HLK: Secretly a Five-Star Resort?

Sometimes you just need a getaway. You’re craving a vacation from the stack of stress piling up on your desk. Your morning routine consists of finding a new beach picture for your desktop background and checking Carnival Cruise prices religiously. If the Piña Colada in your coffee cup isn’t enough of an indication, you’re in need of some serious R&R. But there’s one problem: it’s only mid-June and you’ve already wasted a year’s-worth of PTO building Ikea furniture and binge-watching LOST for the 11th time.

Keep your head up, Sailor. I’m here to help. You can enjoy all of the perks of an exotic getaway, right here within the walls of the HLK office building. So, grab your sunglasses, but maybe leave your Speedo at home, because we’re going to give you the “Ultimate HLK Staycation.”

Welcome, welcome! We’re so excited to have you here at the marvelous HLK resort. Let’s take the elevator up to the Mezzanine to begin the tour.

First Stop: The Mezzanine

Look at that Skyline! Start your day with a rooftop “Sun Salutation” on the Mezzanine. Watch the sunrise over the Mississippi to the tune of I-44 rush hour traffic. Breathe in the blend of aromas wafting from the Purina and Tums buildings. If your favorite episode of Friends was, “The One with the Soap Opera Party” you’re in luck; if you squint your eyes (really really tight), it almost feels like the Mezzanine is the swank rooftop party of your sitcom fantasies.

Next Stop: The Third Floor “Lounge”

Here we are. Long luxurious couches, a fireplace, and a spectacular view of the parking lot: this is the posh nightclub you always wished you could get into. Think “Night at the Roxbury” except all of the club-goers are just Appistry programmers eating chicken salad and the bar only has Pepsi and OJ. This also a perfect place to get work done (or a nap with some heavy-duty earplugs and an eye mask).

Third stop: State-of-the-Art Basketball Court

Basketball season is over and you don’t know what to do with yourself. You’ve been replaying Kyrie’s Game 7 last-minute 3-point jumper in your head for weeks. You’ve been practicing your shot throwing away Taco Bell wrappers into the trash can, but your colleagues aren’t very happy with the amount of Diablo sauce on the floor. Your form is trash. But we can fix that. Look no further than the Third-Floor Basketball Court. Get some “real-life” basketball experience on this hardwood court. Set screens with actual desktop screens, shoot free’s from a masking tape line, practice your 360 spin move around a color copier…this kind of equipment could make Steph Curry jealous.

Fourth-Stop: 5 Star Restaurant

Speaking of the Chef, our fourth stop is the gourmet kitchen on the second floor. Filled with cozy booths, mood lighting, and TWO fully stocked fridges (unless it’s Friday night and Janice emptied them out…); this kitchen is everything your growling tummy could ask for. Treat yourself to your coworker’s pasta salad and a coffee, munch on some leftover Rally’s (that would be mine), or microwave some week-old tilapia if you’re not looking to make any friends in your office pod. If you’re in a hurry, shove your hands in the “jar of fun” and if you’re lucky you’ll get a fruit roll-up. Be sure to make a reservation because tables fill up quickly.

Fifth Stop: Sauna & Gym

The final stop of our tour is deep within the subterranean levels of the resort. Ignore the signs that say “Media Room,” I don’t know what that’s all about. This is our sauna. But sometimes it’s our freezer. This room has a mind of its own. Don’t even try changing the temperature, this room will either have you sweating or shivering and there’s no in-between. You’ll also experience some much-needed “off-the-grid” quiet time because you’ll never get any Wi-Fi or cell service. If the basketball court and sauna didn’t have you sweating, we have a gym next door where you can tone your muscles, but seeing as the only physical labor in your job description is carrying your laptop to meetings and running away from your problems…you should be fine without the exercise.

Well, that about does it for our tour! Turn your dreams into reality and enjoy a wonderful vacation at the marvelous HLK resort!

Up, Up, and Away

You met Ad Infinitum six weeks ago, but now those six weeks have past and we must unfortunately part ways. Those six weeks were jam packed with people to meet and things to learn. We quickly became integrated into the HLK culture which is not only made up of talented individuals, but also occasionally their friendly dogs. Despite our first day anxiety in which every one of us wore our best “business professional” attire, we learned you don’t in fact have to dress up for work every day. Shorts and flip flops will suffice. And most importantly, we learned that celebrating after a presentation with chocolate martinis at 11:30am is also very ok. In fact, it’s applauded.

