Still Learning From Books

An ongoing process, learning is something no one can live without. Not only are the interns here at Liggett learning from employees, but we are also learning from our books. Yes, books. Something us college students are far too familiar with. At the beginning of the internship, each intern was assigned a book about the business - and yes, we all have to present a book report.

Right now I’m reading Buying In, a book by Rob Walker about why consumers buy what they buy. What’s great about reading this book is finding out how the author looks at the business. Reading about his take on the different campaigns of different products is informative and interesting. From Hello Kitty to Red Bull, Walker researched how each product’s campaign was and is executed. He gives his opinion and reasoning why certain products are more successful than others.

An assignment such as this one proves that reading can open your eyes to different opinions and perspectives. Some of the information Walker found shows how different campaigns go about delivering their messages. As times change, people change - and so does their wants. Advertising has to change with it. Everyday, advertising is evolving with the world. It can never be done in the same way over and over again.

The interns are presenting their book reports this Friday while we celebrate Ham Day. I’m curious to see what everyone has learned from his/her book. It should be interesting…

Kristen N.

Program Management Intern

Two Weeks to Go

It will be a sad day when this internship ends. We only have two weeks left, but the days are filling up fast. This week we’re doing a photoshoot for our internship poster, taking one of the executives to lunch, and having Ham Day to present the books we’ve been reading. And since next week is our last one, it’s sure to be jam-packed. If all goes well, we can squeeze in another lunch with an executive, a social networking seminar, oh, and finish our internship project.

This is the one thing I like about agency work – the variety. Perhaps its amplified by the fact we’re interns (and I know I know, other interns have written this spiel too) but it’s really great to get pulled into 5 or 6 different projects that you can work on all at the same time. Pitches get people pumped up and the creative juices flowing, and there’s always something else you can do for a client. Today, I’ve run computer reports, worked on two different clients' sites, and worked on our social networking presentation that’s coming up next week. The first one was such a success, so we’re doing it again and this time including more info about advertising opportunities.

Monday’s nearly over and I should probably decide whether or not to play softball tomorrow. Liggett’s team is on the up and up, this week we might actually win the game! (or at least get really really close.)

And while I remember, here’s a photo from our Christmas in July party last Friday – a swell time that got everyone energized a bit before the weekend.

Cheers!

>> Ben M.
Interactive Intern

Happy holiday(s)

Today we had our second, and final, fun Friday. Since it is July 25, we couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in July. We outfitted the employee lounge with Christmas lights and trees. We brought in Christmas cookies the interns had baked the night before, served Chinese food (apparently that is a somewhat regular Christmas day tradition) and played holiday music. We even did a drawing to give away the presents under the tree. The hot gift this Christmas was the camo-colored do-rag.

But I could only be in a Christmas cheer for a little bit, as I had to skip back in time and attend the Halloween party going on in another conference room simultaneously. There I filled pumpkin buckets with goodies to send out to various publications. Needless to say, the agency was sporting quite the holiday(s) spirit.

There was also a new business pitch today. It was exciting for the interns because we all did some type of work for this project and it was cool to see it finally come to fruition. While we haven’t heard if we got the business, it was still fun to be a part of a project from the very beginning. I think doing pitches for new business can sometimes be the most fun because you really have to think creatively if you are going to beat out all your competitors and wow the potential clients.

With only two weeks to go, I feel like I have learned so many valuable skills while on the job. But I still want to know more. I’m planning on meeting with the two-person department in connection planning to learn more about what they do sometime before I leave. And, I’m sitting in on a presentation to learn how TV commercials are made. Hey, you never know, the girl who started in PR may someday just want to make a commercial. Something I have learned since I started here is that you never know where your career will take you, and you should never plan it all out because you just may be surprised where you end up.

That’s why I’m soaking up as much information as I can from all aspects of the agency business. You never know when knowing where to find the population of Women 24-65 in Buffalo may just save the day (at the very least, some time).

Till next time,

Ashley H.

