A Very Swell Christmas

A very yuleTIDE Christmas and happy holidays to everyone! For me, Christmas was fairly uneventful this year. I didn't make it home due to outlandish airline ticket prices as well as frigid temperatures. Instead I opted to stay here and start a new Christmas morning tradition. Surfing. Santa Claus was generous this year with a very large Christmas swell hitting the coast throughout the weekend.

I have never surfed during the winter months, nor experienced a large winter swell of this magnitude so for me it was quite the occurrence. While being up in Los Angeles over the weekend, my sister, future brother-in-law and I took a short drive up to Ventura, CA to surf the famous "C Street" point break. When we got there, the surf was massive. There were a lot of people out in the lineup, but just as many if not more on the beach watching the show go down. Paddling out is particularly tricky at this spot because there is such a strong current flowing down the beach. If you are not careful or not a strong paddler you could end up a mile or so down the beach into the pier.

The waves were huge, I took a serious beating just paddling out to the lineup. They were growing every minute and they would break farther out then the previous. It was getting serious, waves were taking guys out left and right. About after an hour a sneaker set rolled through and I was caught on the inside of the wave. Just facing a 15' + mammoth about to break on top of me, which is exactly what it did. A sheer nightmare for what seemed to be forever. I was tossed around like a rag doll, got the wind knocked out of me and held down in the dark abyss. I remember opening my eyes and only seeing pitch black. When I finally reached the surface, another wave came in right behind me and did the same. I was absolutely certain that I was going to die right there. Somehow I managed to reach the surface again, climbed back on to my board and made my way to the shore. As I threw up the remaining salt water in my lungs and stomach, I couldn't believe I made it out of there alive.

It was a Christmas to remember at the least.

Trying to correlate advertising during a recession and surfing big waves is tough but if you have a little imagination you can see the similarities. Surfing big waves is like advertising during a recession- companies are afraid to spend ad dollars due to the tightening of budgets and the risk of going bankrupt. Surfers are afraid to surf big waves due to the risk of injury or even death. But if you take the chance, whether it be spending more ad dollars and setting yourself apart from the cowering competition or take off on that big wave for the ride of your life, the end result is definitely well worth the risk.

Ad Intern 1: Full, but not stuffed

Well, the day has finally come. I’m nearing the close of my last day at Bailey Gardiner. It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling at the moment. I’m excited to have some extra time, which will sadly be taken up mostly by studying for finals. However, I’m definitely sad to be leaving this office. As I was saying in my last blog post, I have learned more here than I ever could have learned in a classroom. Before starting my internship, I was skeptical because of stories I’ve heard or things I’ve seen on TV shows, movies, etc. Would I be making coffee and licking envelopes all day? No, definitely not. I never made coffee for anyone but myself thanks to the wonderful Keurig. And my wonderful supervisor, Becca, let me in on the secret to sealing envelopes – wet paper towel. As you can see, two possible issues were easily averted. They’ve got your back at BG.

I’d like to focus on some of the things I was able to be a part of during my semester long internship. I was able to attend multiple meetings with clients, one being a focus group, where I was able to see first-hand how people would interact with a new product and service (2 out of 3 meetings included a meal, which is definitely a score in an unpaid position). I was able to research companies that I’d never heard of and find out that I might even be the type of person they’re targeting. I was able to talk with several publications and negotiate rates for insertions. I was able to start the coordination of a project for college students that helped a client with their market research needs. I was able to flex my editing muscles on test messages and Eblasts. I was able to learn about paid advertisements on Google and start a new campaign with keywords. I was able to express my thoughts on an intern-run blog. I was able to make some new friends, both interns and full-time employees. But one of the most important things I was able to do, and I believe this is true for all interns, was that I was able to add experience to my resume.

When you look at it on paper, it may be only a few words, sentences, or lines of information. But in reality, it’s a whole lot more than that. The next words I’ll be able to add to my resume will sum up an incredible opportunity I was given. Obviously, a few lines won’t do it justice, but hopefully future employers will understand how much it meant when I answer any questions they might have. In a time when so many are finding it difficult to land an interview with an employer, let alone a job, a resume plays a critical role. It is important to have your resume stand out and stand out for the right reasons. Having your resume stand out because of grammar or spelling errors, doesn’t count. I haven’t entered this scary new job market yet and I have a feeling it will be a long process until I find a good fit for me, but starting out with a well prepared resume is definitely what I plan on focusing on. So wish me luck as I enter my last semester of college and eventually join the job search.

Ad Intern 1 is definitely full from a wonderful meal at Bailey Gardiner, but I’m leaving room for dessert.

This Economy Sucks, I am going Snowboarding

Around this time of the year I have a tradition to get myself prepared for the upcoming snowboard season. It starts with digging my snowboard out of a pile of assorted sports equipment in the garage. Always a daunting task because it is constantly at the very bottom. Then dusting it off, prepping it to be waxed, and making sure I have plenty of ice-cold Pabst at hand. I'll throw my goggles on for good measure, turn the iron on, grab a nice fresh stick of deliciously scented wax, pop in one my favorite snowboard videos, and wax away.

Lucky for me I grew up by a well renown ski resort and only had to drive 5 minutes to get to there. Living in San Diego is a completely different story with the closest decent mountain being 6 hours away. I never had to plan out a ski vacation ahead of time, it was more or less looking outside my bedroom window in the morning to see how much it had snowed the night before. For the average consumer, deciding the morning before or even a week before is not an option. Or is it? With the economy in shambles and an unclear future, consumers are finding it unrealistic to book a ski vacation 4 to 6 months in advance. Making reservations for 1 to 2 weeks in advance is seemingly becoming the norm. At least for Vail Resorts.

