Interning, not working out, at a gym.
I currently am finishing up my internship at Weston Fitness located on the corner of 19th and Market. As I mentioned in my last post, it is primarily marketing based but also incorporates some art direction advertising within the job. Thus far, the internship has gone well, people are friendly, and the hours are convenient. However, this is not an ideal place for an advertising major. Sure, they need advertisements to keep their gym alive, but the real fact of the matter is, without a good gym with good amenities, people will not return. Yet, the one bonus Weston Fitness has over the other fitness clubs is their dedication to their members. I know, I know, every gym says this. But, in reality it is a small gym, a gym of 1700 members, therefore the front desk person is not too far off from recognizing every person that walks through the elevator doors. Yes, the swipe of their bar code, and the name that pops up on the screen is always a good cheat sheet, but they are very personable. This benefit is highlighted frequently within our advertisements. If it was not true, trust me, we would hear about it and we have not heard a word, yet, the truth remains. The best part of this internship is the freedom it allows. Most ads that I get to create are from my own vision, with little direction, it gives the power of creativity to take full swing. Overall, this internship has not only made me think in a more creative light, but has made me realize the business end of advertising as well. Being an art direction major, much of my work is creative oriented, and the business part is second. Here, business is first, something I needed to learn and explore through an internship. I am glad I got to do that there.
I understand where you’re coming from with not being entirely content with your internship, I had a similar issue- but like you said, you were at least able to get something out of it, which is great. It’ll help you for when you’re applying for your next position to maybe inquire more on exactly what you’ll be doing. I’m glad you got to have creative liberty when designing the ad- that’s awesome.