Program Management Intern

You Learn Something New Everyday

The beauty of my internship experience thus far is the fact that I learn something new everyday. I am a follower of the old saying, “keep your ears open and your mouth closed.” Well, the whole “mouth closed” part is kind of a stretch, as the entire staff loves questions ranging from how to use a new computer program to how their careers got started. Just the other day, I learned some new graphic design techniques. I will be the first to admit that I have the art capabilities of a third grader, but with every skill learned, you increase your marketability a little bit. If you go into any internship, from engineering to public relations, with a thirst for knowledge you will always leave with a pleasant and insightful experience.

I would also like to stress that keeping up on industry literature is crucial to guiding your internship. I read various publications from Brandweek to PR Week to supplement my experience at Liggett Stashower. Keeping up-to-date on the latest trends has helped me prepare and implement new ideas to various internal publicity projects.

I also believe books are a cornerstone to developing new ideas and to learn from industry leaders. One of my favorite books is “Managing Interactive Media Projects” by Tom Frick. This book is really a one-stop shop for operating various interactive media devices such as Flash and how to launch websites, among other topics. It was especially useful to me because I have a desire to learn about new technologies, particularly the ever-changing social media scene. I loved the book so much; I grabbed my mentor a copy.

Well, as the summer is coming to a halt, I just came to a revelation: it’s almost time to go back to college. I better soak up every last bit of information before I say farewell to the program management team at LS.

Marc F.
Program Management Intern

The Twist

Today we went on a field trip to WKYC, Channel 3 (Cleveland’s NBC affiliate). It was by far the most interesting field trip we’ve been on this summer. The studio was awesome. We sat in on the show Good Company Today. There are four hosts, Michael, Fred, Eileen and Andrea. There were quite a few guests as well. Bruce Drennan, a Cleveland sports show host, was on the show discussing the future of the Indians and the Browns. Chubby Checker, famous for the song The Twist, was on the show and actually performed live. Chubby Checker was decked out in his jean attire and look surprisingly young for his age, 66. They actually did the Twist and everything right before our eyes.

Picture: Chubby Checker performing with the cast and their interns.

Just watching this whole thing take place was astonishing. The movement of the huge cameras and the complexity of the sets were thrilling to see in action. Seeing what goes into producing a simple television show was the highlight of my week. We also met with Joe in the graphics department and he showed us how they create the 3D intros for the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns games. The time and effort that goes into producing such a short clip is intense. I will definitely watch those intros with more appreciation.

We also met the man famous for recording the lines, “Welcome”, “You’ve Got Mail”, “File Done”, and “Goodbye”, by far the coolest thing that has happened to me all summer. I can’t wait to tell everyone that I met him! All in all, it was an action packed day at the Channel 3 News Studio!

Angela B
Finance Intern

Socially Awkward?

During lunch today the interns held an open discussion about a few of the social networks available today, and how they can be used. Ben gave a PowerPoint presentation with a few screen shots, but most of the time was taken up by stories and experiences from interns and employees.

As a college student, it is almost assumed I know the intricacies of Facebook I have not been the biggest fan of this social network since it was opened up to anyone with access to the Internet. However, I was surprised to learn about all the different aspects available on the site. There are many applications, groups, events, etc., which really put Facebook at the peak of social networks. What started out as a way for college kids to meet new friends is now looking like a prime market for any business.

I did learn about many other types of networks that were intriguing. For instance, Delicious is a social book marking website that allows you to tag websites and access them from any computer. You could also share your tags with friends, or see the websites your family members have tagged. Today was also my second orientation on Twitter. This is a social blog that seems to be for people who are too busy to sit down and write a long blog, or is just waiting a long time in-between blog posts. Twitter allows a person to write what they are currently doing in 140 characters so his/her friends and family can see what this person has been up to. Businesses can use it as well to inform customers what it is currently doing. Twitter could be the next generation of social networking.

I am realizing there are many other types of networks and websites besides Facebook that I could really get into.The discussion today really educated me more than I thought it would, and I am very interested to find what else is out there on this thing we call the World Wide Web.