After watching a interesting clip featuring the CEO of Vail Resorts, Rob Katz, he explained how they have completely changed their marketing efforts for this upcoming season. By focusing on Social Media and advertising with real-time messages as opposed to committing to print ads 4 to 6 months in advance or long-lead traditional advertising. Attracting consumers with weekly real-time messages and being able to "accelerate the consumer decision cycle" is proving to be the new route. Attracting consumers with videos on social sites of skiers/boarders jumping off cliffs, powder shooting everywhere, or as some put it "ski porn" versus traditional means is allowing Vail to adapt to the economic conditions at hand.

I am really not looking forward to the 6 hour drive, but after watching online videos of snowboarders hucking themselves off of cliffs into 4' deep powder, I feel myself getting more and more eager to go shred.

Advertising is... lessons learned from my first 5 days as an Intern

Coming hot out of college, with my B.S. Degree IN Advertising, I thought I knew it all.  Definitely not even close.  As a newly appointed Intern here at Bailey Gardiner, (and one of the few men in the office), I am starting to pick up on a lot of things.  

Learning is key in this position I recently acquired.  The first lesson I learned here was not to operate the printer-copier machine on my own because it's basically rocket science to figure out.  Other than learning to avoid the printer-copier, I have done copious amounts of research/excel work.  Also expanding my knowledge on our current clients as well as learning about potential clients and new markets is very beneficial.

One of the highlights was getting invited to a brainstorming session at lunch for one of our clients, Brookfield Homes.  I was very excited for a chance to display my creativity.  I felt a little nervous about sitting in, not knowing anyone and hoping that something will jump-start my brain like a shot of creative-roids from the black market creative doctor.  I mean after all, my Mom thinks I am really creative from all the paintings and projects I've done since kindergarden, but I wasn't sure that would translate into the professional world.  It was a great experience to sit through the brainstorm and hear everyone's ideas on ways to market the new Rockrose development.   

Next thing I am slowly picking up on is that Social Media isn't just about how many friends I have on facebook, or the banner ads consisting of "Meet hot girls in your area".  Nor is about how sweet myspace is for listening to new bands or twitter updates about going to the beach or eating a bag of Cheetos.  Social Media is about connecting brands to the users.  I am still not exactly sure what people use twitter for, but I am confident that will be one of the concepts I learn here at Bailey Gardiner.

I feel like being one of the few men in the office comes into play with my point of view and also me being the Baritone in the Bailey Gardiner Christmas Choir (Coming soon). Which for me was another highlight here at BG Creative.

All in all being here has been a great experience and I look forward to continuing my education from some of the best in the business.  I feel like there is a strong correlation between the contents of my first ever blog post and the advertising industry.  A little random, complex (printer-copier), and constantly changing.  Just like my time spent here.  From brainstorms and social media, to researching "Pet energy bars", and also Bailey Gardiner benefitting from my exceptional vocal chords, it has been a great 5 days and I am excited for what the future brings.    

  

  

Nearing the End

Sadly, I now only have 7 days left here at Bailey Gardiner. Luckily, unlike a lot of intern stories I’ve heard from friends and family, I am actually sad about this fact. I have had such an unbelievable experience here at Bailey Gardiner and will truly miss the people and overall atmosphere that I have been a part of for the last 3 months. I came in not knowing much about this industry apart from what I learned in school and will come out with triple, if not more, the experience. The ad team graciously took me under their wing and taught me things that will continue to benefit me throughout my career.

During my time at the agency, I have learned quite a few valuable lessons:

1.              Don’t forget your chap stick on the first day. But if you do, Rite Aid will assist you in whatever you need.

2.              Thesaurus.com doesn’t just come in handy for college papers.

3.              When they tell you there are enough mugs and you can use the Keurig whenever you want – they mean it. I brought my own anyways, but still.

4.              I’ve added a few new acronyms to my AIM handbook. EOD (End of Day) and DND (Do NOT Disturb) and brought back an old favorite – BRB.

5.              Beware of the toaster. You might think it’s on light when it’s actually on BLACK.

6.              An errand to Hazard Center that takes 15 minutes total could easily turn into 45 when you return to find ZERO parking spots.

7.              You can never own too much leopard print. Or argyle.

On a more serious note, I have obtained more experience than I could ever imagine. I have attended multiple client meetings, including a focus group, where I was able to witness first hand the interactions between clients, the targeted demographic, and the team here at Bailey Gardiner. I performed hours of research for clients – both new and established – including everything from suicide to birth control to San Diego casinos to seed embedded paper. Have I mentioned they have a very broad spectrum of clients here at BG? I researched naming rights and trademark information for new brands and campaigns. I’ve also had the opportunity to assist in putting together a media plan for a new campaign by researching the area’s publications and even negotiating rates for future spots and inserts. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my less glamorous intern days – filing collateral, walking back and forth between Seaport Village and the Convention Center – in heels (still have the blisters to prove it), braving the streets of both Hillcrest and Downtown San Diego with fellow intern, Jen, to put up flyers for one of our client’s events, having my fingers cramp up while tabulating results from surveys, and the inevitable newbie initiation – candy cart. But even tasks such as these have been a learning experience that will benefit me later on.

Throughout all of this, I’ve been able to improve my communication skills through email with people in the office, potential vendors, and many more. I’ve been a part of projects that have yet to hit the mainstream market. I even got to flex my culinary muscles for the Halloween potluck. I’m putting the past 3 months in a very special place in my memory and consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to call myself a Bailey Gardiner intern. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to send in my resume in response to a job posting on Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid someday.

Fingers crossed.

