals in the PM area and discuss your daily challenges.

… when you see an elderly supermarket cleaner who seems to be typing something on her phone, but when you get closer you see that she’s just putting on a pair of rubber gloves, you stop for a moment and you realise the differences between generations, the influence of social networks, changing habits, addictions that can easily be transformed into a new advertisement, and then you remember what your teacher said: life comes first, so you stop, you put an idea somewhere in your head for the future, but what can you do when after this course your perception completely changes, so you work every moment, and your thoughts are just one long sentence, full of ideas and insights that never end…

I can only say one word about The Atomic Garden Vilnius – amazing! To be honest, when I decided to come to this school, I did not expect to learn that much. My main goal here was to get to know people in the industry. I had a strong opinion that creativity cannot be learned, because it is either given to you or it is not. But, oh man, I was wrong. There are layers of strategies, inner things, concepts and techniques that lead you to creating good advertising. Not only did I meet really interesting teachers and students, but I also experienced the most interesting lectures. All of my expectations were exceeded. What is more, I got my dream job at one of the best advertising agencies in Lithuania.

Inspiring and engaging – that is what this course was for me. Interesting, high-quality and relevant theory was combined with a hands-on practical part, during which excellent professionals in their respective fields shared their experience. It was a great opportunity not only to create, but also to get answers to questions that arise when working with real clients. Special compliments to the course leader Clare McNally, who not only teaches the theory brilliantly, but is also fantastically inspiring! Even if you come up with 50 ideas and you feel that it’s all you can do, she will inspire you to come up with at least 10 more. These were intense months that strengthened the knowledge I already had and inspired me to create more and with more courage.

Since my school days, I have dreamed of establishing a community that would have a positive impact on the world around me. While working as a programmer in a product team, I saw that product managers are a part of the community that controls the levers of influence, which made me want to try this position myself. I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t have to look far for opportunities, as The Atomic Garden was just recruiting for its first class of people who wanted to become Product Managers. What I expected from the course was a demystification of the producer role, heated discussions with teachers, and feedback-dominated mentoring. Expectations met. I know the difference between a Project and a Product Manager, I managed to pit teachers against each other, and I don’t even know where to put the amount of feedback I received from mentors and teachers. As someone with a fairly high quality standard, I was pleased with the competence of the teachers and the level of knowledge of their craft. The most important thing is that they did not lack empathy, which is especially important in the training of new knowledge and skills. During the course, we went through the product cycle, taking away 3 practical works that you can put in your portfolio. The teachers kept sharing different career stories with us. It was very useful in forming a multifaceted perspective of working in product companies.

I trained at The Atomic Garden because I thought that later on, like on Mad Men, I would have a secretary and wearing a suit, with a cocktail in my hand, I would be explaining to clients what women want.

During the course, I realised that this is pure nonsense. It’s a good thing that my teachers and my creative partner helped me to notice these things when I was 22 and not much later in life.

I am pleased that I opted for this course. Over the span of three months, I received a substantial blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience across various domains, ranging from performance advertising testing strategies to leveraging AI in creative processes. Each subject was delivered in a focused and comprehensive manner by instructors from leading Lithuanian advertising firms and organizations, who enriched the theoretical framework with their practical expertise. The practical assignments after each topic segment reinforced the knowledge gained, providing those who engaged with their brands a solid groundwork for an integrated advertising campaign post-course. This course is ideal both as an introduction for individuals embarking on their careers and as an enhancement of skills for those already experienced in advertising creation, digital communication, and related areas.

When I started this course, I already knew that I wouldn’t take a vacation, I would have to spend time trying myself in different areas. But this course still exceeded the limits of my knowledge. However, the challenge was much greater than I expected. The whole course was like a fun roller coaster with sudden creative ups and downs, but all the course teachers were very supportive and helped me not to stop with their professional advice. Clare, the head of course, always found time to advise on a strategic issue, participate in product name brainstorming, copy review and corrections before presentations. As animator, I broadened my horizons about brands quite a bit, and that alone was worth it.

I started training at The Atomic Garden Vilnius as soon as I returned to Lithuania after several years abroad. To be honest, at the time I had no idea of what I wanted to do here and in what field I wanted to work. Having worked in fashion and journalism before, the world of advertising seemed like the right fit for me, so I decided to give it a go. Apparently, my goal was to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to work in an advertising agency. However, although I later realised that I was more suited to other activities, the knowledge and skills I acquired here are still vital in my daily work.