Intern Project

As part of the Liggett Stashower internship program, all of the interns are assigned to work on a project. The purpose of this project is to bring the interns together to work on a themed project that somehow represents their class. This project is a great way for each of the interns to get to know one another and it also allows for a great experience with working in a team setting with others.

Our intern class was really excited to begin this project. Initially, we had some difficulty deciding on were to take our theme. To help us with some direction, we studied the projects done by past interns. After seeing how successful these projects were, we knew we had our work cut out for us.

For the next several weeks we brainstormed for a possible theme to use. We had a wide variety of potential ideas but we eventually narrowed them down to three. We continued to brainstorm with these ideas by doing research, producing sketches, and by getting feedback from sources outside our group.

The process it took to reach our final decision for a theme was not an easy one. There were several problems and disagreements that took place along the way. Though it may have been frustrating at times, the group was able to work through these difficulties and achieve a theme everyone could be proud of.

As our internship comes to an end in the next few weeks, we all have been busy working on our project to reveal to the agency. We all are very excited to see what everyone thinks!

Katie W.
Creative Intern

May I Ask You a Few Questions?

Whenever I’m walking down the street and see someone with a clipboard coming my way, I immediately bolt in the other direction or pull out my cell phone and call someone. I try to avoid researchers at all costs. That is, until I became the researcher.

A couple of days ago, Ashley and I were sent down to the East 4th District around lunchtime to interview people passing by. It’s very interesting to observe people – especially when they see you and try to get away. I saw everything – people scurrying to the other side of the street, people telling me that they are in a hurry but walking at a slow pace, people pulling out cell phones, people asking for any free compensation and people just ignoring me. When people did cooperate, I was so thankful. I couldn’t thank them enough. It’s tough trying to get people to answer a few questions for research!

The whole experience made me realize how important research is. Some research requires how ordinary, everyday people act and what their habits are. Learning what people do and don’t do and what people like and dislike can be vital to a project. Every campaign needs to have facts to go by, so research is essential.

So the next time I see a researcher with a clipboard heading my way, I might think twice before heading in the opposite direction. What he/she is asking may be worth something.

Kristen N.
Program Management Intern

The Future of Advertising

Next Tuesday, the interns are planning a social networking seminar for the agency. We figure while we’re here, we might as well serve as a sort of focus group for the agency in reference to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and all of those good things. There are lots of strategies out there to target people on those sites, but how many of them actually work? Who better to ask than actual users of the site? We’re excited for the opportunity and feel like we can really help people understand the phenomenon of Facebook and the like.

This is similar to the books that we each received when we got here – each of us received our own book to read over and come up with a presentation. The entire office is invited to that too, but it’s a bit more specific than next week’s Social Networking Seminar. One of the program co-chairs even extended an invitation to a client who was just discussing this exact topic.

In other news, our t-shirts should be ordered by the end of the day today. We’re stoked about the design – we think it’s pretty creative. A video may or may not be on the plate as well – but we’re running low on time and everyone seems to have quite a bit of work to do. The radio show was pretty awesome yesterday, and I was invited to discuss one of our upcoming pitches yesterday, a good chance to see how the creative process works.

Time to get back to it!

Ben M
Interactive Intern

Press releases = 1/100th of my job

Since I have started my internship, most mildly interested family members, peers, and/or friends have asked me, “How is your internship going? What do you do?”

I find this somewhat difficult to answer simply, but then again, I’ve never been the master of conciseness. And besides, if I say I am a public relations intern, people will think, “Oh, she sits around and writes press releases all day long.” Common misconception, my friends. And I’m not one to let people run amok with these silly misconceptions floating around in their heads.