Product Placement

Ever since starting my internship at an advertising agency in San Diego, I’ve become hyper aware of advertisements. (Duh, I know.) From the paid advertisements on Google to soda machine covers at trolley stations, I notice it all. But right now, I’m especially intrigued by product placement. I always knew it existed and even noticed it a few times before in movies and TV shows. But I never paid much attention. Shows such as American Idol (Coca-Cola) and Top Chef (Gladware) have exceptional amounts of product placement. However, no amount of product placement can compete with that found in one episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Between the tear jerking introduction to the needing family and the final reveal, copious amounts of product placement take place. Companies have found a gold mine in this show. Everything including window manufacturers (Pella windows) furniture brands (Sears), kitchen appliances (Kenmore), the family’s vacation (Disneyland Resorts), giveaway vehicles (Ford) and even gifted prescriptions to those dealing with an illness (CVS Pharmacy) are all featured on the show. Weekly. Ever wondered how they get all of this “free” merchandise to help build and furnish the house? There’s your answer. To me, this seems like the easiest and most effective way to get your brand name out there. In respect to Extreme Makeover especially, these brands are seen as generous and willing to help the average American, which speaks to about every person watching the show. It’s almost impossible to watch the show and not feel slightly guilty complaining about…anything. After watching a couple that already had 4 children of their own and took in their 6 nieces and nephews (between the ages of 16-22), no questions asked, into a 3 bedroom, dilapidated house - my life doesn’t seem quite so difficult. The products and companies lucky and/or smart enough to be featured on Extreme Makeover know what they’re doing. I’ve even caught myself googling (is that considered a word, yet?) some of the things I see. Hmm…mission accomplished? In a world where TiVo and DVR are becoming so prominent, it seems as though companies have found their loophole in advertising to the general public. 

The Importance of an Internship

As a student that wants to break into the creative side of advertising there are two main components for getting in. The first is an awesome portfolio filled with great ideas and the other is who you know. But what if you don’t know anyone in the advertising industry are you doomed to go from one closed door to then next, even try to see if you can wiggle open a cracked window? Well that may be the case but there is an easier way. Get an internship. A creative internship is beneficial for educating, networking, and getting real work.

Creative internship gives you education that you can’t get in a classroom. It puts you at the agency right in the environment. Where real projects are going on around you and the creative team is pitching ideas that can actually be published. You can get advice from Art Directors and Copywriters who are doing this everyday. They are there to give you the experience to get started in the business. A place to see where you fit in right, maybe it’s a small agency, maybe it’s a big agency, or maybe it’s somewhere in the middle.

Having a creative internship makes for great networking opportunities. Not only do you know all the people in the creative department by first name you have their email and phone numbers. And as long as you don’t screw up your internship they will probably answer future questions you will have once the internship is done. Possibly giving you letter of recommendations or a great reference for your resume. Another cool thing is that the advertising industry is a close knit one where a lot of people know a lot of other people in the industry. So your Art Directors and Copywriters know other Art Directors and Copywriters in the area or maybe even out of the area. Where one contact can easily become 5 contacts, then even 20 contacts. And for a business where getting in is half based on who you know, it’s a good way of meeting people.

A creative internship is also great for getting real work for your portfolio. This is based on getting an internship where the agency actually lets you do work, besides running errands and getting coffee (I’m very sorry if your in one like that). A student portfolio is based on make believe clients that a lot of agencies wish they could have. The thing is none of that work is published; the only place it can be seen is in your book.Interning gives you the chance to get your ideas published, and having published work in your book, as a student, is quite an accomplishment.

So I bet your wondering how you get in a creative internship. Well first you need to do your research, find out where you want to intern. Once you found where, you need to find out who the creative team is and you will want to contact them to find out if they offer internships. If they do offer internships then send them your resume along with some samples of your work. If they tend to take a little while to respond be patient, they are very busy people, but you can always send a polite friendly email asking on the status. If they ask you to come in for an interview treat it like an actual job interview, they don’t want someone who can’t be professional interning at their agency, so be prepared. Talk to your career services at your school for some tips. Most agencies are more willing to take on an intern than hire a junior with no experience, so put yourself out there and see what you can do.

Fall = Crafts

Why does fall make me want to make tea, bundle up in a sweatshirt and Uggs, and…craft? (I’m not sure that’s even an actual verb) I’m even more confused when I think about the fact that I live in San Diego, the land of limited seasons. Not that I’m complaining, but we don’t usually see our fair share of changing leaves. Of course, I have a 20 minute presentation tomorrow that I need to finish my PowerPoint for, but all I can think about is carving pumpkins, making wreaths, and glue…crazy amounts of glue. Because this is our second year off campus and we live in a neighborhood where trick-or-treaters are bountiful, I’m all about “keeping up with the Johnson’s” when it comes to holiday decorations. However, the fact that I’m not actually bringing in any money of my own right now creates a problem. Apparently, these things cost money? Luckily, there are plenty of helpful (depending on your interpretation of the word) websites with tons of do-it-yourself projects for those of us on a budget. My favorites so far are carving elegant pumpkins – I need to find these green ones with orange on the inside, decorating with fall leaves (see above for how disappointed I am about this one), and making luminaries out of dried gourds – I just like the title of this one, haven’t heard ‘luminaries’ in a while. But none of these really compared when I found out I could make my own clock. I don’t know why, but I really like clocks (my roommates thank me everyday for the Campbell’s Soup clock prominently displayed in our kitchen. Don’t worry, I took out the battery that enables it to play a song every hour). If I could have one in every room, I would and probably will at some point. But that’s beside the point. Being an intern in a creative environment (especially one that goes all out for Halloween) gets me really excited about things like this. I see things all day long that inspire me and I’m excited for this fall “season” so that I can put all of this inspiration to work through projects and crafts. Bring on the scissors and glue.

