Three Things I’ve Learned While Interning in an Agency Setting

Making the jump from a college classroom to an intern desk and beyond comes with a number of steppingstones along the way. While there is no one way to have a successful experience as an advertising intern, there are a few important lessons I’ve learned in the process that have brought tremendous value to the way I approach my work every day. And in the spirit of copywriting, I’ve decided to break it down into three parts:

Over-communicate. It goes a long way. Whether in the workplace or everyday life, I’ve found talking too much about something usually ends up with a better result than never talking about it at all. In the time I’ve been at my agency, I’ve seen what can happen when co-workers don’t keep their teammates in the loop about the status of a project – it usually leads to more work for everybody.

Advertising is a team sport. When everybody is on the same page, things run smoothly.  When they are not, the entire team suffers as a result. Just ask the Eagles.

Always know what you want to get out of the conversation. Don’t just speak to have a stake in the conversation, but rather to direct it. Allow others to say their piece, but keep in mind the main purpose of the discussion as it pertains to your responsibility with the client. This often requires a holistic view of the brand and their goals, which is the number one priority for an advertising agency. Listen to the dialogue until you have a clear, cogent reason for what you are about to say.

 And last but not least, think like the consumer. One of the biggest problems with a lot of creative we see nowadays is that they lack a connection to the audiences tastes and desires. You can define a target market, choose every form of media in the book, and serve it up on a platter to them; None of these pieces matter though without a reason to engage with it.

People interact with brands that bring them value. In order to get that first interaction, you need to get their attention and show them why you should mean something to them. That engagement then leads to more engagement, until it becomes loyalty.

At the core of every brand is a truth that can be manifested into something meaningful. Therefore, I implore you to always make sure you ask one question when determining if your idea is a good one: Why should they care?