As you will see, I do much, much more. In the past week I have:

1. Sat in on a client meeting and brainstormed names to tag onto special PR events.
2. Researched everything from the faces and stories behind some of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders to what terms like VoIP mean in laymen’s terms. (In case you were wondering it stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and it is a hardware and software system that allows people to have telephone conversations over the Internet.) Just from this last project alone, I would have to say that my brain is being thoroughly exercised.
3. Looked into where you can buy 100 pumpkin-shaped buckets.
4. Wrote an article for a client that may by published in newsletters distributed around doctor’s offices.
5. Conducted market research by roaming the streets of Cleveland and asking lunch-goers for two minutes of their time. I now realize what it’s like to be a salesperson; I wasn’t even selling anything, but when people see strangers with clipboards they sure do whatever they can to steer clear.

And today, the intern class went on a field trip to a local sports radio station and sat in on an afternoon talk show. How cool is that? Not only do I get to experience life at an ad agency, but I get to see how advertising works in the different media outlets around town as well.

But I gotta run, I have 13 emails in my inbox and a message on my phone. Work calls.

Ashley H.
Program Management Intern

Hitting fairways and computer screens

Yesterday was certainly a day unlike any other at the office-perhaps because I was not in the office at all! I had the opportunity to work a hole at the AAF regional golf outing. This experience was actually much more intriguing than one would imagine. Sure, while there were a bunch of professionals elated to take a few hours out of their work week to get in a round of 18; it also was a great means of networking and chatting it up with some people from other agencies.

But even more important than the networking, was getting an overall sense of the character of the people who work in this industry. We all know that the employees at Liggett are extremely excited to walk out of the elevator and into their office five days a week, but its nice to see that this is something that seems to occur for the overwhelming majority of those I had the chance to speak with yesterday. Whether people were from the account side, the creative side, or somewhere in between, the general consensus was that these men and women really loved their jobs. I feel this is a very important attribute of this industry, and something very important for an intern such as myself to see. I do not want to go into an industry where the most of the people in it are miserable and just waiting for each day to end. I want to know that people love what they do. Different people were excited to talk about where they worked and how they got there. They were overjoyed to reflect on that fact that the path they have taken has gotten them somewhere they are proud to be.

But I’ve done a little more than sit on a golf course since my last post. Liggett has kept me busy thinking of ads for potential new business in terms of print ads, ambient ads, and even banner ads for the internet. For those of you out there who have always dreamed of making video games, advertising might be the place for you! On several occasions I have been asked to think of different web games for certain clients. While this might not be designing the next Grand Theft Auto, it is definitely an opportunity to do something that I never imagined doing before, and something that is somewhat of a dream for ever young man at some point. Whether it is a simple game that takes two minutes to complete, or creating a game that makes one want to sit in front of the computer for hours, clients want to get people hooked any way possible, and its great to know I am a part of that.

Working Together

My internship is sizzling, much like eating lunch outside in black dress pants. I am still focused on internal publicity projects, but I am also getting my feet wet in other areas of the firm.

One of the most intriguing aspects about agency life –besides job codes- is the variety of backgrounds and specializations that the creative and program management departments possess, respectively. No two people in a firm are alike; everyone has different backgrounds and experiences. Often times working with someone from a different department can be an insightful and invigorating occurrence. Just the other day, I was working on an internal PR project pitch that would need pictures of our 3D press kits (sent to news outlets) to help sell media success from the campaign. The project required me to make arrangements with a graphic designer (creative side) to take professional photos of said press kit. I like to think I am well versed in photography, but I am not. The graphic designer took studio quality shots that were an excellent and essential element for the pitch. The verdict is still out if the story idea will be picked up, but one thing is clear, we all have different talents that are utilized everyday.

Working with the graphic designer reminded me of my favorite quote: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller.

Marc F.
Program Management Intern

Liggett Stashower Country Club

Today the interns put on our first “Fun Friday” and it went extremely well. We turned the agency into a miniature golf course using all sorts of inventive props. I acted as chef for the day, grilling hot dogs. It was exciting to see the whole agency get into our event. People brought their own putters, gloves, hats, and other golf attire. Some of the male employees even tucked their pants into their argyle socks. At the end of the day we gave out prizes! The prizes were as follows:
Elizabeth won best dressed with her pink shirt matching her pink golf ball.
Vicki won pompoms for being the most enthusiastic; she really got into the tournament.
Adam had the worst score and got the Golf for Dummies book.
Jimmy had the best score and got the movie Caddy Shack.
Hopefully the interns of 2009 will host the 2nd Annual Miniature Golf Invitational.