Brand Session

Today, I got to live out the reason I’ve chosen to look into the marketing industry. When I learned about marketing in my classes, it interested me immediately. I had this vision of sitting on couches (now I envision an orange couch for some reason…) throwing around ideas and getting to use my creativity in a totally different way. Once I started at Bailey Gardiner, I immediately realized that there was WAY more to it than that, but today I found out that it is truly a huge part of this industry. I was invited to attend a Brand Session today for a new client on Friday evening and could hardly contain my excitement over the weekend. I told anyone and everyone who asked about anything relating to work and had my outfit ironed and ready to go by Sunday afternoon. At this point, I wasn’t entirely sure what a Brand Session was (being from Texas, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried…hot metal, anyone?), but I knew it would be an incredible learning experience.

So this morning, determined to be on time or slightly early (Jennifer had explained that we would be leaving promptly at 7:40), I arrived at the front door at 7:25. Problem. I learned the hard way that yes, it’s always good to be a little early, but don’t push it. Especially when you risk the chance of being the first person at the office. With no key. I stood at the door looking confused and lost to all the morning traffic on 6th Avenue. Luckily, Jennifer saved me 5 minutes later - during which time I took the opportunity to buy juice at the 76 on the corner. Essentials.

We left a few minutes later to head to the client’s office (I’m sworn to secrecy at this point, sorry guys), where we were greeted by a lovely spread of Einstein’s bagels, coffee, juice and fruit. I felt like I had made it big time. After the introductions and perusing of the goods, the meeting started. This is when the learning began. Jennifer took charge right away and led thought provoking discussions and activities. From magazine cut-outs to price sensitivity – everything was covered. Not to mention – my new obsession. Super-sized sticky notes. Those of you that know me, know how much I love sticky notes and making lists. Trouble. What I enjoyed the most was the balance between the BG presentation and client interaction. Neither side seemed to be overwhelmed and was able to share their point of view in order to give the Bailey Gardiner team enough information to create a brand that encompasses all of the important details while still being elusive enough that consumers will want to find out more information on their own. A pretty tough task, if you ask me. But this is what they do all day long and have obviously been extremely successful. I’m not worried. I can't wait to see what they come up with.

To sum up, I’m excited to see if anything can top what I was able to experience today during my next 2 months or so of interning. If anything, this just gives me that much more motivation and understanding of what I want to pursue when I finish school in May. I know I won’t always have days like this, but it’s a refreshing change of pace and a huge building block to add to my foundation in this industry.

Halloween Dilemma

Cute or sexy? This is a dilemma that every girl faces when trying to come up with the perfect Halloween costume. There are the tried and true options for those of us that aren’t up for showing off our assets – fairy, witch, vampire, clown, angel, devil, storybook characters…the list is endless. These all seem harmless enough, right? Wrong. Pretty much every idea you can think of also comes in a “sexy” version - with plenty of leg to spare. Even Belle from Beauty and the Beast comes complete with white thigh highs. Not exactly what I remember from my favorite childhood movie. Alice in Wonderland? Try “Miss Wonderland” with the description, “Play the cards any way you want, you sassy heartbreaker!” I don’t think White Rabbit or Cheshire Cat would approve.

I get it. People use Halloween as an excuse to wear whatever they want and not have to explain their morals. But when did it become so extreme? Celebrities definitely take advantage of this holiday. Anything from Naughty Nurse to Captivating Captain (including Louboutin heels…so not fair)

to Red Hot Flirty Firefighter is fair game. I’m reminded of a scene from Mean Girls when Lindsay Lohan dresses up as an “Ex-wife” and everyone is thrown for a loop. Definitely not what she chose for her real life costume…

And you would think guys’ costumes are free and clear. Again, wrong. A few options to choose from: Firefighter with Big Hose, Breathalyzer, and Catch of the Day Big Fish. I won’t go into descriptions for any of these, but you get the picture.

So what’s a girl to do? Being in my last year of college, I want to take advantage of my last chance to make a big deal out of Halloween. However, now that we’re in a world where social websites reign supreme, I have to keep in mind that any pictures that are taken could and probably will land on Facebook. Dun dun dun. Not so sure I want my current or future employer (let alone my mom) to see pictures of me as a Lucky Ladybug or Shipmate Cutie. My worry is that are other college students aren’t taking this precaution when picking out their Halloween costumes. I know, you have your Facebook page locked down and no one can see your pictures, right? I’m pretty sure there are ways around any of that. I know I’m not banking on that fact. I’m sure most wouldn’t take the time to override anything, but you never know. Trust me, I won’t be showing up anywhere in a floor length gown, but I will be taking these things into account when putting together my costume. Right now, my options are: Flapper Girl (I’m taking my inspiration from Lauren Conrad, which seems pretty reasonable)

or Katy Perry (I know, super conservative). But I’m pretty sure I can make either of them work without being too over the top. 

I just wish the middle ground wasn’t so hard to find. Any suggestions? 

Tweeting with Justin Timberlake

I wish. So I’m new to the Twitter phenomenon - 28 tweets total as of now. At first, I tried to take the casual approach, “Ehh, I just want to see what celebrities are up to and find out where good sales are. No big.” THEN I started my internship here at Bailey Gardiner. This is when I came to realize that Twitter is way more than that. I had only considered the reasons why I would want to be on Twitter, not why those stores with crazy sales or new products were tweeting like crazy. It really has become a whole new way to advertise (I know, haven’t heard that one before, huh?). Whether users realize it or not, places that you follow are constantly advertising. Even celebrities are advertising. Whether it be a new movie, show or other venture they are working on or a magazine they want you to pick up to see their 5-page spread – they’re advertising, promoting, whatever you want to call it. THEN I started to see that some of these celebrities and places were tweeting back. Needless to say, I have a new task. I’m tweeting like crazy to anyone and everyone who might give me some props. Sadly, I haven’t had any hits yet. As of now, I have tweets out to:

 

Justin Timberlake - I asked for free tickets to his show in Vegas for my boyfriend’s 21st, which I thought was plausible since I also said he could hang out with us.