Of course we learned much more than how to dress for the job and that chocolate martinis are quite amazing. We were given a taste of the type of work HLK achieves on a daily basis. Since the eight of us represented the different departments of the agency, in many ways we were functioning as a microcosm of the company. At the beginning we were admittedly a somewhat dysfunctional tiny eight person company, struggling to fully understand our position within the internship, much less the company as a whole. But we very quickly became another HLKer and eventually made sense of our responsibilities, creating two campaigns of which we were all extremely proud.

They say time flies when you’re having fun. But I say, time flies when you’re having fun AND you only have six weeks to figure out how an advertising agency works, what your role entails, how your job functions within an advertising campaign, and how to execute a project. When you have only six weeks, your motivation is that much greater and the reward that much sweeter. As our group name suggests, we know no limit when it comes to pushing ourselves and doing the best that we can. With the help of our mentors and the supportive and welcoming HLK community we all walked away from the experience with a broader perspective. We learned that success is not only an individual feat but a collaborative effort that requires HLKs three guiding principles: Be Brave. Be Thoughtful. Be Curious.

Keeping in mind the infinite nature of our group name Ad Infinitum, I can think of no better use of a Mean Girls reference to represent our journey and the lessons that we learned:  “The limit does not exist.”

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To Infinity and Beyond

Months after finding out we were accepted into the HLK Launchpad program, July 6th couldn’t come soon enough. Together, the eight of us were chosen out of hundreds of applicants.  We couldn’t believe that we were given this opportunity.

We came from all over the U.S., each bringing our own knowledge, experiences and backgrounds. At first, we were nervous. We didn’t know each other, but somehow became comfortable within one day of meeting. Some groups just click. Luckily, we’re one of them.

Our first assignment was to name our team. We brainstormed, and brainstormed, and one thing stood out: we loved the space theme. So, after lots of options ranging from Sirius to Comet, we finally landed on “Ad Infinitum.”

Not only was the name appropriately space themed, but it also spoke to us as individuals. Its literal definition is “continue forever, without limit.” As college students or recent grads, we’re just launching our professional careers. But, as our group name suggests, our adventure has only just begun.

We’ll continue forever, without limit; that’s the idea. So with this concept in mind, the eight of us came together and formed a team with a focus on our future. While we work toward our goals and focus on our dreams, we’ll always remember to do it without limits by going above and beyond. 

Our logo reflects this concept. During our creative process, we loved the idea of combining a spaceship with a circular shape, representing a journey that never comes to an end.

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Months from now, we’ll find out just how limitless we are.

We hope you enjoy reading about these next six weeks as much as we enjoy informing you about our highs, lows, and everything in-between. It’ll be a wild ride, but that’s why you’ll enjoy reading about it. So stay tuned, because you never know what’ll happen next.

An In Depth Look at Your 2015 Scallywags

Here are your 2015 Cycle 1 Launchpad Interns, otherwise known as the Scallywags. Why Scallywag you ask? Because we are a band of misfit creative thinkers, that’s why.

Click on our pictures to learn more about us!

Hey! My name is Becca and I’m a 20-something recent college grad trying to join the big people workforce. I love anything gold, all types of coffee, and one white wine.

Hi, my name is Laura and I’m constantly resisting adulthood. When I’m a grown-up, I want to be a writer/strategist/publisher/professor/researcher/therapist/lawyer. You can tell I have it all figured out.

Hi, my name is Sean. I'm 23 years old, a St. Louis native, and currently finishing my Bachelor's degree in Advertising with an emphasis in writing. Nature, art, good friends, and an Android device are all I really need to get by. 

Hi, my name is Michelle! I love animals, Christmas, and Modern Family. I tend to online shop more than I should and have a soft spot for anything in the pasta family.

Greetings, my name is Timothy Hykes and I am a native of St. Louis, Missouri. I love typography. You may call me a lettering nerd because I do enjoy the art of drawing and letters.

Hey! My name is Ben and I love sports, I love the outdoors, and I love going to new places. I was raised in STL so I naturally have an affinity for my hometown. I like advertising because I love coming up with new ideas and hearing other people’s.