Yesterday I shadowed Sean in Traffic and Estimating. He explained to me their position as the mediator between the Creative side and the Program Management side. They make sure deadlines are met and estimated budgets are maintained. It was quite an informative session and he really did a great job defining the role of Traffic and Estimating.
I also got to dabble in a bit of creative work for about two minutes. I was unaware of this but there is an office that was turned into a make shift photo shooting area. Danielle needed a hand, literally, to hold this light fixture while she photographed it. That was an interesting break from the numbers. Next week I am shadowing Matt in the IT Department. I like how the employees at Liggett want the interns to see every facet of the business. Steve is setting up a day for me to shadow at the law firm and the auditing firm that work with Liggett.

Our internship project is starting to roll in a good direction. We all agree on a theme that is unique and delectable.




Angela B

Finance Intern

Never a Dull Day

It may sound cliché when a company tells you that everyday is different at their office, but it rings true at Liggett. I never know what’s in store for me when I come into work, and when I leave I always try to predict what’s going to happen the following day. Of course, I’m always wrong.

The most exciting part of this job is anything could change at any moment. Many jobs will tell you something to do at 8:30 am, and you might have to do the same task all day. This can get pretty boring unless you’re passionate about that kind of work (which I’m not). When I come in, I might begin with no meetings all day, but by lunch I’ll have already attended 2 meetings, and two more scheduled for the afternoon. That’s what is great about this environment; everything is always changing. A client might want something done one way, but then change his/her mind 3 hours later. Being able to keep up with these changes is part of the challenge. Just yesterday a website went live and had some obvious problems which needed to be fixed right away. Working with others to keep up with these curveballs is part of the fun here.
I also love the comfortable environment here. While everyone works really hard and is dedicated to their work, people know how to keep the atmosphere fun and relaxed. Yesterday we all took a short break for an employees birthday and had some cake. We chatted for a few minutes and had some laughs, and then it was right back to work. Some people have a tough time transitioning quickly from work to fun, but everyone here seems to mix the two together to make the experience and the work being done that much more enjoyable.

It’s hard to believe we’re halfway to the end, but there still is much to be done and much to be learned.

Scott A.
Program Management Intern

2nd Field Trip

We recently took our second field trip to a Cleveland printing company called Watt Printers. Liggett Stashower has worked with this printing company for several of their projects. I was very anxious for this tour to see how everything was completed. Being a graphic design major, I deal with printing all the time and I am aware of the complicated process that can go into producing something. When we arrived at the company, we were all taken into a room where we were explained the basics of printing. We were shown different paper types, different binding techniques, and also examples of various printing methods. Not many of the interns have dealt with printing before which meant that much of the information we were given was new to them.

Everyone seemed very eager and interested to learn about the process. After our information session, we were taken on a tour to see the company. It was neat to see all the machines and how they operated. They explained how everything was so strategically run and how easy it could be to make a mistake on something. Even the smallest mistake could have major repercussions for a company. By the end of the tour everyone was impressed with the company and it seemed as though everyone had a newfound respect for printing. I was grateful that we were taken on this tour because I was able to gather new knowledge about printing that I can apply to my future experiences in my field. The interns have their next field trip soon and we are all looking forward to having another great experience.

Katie W.
Creative Intern

Working Together

Variety is a great word to describe life at Liggett. Each day there is something different to do and someone new to help out. It’s exciting to learn from various Liggett employees because each one has his or her own way of getting the job done.

