This last week, I’ve
been interning at i.d.e.a. as part of a program through my high school, Francis
Parker. We are set up with internships in fields that interest us and shadow
our sponsors for a week. Because my time at i.d.e.a. was shorter than what most
of us spend in the “intern corral”, I only had thirty-five hours to learn
everything I could about what the agency has to offer-a bigger project than I
had imagined.
To be completely fair, I have been spoiled in my internship. Having my first PR and marketing experience at a place like i.d.e.a. is like none other. From the brightly colored office to the eccentric personalities, it’s clear that the i.d.e.a. brand stands on its own.
My 3 insights that I’ve gained from my week:
1. Working nine to five (or 8:30 to 3:30)
As a high
school student, I had never spent a full day at the same desk working on a
computer until this week; it's safe to say I started to get
antsy (and I miss the days of recess and P.E.). As strolls to the
copier and check-ins with my supervisors become my stretch breaks, I’ve come to
the conclusion that what I do sitting at that desk needs to be something I
really love. Most of
the jobs I’ve been given this week involved social media, and researching
within the channels or writing posts for them. Facebook is like an Internet
gateway drug: its users are expanding to almost
too many channels to keep track of. The influencer outreach in digital PR and
the social media strategy that I’ve seen are more than just changing your
profile picture at 8 p.m. (aka “newsfeed prime time”) when everyone is online,
getting you more likes. Strategies much more complex than this, campaigns, and
innovative ideas are propelling clients seamlessly into our minds and news
feeds, across all different mediums. Experiencing the intricate process that
takes a client from their communication problem to their marketing solution
this week has been invaluable.
2. Does the creative team really have more fun?
Shadowing the different branches of the department showed me how people from each discipline come together to make the final product and drive a campaign with elements from everywhere. According to the creative team, everyone is jealous of them because they get to do the thinking behind pitches and showcase what the agency can do, putting a face to the words and putting the brand's best foot forward. Together with graphic design, video editors, and media, a final product is put together and released and then the PR team makes sure that the public knows it’s there. I wouldn’t necessarily say that the creative team has all the fun; rather, all of the branches work together bringing different talents to the table to produce great quality work.
3. What sets i.d.e.a. apart
The main reason I’ve been so spoiled this past week is because so few agencies are as comprehensive as i.d.e.a. and pull it off so seamlessly. On just this one floor on a corner in Little Italy, endless streams of ads, media releases, videos, research, strategy, commercials, and more are being pumped out 24/7. There is never a dull moment in here, whether everyone is watching the “Harlem Shake” video for the millionth time, or talking about fresh concepts and strategies for the newest clients.