 

Rachel Zoe – Telling her I couldn’t wait for her show. Even included a countdown. Pretty sure I said “I DIE” and “BANANAS” a couple times for good measure.

 

Brad Goreski (from Rachel Zoe) – Told him that his bow ties were the highlight of my week.

 

Burger Lounge - I joined their following one day too late and missed the FREE burgers.

 

Rob Dyrdek - My boyfriend and I are convinced that he would want to be our best friend if he let us come hang out at the Fantasy Factory. Dream big.

 

And my latest one was to my boyfriend - If nothing else, at least I’ll get one pity reply. Hopefully.

So my question is…What gives? Am I just aiming too high or are there tricks of the trade that I don’t know about? I figured I’d start at the top and see what happened. I thought I’d get lucky with at least one, but no - Notta. Zip. Nein. I realize that being a 21-year-old college student/intern isn’t that appealing but c’mon people, have a heart. Of course, this doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying. I will continue to get excited/nervous every time my TweetDeck has a notification. I refuse to let this dream die. I will tweet with Justin Timberlake.

PR Intern 2 Has Been Fed

As my last day as a public relations intern at Bailey Gardiner comes to an end (yikes!), I feel the need to look back on my three months at the creative San Diego Agency. It’s been an entertaining and highly enjoyable roller coaster ride from the amazing and energetic people that I met and the accounts that I worked on… The San Diego Museum of Art, NTN Buzztime and briefly The Del Mar Ractrack, right down to all of the invaluable things that I learned about the public relations field. As I exit the ride, I also can’t help but get excited to begin my trip in exploring the rest of the amusement park. The industry is so big and I’ve only just begun.

Below is an overview of the little (and big) things that became so dear to your ‘PR Intern 2’:

• The daily positive, thought-provoking quotes written on the fridge board that made me scurry back to my desk to get a pen and notebook to jot them down onto – I've collected numerous!
• My cherished friend Keurig – you were incredibly loyal to me during my three months.
• Agency days at The Del Mar Racetrack – who could have ever resisted the ponies and people watching?
• The fabulous Culture and Cocktail events at The San Diego Museum of Art – it was a genius idea to mix socializing with fantastic exhibitions and music – and Avedon C &C is coming up this Thursday, August 13!!!
• The lively Agency employees who made me endlessly giggle from conversations – overheard and involved in. Their blog reflects this liveliness too!
• The other hard-working BG interns – whose passion for their field was felt through their determination to do what was necessary in order to do what they love.
  

And being the literary girl that I am, here’s a wonderful quote to end with. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

And I’m off! It’s been great BG! Thanks for the ride!!

In the land of the interns, free stuff rules!

It's been awhile since I've been in college, and I've noticed that since starting another internship, I've been reduced back to my penny-pinching habits from my college days. Everyone knows that to get your foot in the door, to get that oh-so-important experience on your resume, you need to endure the unpaid internship. Part of the internship experience that you gain is loyalty to the company you work for diligently for day after day and you show that by coming in and working for free, and ... enjoying it. I can honestly say that not getting paid for my work at this internship, doesn't really bother me. I don't dwell on it. BUT I have noticed that I jump at anything that is available to me at no cost.

Cupcakes in the kitchen from a client? Screw the diet, I'll take 2.

Self tanner wipes in the women's bathroom? Probably never use them, because I am a very Irish girl and would probably turn orange, but I will take one just in case.

Keurig coffee from the kitchen? I drink about 3 cups a day.

But recently I was treated along with all the other employees and interns to a day at the Del Mar Racetrack. I have lived in San Diego for 3 years now and was ashamed to say I had never been. But now, here was the perfect opportunity! So after a quick day at the office we all headed off to the track to enjoy some free food and drink, courtesy of Bailey Gardiner. We also received a personal lesson on the basics of racetrack betting from Jon Bailey, CEO of Bailey Gardiner, and $20 to bet with. Even though I was only there for a short time (had to get to my paying job) and I lost the $20 + $5 of my money, I had a great time. Food tastes better when it's free and outings are much more fun when you get hooked up. I can't wait to go again, but on my own dollar, I'm afraid it won't be as great...
So thank you Bailey Gardiner for helping me to enjoy the cheaper things in life.

Baby Names, Holy Toast, and Interns

When Melissa Heuschkel gave birth to a little baby boy, she struggled to find that perfect name. So, naturally, she did what any sane parent would—she sold the right to name her child on eBay. I have a feeling little “Golden Palace Benedetto” (the $15,500 name given by Golden Palace Casion) is not going to be too happy with Mama Heuschkel when he grows up. But while eBay has a myriad of bizarre auction items that often leave us scratching our heads, item #270392380113 might top the charts.

On May 19^th, world-renowned advertising agency Crispin Porter and Bogusky opened the bidding on item #270392380113—40 of their summer interns. The prize package included a creative presentation developed by the interns over a three month period consisting of strategies, recommended brand positioning and concepts; everything but production or finished advertising material. The auction started at $1, and by its close on May 27 the Oregon electric motorcycle company, Brammo Inc., won the bid for $17,655, a sum to be divided evenly amongst the interns.