When we are not busily working in our cubicles on different jobs, we’re developing our intern project. The word variety definitely applies here as well. Throwing eight different college students together to work on a project isn’t exactly easy – but it is a lot of fun. There are eight different personalities, eight different opinions and one compromise. Everyone has his or her own great ideas, and combining them is the tricky part. It’s like a puzzle we all have to figure out piece by piece.

The eight of us working together is like our own agency. We have all of the departments of Liggett represented in our group. Each intern has his or her own job. I like how Liggett challenges us with this project. It’s giving us valuable experience on how each department works together as a team.

It’s hard to believe we are hitting the halfway mark of the internship! It is flying by for sure.


Kristen N.
Program Management Intern

Nearly Halfway There?

As our intern class embarks on Week Four of the internship program, it is hard to believe that we’re nearly halfway through. At the same time, it seems as though we’ve all hit our striding point and are immersed in projects that are occupying our time and thoughts, even out of the office. I love how marketing and advertising classes and experience make you think harder about everyday things. I randomly mutter in public “That’s a horrible ad” or “What a great campaign.” It’s awkward, people stare, but sometimes you just can’t help it.

This past week and what I’m working on now is helping to map the current workflow of the Interactive Group. Website design and microsites and flash and all that good stuff are pretty integral with most of the work Liggett Stashower is doing – so I’m keeping track of project deadlines and goal dates and stuff like that.

I’m also meeting with my mentor and a data programmer tomorrow to work on a new internal project, maintaining a status report for my department, and helping conduct research for new client proposals. And on top of all that, our intern class is this close to solidifying our t-shirt design and theme for our class.

Oh and on Friday, we’re converting the agency into a mini golf course during lunch for a creative stretch break. We have 9-holes where the agency can duke it out for eternal glory, hot dogs, chips, and prizes for multiple categories.

Told ya I was having fun.

Navigating Summer

Wow! It goes without saying that summer is flying by. So far, my internship has been more than I expected. I routinely work with true public relations professionals that are not only engaging me in a variety of projects ranging from internal publicity to creating media lists, but also offering a plethora of advice and guidance. I am most thankful for building an admirable relationship with my mentor. From offering me insightful career and public relations industry advice to allowing me to spearhead projects, my mentor has made my internship exciting and informative thus far. Working under my mentor’s counsel has been the biggest perk of the program to date.
The project I am most proud of, so far, is an internal publicity project that was picked up by an editor of a large trade publication. I drafted a release (essentially a case study) of a marketing campaign executed by LS that was pitched to PR Week. The editor was impressed and has since assigned a reporter to follow-up. For any firm, gaining trade publication recognition is pivotal to gain the interest of prospective clients and to position your firm as an industry leader.

Marc F.

Program Management Intern

Lovin LS Life

I’m going to be honest with you. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life before this week. I applied for this internship for several reasons. Number one, I had just completed my first semester of reporting classes and I found out I despised it. Needless to say the reporting sequence of my journalism major flew out the window. I found myself in a dilemma. I love journalism, but I hated reporting. So, I reasoned that I would try a PR internship and see if I might enjoy it. Then, if I liked it, I could focus the rest of my classes on advertising and PR and have a better idea of what I will do when I graduate.

Number two, my dad wanted me to come home, plain and simple. Though he won’t admit it, he was trying his hardest to subtly guide me toward a really cool internship in Cleveland, Ohio as opposed to a regular internship in Denver, Colorado. I’m pretty glad I came home.

So, obviously, I got this internship, and I was actually really excited. I wasn’t sure what to expect because I had never taken a PR, advertising or marketing class before in my life. I read some books to make me feel better and more prepared. And I loved them. One of them, Lovemarks, by Kevin Roberts, is now one of my all-time favorites books. (Probably a good sign that I might be headed in the right career direction.)

But then, the other day at work, I got super excited. Like I said before, I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do, but I do have more than a few ideas, mostly unrelated, in mind. In the career planning session with Teri that Dan mentioned, I realized what I am really passionate about: media and culture. It was like a huge WABAM! right in the forehead. Knowing this will save me years of wasting my time at a job that I won’t like. Thank you, Teri.