Now wait a second. Auctioning off intern labor? That just doesn’t sound right. Maybe it’s the protective intern side of me speaking here, but the 1600s and Slave Trade kind of come to mind. It’s degrading enough having “Intern” as your alias all summer, now Crispin’s equating their interns to just another wacky piece of Virgin Mary Toast sold on eBay? And when the going rate for an intern is typically a John Hancock on a form granting college credit, why would anyone fork over $17 grand for intern work? However, unlike an auctioned piece of “Britney Spears gum” which you can put in a plastic box, place beneath your “Baby One More Time” poster and stare at (classy…), buying a batch of 40, well qualified, CP&B interns was actually a smart move for the young company.              

A typical intern strategic plan probably falls in the price range of “lucky to even get looked at”, but when it’s the product of interns working at the birthplace of the Facebook Whooper Sacrifice and the infamous Whooper Freakout, there is some serious added value. The auction’s success can be attributed to the fact that eBay newbies CP&B have successfully branded themselves as creative masterminds and left the rest of the advertising world thinking, “Dang, I wish I had thought of that.” The “Intern Auction” has generated a huge amount of buzz for the agency in the news and across various social media outlets—a beautiful thing in advertising.

Brammo Inc’s “Intern Auction” win has also landed them a lot of publicity.  Not only has this young electric motorcycle company captured the attention of the motorcycle inept, like myself, they’ve got us hooked, constantly checking their website for updates on their new intern advertising. Although initially $17,000+ sounds like a hefty price to pay (well maybe just for someone making $0.00/hr), it actually only amounts to about $1/hr. When you can’t afford a Whopper, 40 Whopper Jrs for a fraction of the price is not a bad trade off. This is a great start for a company searching for ways to gain more creative exposure.

As an intern at CP&B I’d be ecstatic. Not only do they have the opportunity to work on an important summer project, they’re generating their own personal exposure and at the end of three months pocketing a solid $465 extra (looks like the starving college student might actually be able to eat one month). 

But while many summer interns, like myself and the other fabulous BG interns, are not getting auctioned off on eBay to create high profile strategic plans, I’m finding that the jobs we do are no less important. Its exciting to see how our research gets transformed into a brilliant creative campaign, or how wheeling around a candy cart on a Friday afternoon can provide the needed sugar rush that sparks the next idea behind an ingenious new client pitch (…at least I’m going to imagine that’s what happens).

Life Lessons as a Professional Intern

Bailey Gardiner is my third internship, making me quite a seasoned intern.
My first internship was through my college, good ol' Fitchburg State. I worked for a commercial photography studio that I will not name but check out his work here. Sounds cool, which is why I chose the major when I was 17 and fresh out of high school, but by the end of my semester long internship, I decided that was the last thing I wanted to do. Considering I had just spent 4 years studying commercial photography, I was kind of pissed by the revelation. The internship consisted of me working 8+ hour days, 5 days a week, with the photographer in a large one-room studio. My first day I was given a tour and then my first task which I was to perform daily... making coffee. Yes, it was cliche but that was my job as an intern. The photographer's specialty was taking photos of humidifiers and crockpots for the packages they come in. Sounds exiting huh? Actually on the days we had crockpot shoots, there was a food stylist and graphic designer that would come down and watching them work was pretty cool.
So I graduate college and drive out west and think back on my college days. I had an aunt who worked in Public Relations and I always thought her job was pretty cool. I had also taken some PR classes and had done really well in them. So I started looking for internships in PR since I felt I didn't have enough experience to get a real job.
My second internship was at La Jolla Playhouse. I was thrilled to be working in a real marketing department. The Public Relations department was 3 people and 3 interns. I really didn't know what to expect especially since I knew nothing about theatre. It was definately a learning experience, and I was able to attend alot of free shows, free parties and meet David Bryan & Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi! Plus I loved my boss and still keep in contact with her. The only complaint was there was not much for me to do. I was handed alot of tedious jobs, which I have to somewhat expect from internship work, but I didn't learn much from alot of it. Eventually, I was promoted to a paying position while I worked there, then the economy tanked and the Playhouse had already finished their busy season... so basically I wasn't needed. :(


SO now I am here at Bailey Gardiner, my third and hopefully final internship. Not that I don't LOVE it here, but this working for free thing is getting old :) This one is by far my favorite internship. Here day-to-day I actually have alot of work to do, which is awesome. Seriously, the worst feeling is going into your free job and not having anything useful to contribute. I work on alot of different accounts instead of just one (Playhouse) and I am not alone with one other person all day (photo studio). I am learning valuable industry info (social media trends) from people that know their stuff. I get to work with the other totally awesome interns in this fun & creative environment. PLUS there are occasional doggies roaming around the office, lots of interesting clients to learn about and tasks that actually make me use my brain. After all these experiences, I think I have finally found something that I want to do. This job is always changing. There are always things to learn, people to meet, things to do. I think back when I was 17 and chose Commercial Photography as my major, I was looking for something that I wouldn't get bored doing day-to-day & that I would enjoy doing. Something like working in PR.

Living In A Twitter World

Twitter is everywhere. I can hardly get through a day without hearing about the quickly growing social networking site. I’ll admit I was extremely skeptical of Twitter. I didn’t think it had anything to offer me. I envisioned tweets about what people ate for lunch and updates about their errands. I do not care. I signed-up after interviewing at Bailey Gardiner and learning that many in the office actively tweet. I figured even if it proved to be utterly boring and pointless, I would at least know what my potential boss had for lunch and that might be more than my competition knew. Let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised.

I gained insight into the company I wanted to work for. I learned what Jon, the CEO finds interesting, who he is meeting with and what he does on the weekends. I learned what Indra, the COO is involved in, what she views as important and where her favorite restaurants are. I gained a personal perspective on those who make Bailey Gardiner the successful company it is. Twitter brought me beyond the Web site, beyond the company blog. It brought me into their dialogue.

I strongly advocate job hunters using Twitter to learn more about the companies they want to work for, gain insight into their industry and become a part of their conversations. This in turn means that companies must view social networking as a necessary competitive advantage.

I have been thinking about this a lot in the past week. I mentioned Starbuck’s in a tweet and received information on 20% off. I tweeted about Clif Bar and quickly heard from someone who reviews energy bars.

Then, I opened the Union-Tribune on Sunday to find an article regarding travelers using Twitter to air complaints, get better customer service and learn about exclusive deals. Needless to say, I added Virgin America, Travelocity and others to my feed. If I can tweet a complaint about not sitting next to my hubby on a flight and get it fixed quicker than if I went to customer service, why not?

Yesterday, I opened my email at work to find some great articles passed on to all of us from Jon highlighting social media. It was impossible not to connect the information to Twitter. The Center for Media Research found that 72% of American Internet users trust online opinions. This means that “Consumer Generated Media” like that found on Twitter is critical to a company’s success or failure with those connected. Even more, a Razorfish study found that people are influencing each others' decisions online whether or not they are conscious of it. Companies beware! People are talking about you and others are listening!

I know I am listening. I now go beyond a simple Google search of reviews on a particular product or company. I look on sites like Twitter or Facebook to learn more. Companies can no longer tell an unsatisfied customer to f-off. The customer now has a very public forum. Take the recent guitar debacle with United Airlines. The Airline broke a guy’s guitar. He witnessed his fragile cargo being thrown and smashed. After complaining, filing a damaged goods report and getting only a “yes, we are responsible, but we will not reimburse you,” the guy wrote a song. He wrote a song about how much United Airlines sucks entitled “United Breaks Guitars”. He posted it on YouTube for the world to see and now it has almost 2.8 million views to date and a five-star rating. How did I learn about this story? On Twitter, of course.

United is now listening and so should everyone else. Social media can no longer be an afterthought whether you are a job seeker, a company or someone wishing to air a complaint. Social media connects everyone with real world conversations in real time. Use it and use it well. People are listening.

East Coast versus West Coast, beyond the rap rivalry

I have been happily interning at Bailey Gardiner for the past month and a half. Originally from New Jersey, I decided to take a leap across the country a few months ago after a friend suggested that I sublet for her in San Diego while she was away. “Why not?” I thought. “I’m still young and ready to explore!”

While the agency experience has been very exciting in allowing me to work on public relations for multiple clients, I also find it thrilling to compare the west coast work environment to my home and previous east coast work experience having been in-house at a hospital.

The idea of looking at the east coast and west coast first came to me after a long car ride the other day. It dawned on me how California plays a whole lot of 2Pac! I realized I was just used to being in B.I.G. turf. Nothing like the little east versus west rap rivalry to remind me of the inherent differences that the coasts really possess.

Work dress attire is one area that I am seriously struggling with as a novice west coaster. Gone are the days of black, black and more black, pearls, pencil skirts, ironed collared shirts, plaids and pointy closed-toe heels. And welcome to the land of colorful sundresses, funky necklaces, minimal makeup, open heels and casual airy attires. Californians are incredibly unique in their clothing, picking up pieces everywhere and effortlessly fusing them, and I really admire this. However…this has also been a much needed smack down on my wardrobe, although I’m not complaining. I’m simply embracing the challenge of dressing creatively and not limiting myself to the basics that the east tends to stay true to.

Another observation includes my own need for speed. As a born and raised New Jersey girl, I am used to talking very fast and trying to cram as much as possible into my days. I have been brought up as being always on the go and working, working, working. This has been a big contrast to the relaxed and laid back approach of Californians. While I am absolutely certain this environment is better for my health (I don’t drink nearly as much coffee as I used to and feel off now without yoga) it has taken me a little getting used to to actually ssssssllllloooowwww down and smell the roses. I have noticed that I’m much nicer though when I can really enjoy that single cup of coffee and can talk for a few minutes to a friendly co-worker. And that urge to lay on the horn when the inevitable man in the huge Ford truck cuts off my itty bitty Civic? No worries, really nipped that in the butt too.

Overall though, since employees at the agency range from both coasts, the environment hits the perfect chord. Everyone can learn something if they’re willing, which makes this experience a great and worthwhile one just as it is. The saying “Unity lies in diversity” comes to mind and I couldn’t agree more.

I am not a morning person

Morning people baffle me. I've come to accept that I am now... an adult, but the concept of leaping out of bed in the morning and welcoming the day, eludes me. I have dealt with the "finding a place to live" thing, the "grocery shopping" thing and even the "paying the bills" thing, yet I can not seem to figure out how to not press the snooze button less than 3 times every morning.
Through out my college days and even now, I pay my way by waitressing. It is perfect for me. My earliest shift is at 11am, and even then I complain about having "to open tomorrow." Consequently, due to this chosen profession, all my friends are servers too. They are enablers for my staying-up-too-late habit. The only time to hang out is after a shift, and because of that, to this day, going out before 10:30pm seems way too early and strange.
As far as classes went during college, I always managed to schedule them starting at 11am and ending at 3:30pm, and only Monday - Friday of course. But once in awhile I could not avoid that one class that was "required to graduate" that always seemed to land at 8am. I took Speech, Psychology and Health & Fitness, all at 8am. That's right... my college required gym class to graduate. It was torture back then, but really all I had to do was climb out of bed, stumble across the quad without fully opening my eyes. This was all perfectly acceptable at 8am on campus. But now as I get a handle on this morning thing, I have realized, not only do I have to open my eyes fully and get dressed, my brain has to work as well. So what has growing up taught me lately? I love coffee. Can't get enough. And that little personal coffee cup brewer thing we have in the kitchen... is totally awesome.