Then, my day got even more exciting. I was told to introduce myself to the people that work over in connection planning because I had expressed interest in media research. So I sidled on over to the other side of the agency, introduced myself and offered to help with projects that the connection planning team works on. They were more than happy to give me work.

I absolutely love this internship because I can write press releases and I can research target audiences for a client’s new advertising campaign. I am not in any way pigeonholed to only doing what my title says I do. The people at Liggett Stashower want me to get the full experience; they want me to find what it is I really love to do.

Liggett Stashower employees are also passionate about their work and that passion is slowly seeping into my own veins. Who would have thought that each week I would get more and more excited to come to work? I must be on to something…

Ashley H.

Program Management Intern

Finding it easy to stay occupied

We are nearly three weeks into our Liggett internship, and it has gone by faster than Usain Bolt during a 100 meter dash.

Yesterday we got a solid hour of nonstop advice about our careers from Teri, Liggett's HR consultant. One of the huge benefits of being a Liggett intern is that we get to utilize all the resources that are available to the regular staff. Basically, she wants to make sure people are happy with their job, and not dreading going to work daily. Luckily, I think she has it pretty easy here at Liggett because I have yet to see anyone dread coming into the office. She also gives guidance to the CEO on company directions for the future. Speaking with her was not only intriguing, but also very encouraging because she has enough optimism to make all those half empty glasses out there completely full. She is definitely a resource I will try to get as much out of as possible while here at Liggett.

Another thing I have quickly come to realize is that advertising is not some goofy little sign that you put up on your lemonade stand on the corner of an intersection, but is very serious stuff. This past week I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting discussing a client that was “top secret.” I could not discuss it with other employees, my friends, or even my parents. At first glance, this might seem somewhat strange, because what does it matter if I mention to my parents what I did at work today, but after sitting through the meeting, I knew it definitely mattered. This client developed a piece of technology that could revolutionize its industry, and the last thing it needs is for someone to leak what it is before it has the chance to hit the shelves. After all, the hardest part of a revolutionary idea is coming up with one, so if another company has the idea fall in their lap, it wouldn’t take a whole lot to make their own version. That’s just one way that advertising is always on the cutting edge of any industry that it participates in.

Perhaps the most exciting part of this “top secret” client project for me is the need to come up with a name for the product. Sure, you might think naming a product is something you can do with ease by throwing darts at a page of a dictionary, but in fact it is incredibly important. The name of the product could be the difference between being a household name, or being a name no one recognizes. I look forward to participating in naming brainstorming sessions in the coming weeks.

This past week, I also had the chance to do some writing for the Liggett quarterly magazine, the POV. The POV’s latest issue is on the obsession with “new”, so I was able to contribute to two articles written about why “new” is all the rage, and why retro styles are as popular now as they were when they were new thirty years ago.

As you can tell, I’ve been kept very busy at Liggett and continue to be excited about what new tasks and challenges will be presented to me in the coming weeks.

Dan F.

Copywriting Intern

“Take an Executive to lunch day”

Today we had our first “take an executive to lunch day”. We asked Brian, the Vice President and Management Supervisor, and he accepted our invitation. He had very insightful information to help prepare us for our futures. He told us about his experiences and gave us advice for our journeys toward becoming professionals. I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch even though I was soaking wet from walking to Dave’s Cosmic Subs in the pouring rain.

Over the last two weeks, I was in charge of collecting the insurance information for the entire agency. That process has been slightly stressful for everyone. I wrote my first email to the entire agency and submitted my first reminder into the Grapevine. I have mastered scheduling meetings and reserving the Round Room for our intern meetings.

I love this internship because I don’t just copy, scan, and file, I get to see and help take part in the real work here. I get to watch the process of doing payroll, transferring money, and billing clients. I’ve only been here eleven days and I’ve already had the opportunity to dabble in a little bit of everything in the financial department. Tomorrow I’m going to the bank with Jackie. I can’t wait.

Angela B.

Finance Intern