I Heart Clif Bar

One of the beauties of interning at a creative advertising agency (no, that’s not a type-o, I did just use the words “beauties” and “interning” in the same sentence) is not only gaining insight into agency logistics (“out to lunch”, “away from the desk”, and “in a meeting”, are proper phone etiquette for, “I really don’t want to talk to you right now”), but also learning about the companies BG works for, and the ones they would LOVE to work for--Clif Bar is one such company.

My first experience with Clif Bar was during early adolescence. I loved eating Luna Bars, but a warning from a friend abruptly halted my consumption--one bite, I was told, and I’d be dancing naked in the moonlight just like the picture on the wrapper. Now, as a student at the University of Colorado, Boulder (aka mountain man/woman capital of the world) I see lovers of Clif everywhere, and have revived my affection for them. (I’ve also since witnessed that naked moonlight dancing is only fueled by the bar, while a serious lapse in judgment concerning alcohol consumption is the actual cause). I find Clif Bars absolutely delicious, but even more satiating is the man and company behind them.

Imagine being on a 175 mile bike ride (no, those of you who consider pushing the button on the coffee machine your workout, you are not exempt from this fantasy), and even worse than the burning sensation in your legs, is the fifth God awful energy bar you’ve barely managed to choke down. It was the pain of eating distasteful energy bars on an epic bike ride that inspired Gary Erickson’s entrepreneurial genius--invent a product that athletes actually enjoy eating, not something that looks and taste like Grandma’s surprise meatloaf. Within a few years Clif Bar was born! The energy bars were such a success that in 2000 Quaker Oats offered to buy the company. BUT, unlike the competition, Erickson listened to his conscience and turned down the deal, unwilling to let go of the intimacy his private company shared with its consumers.  

By identifying the importance of close costumer relations early on, Erickson was able, and continues to, grow his company into much more than a nutrition bar manufacturer, but rather an innovator in healthy living. The company focuses on five aspirations: sustaining the Clif business, brands, people, community and planet. Clif Bar sponsors over 2000 athletes, both pro and amateur (a great attitude is their primary criteria). Not only do they show support through sponsorship, but they also provide encouragement through their “Pace Team”--a group of skilled runners who run side-by-side with all levels of aspiring athletes to keep their spirits boosted and legs moving during races.

Every Thursday meeting the staff shares an “Eco Minute”--information about ways to incorporate more environmental practices into their lives. Apparently these minutes are adding up because Clif Bar’s list of ecological innovations is endless. They fill their trucks with biodiesel, have boxes made from 100% recycled materials, are launching programs like the Wrapper Brigade--a call to reduce the number of energy bar wrappers ending up as landfill--and partnering with numerous organizations also committed to maintaining a healthy planet. In addition to these achievements, Clif Bar works with bands to make their tours greener (such a cool idea!), and involves their followers through programs like the 2 Mile Challenge (a personal favorite). It often goes unnoticed that almost half our traveling happens within 2 miles of our homes, and most of us take the LONG trek by car (myself included). Thus Clif Bar has proposed this challenge: once a week, replace a trip under 2 miles with a bike to help combat climate change. I’m always down for a challenge, so I quickly map quested the distance from where I’m living to work…1.5 miles guilty as charged...and decided I’d try biking the next day. THEN I remembered that my sweet (sarcasm) 1980s road bike was still in Colorado, nursing its wound after an unfortunate back wheel bike theft incident (darn those college kids and their twisted humor). Teetering on the edge of surrender, I suddenly remembered that I have legs, and used them to walk to work the next day. It was lovely! I had a few extra minutes to make an early morning phone call to Mom (brownie points), felt wide awake by the time I got to work, and I was in good spirits because a) I didn’t have to use the pepper spray my dad made me carry and b) I helped fight climate change.

A quality I admire most about Clif Bar is the brand’s dedication to not only making delicious bars, but making them the right way, through the use of organic foods that provide nourishment to people and the planet. I love their food philosophy--if it’s made right it can make the world a better place.

What more could one company possibly do to make the world a better place? How about launching Project 2080. 2080 is the number of hours one full time employee works in a year, and it is also the amount of time the Clif team donates to volunteering every year. Wow. Selfless comes to mind.

Erickson’s philosophy of “doing good things for life” is especially reflected in the healthy environment he has created for his employees. Employees can bring their children and dogs to work and have access to concierge services. The company also has a high quality fitness center on site that offers free exercise classes, personal trainers, massage therapists and nutrition counseling! Employees are encouraged to use the facilities and are even given a half-hour of paid time to workout everyday. Not saying I don’t love the occasional lunch break adventure with Ad Intern 1 to Hillcrest 24 Hour, BUT how cool would an onsite gym be! Speaking of creating a healthy environment for your employees...is now a good time to inquire about buying some cots for nap time...

Erickson’s ownership decision, though seemingly risky, allowed Clif Bar the freedom and ability to set goals the company is passionate about, goals void of dollar signs. How refreshing. But even cooler than that, is how everyone in the company plays an integral role in accomplishing these goals. Through their achievements Clif Bar has demonstrated that greatness can be achieved no matter the size of the company. Initially my dreams had me focused solely on working at a big time ad agency, but after learning about Clif Bar, I’ve decided that rather than fixate on making it to the top of the Ad ladder, I want to find a company whose goals and interests are inline with my own. Although I’ve only been in the M-F 9:00-5:00 work world for a few months now, I’ve discovered that your job is a huge investment. Oftentimes it keeps you separated from the things you love--family, friends, or maybe even your little 12 year old blind Chiwawa named RayRay (shout out to my intern bud)--why not find a place that lets you do the things you love all day. Find out more about this cool company at www.ClifBar.com, and my other favorite company at www.baileygardiner.com.