Launchpad Lingo

Every workplace, however subtle it might seem, speaks a language of its own – a unique combo of industry lingo and metaphoric gobbledygook that can range from the silly (‘herding cats’) to the imposable (‘a hundred and ten percent’). Working at an advertising agency these last few months, I can tell you, seems to be no less immune. For example, to the production team, ’bleeding off the page’ is far less painful than it sounds and if an account person tells you ‘your brief is showing’ there is no need to look down. 

While it’s ultimately just as important to 'walk the walk' you’ll seem infinitely more professional when you can ‘talk the talk.’ Here are a few I’ve picked up on so far:

Deck - A Keynote (or rarely, PowerPoint. Ad agencies live in a MAC world.) presentation.

B2B - Short for Business to Business. In the world of advertising, B2B is a phrase used to describe a business that markets it’s products and services to other businesses.

B2C - Business to Consumer. You get the idea.

FPO - A term used a lot in production meaning for placement only. Often you see this on low-resolution images or stock photography. It is intended to be swapped out before finalization.

RFP - Means request for proposal. When a client is interested in doing business with an agency they will ask for one of these. In other words, a pitch.

Pitch - A presentation to the client with the intention of selling ideas and creative work.

Thumbnail - A quick sketch done to represent an idea or provide a brief summary. 

Wireframe - A sketch or image designed to communicate the functionality and structure of a web page or interactive element.

Hot - When something needs to be done… like now.

Assets - A collection of art and copy that contains things like logos and brand standard guides, as well as any previous work that might have been done on a particular brand.

Deliverables - A list of things that will be produced for the client, as spelled out in the creative brief.

Creative Brief - A document, usually written by the account manager, that highlights objectives, strategies and tactics of a campaign and gives reference to work that will be produced.

Be on the lookout for more industry lingo weaved into future posts, since much of that learning comes from experience, not just a week of picking the brains of HLK’s cultured creative directors and wise account managers.

Our Team Name Was Almost "Turbopump"

One of our first tasks on the job as Launchpad interns was to develop a team name. After deciding to stick with the celestial theme developed by Nebula in Cycle 1, the brainstorming started. Highlights included: 

  • Googling “space words”
  • Desperately trying to comprehend the meaning of these “space words”    
  • Struggling to pronounce these “space words” correctly
  • Briefly considering the name “Turbopump”
  • ...and finally, settling on our name for the next six weeks:

Quasar [kwey-zahr, -zer, -sahr, -ser]

After watching most of the reboot of Cosmos from the DVR at my parents house and clicking through some Wikipedia pages, I feel like I’m at least a little bit qualified to explain what a quasar is. 

quasar.jpg

They’re unique. Existing somewhere in the realm of celestial bodies between a star and a galaxy, quasars have become their own type of celestial body: they’re quasi-stellar. 

They’re bright. Even though quasars exist millions of light years away from us, here on puny old Earth, they’re still some of the brightest objects in the night sky. 

They’re strong. Nestled into the center of galaxies, quasars typically surround supermassive black holes. But even in the company of objects with incredible gravitational pull, quasars still manage to shine bright. 

They’re young and active. Quasars are usually found around young and active galaxies. Sure, they’re still probably billions of years old, but compared to the rest of the universe, they aren’t a day over 23. 

 

If you haven’t already noticed the obvious comparison I’ve tried to outline, us interns can be described in the same way. We’re unique. We’re bright. We’re strong. And we’re definitely young and active. Just as quasars found their own place in the expansive universe, we’re in the process of finding ours. And HLK is a good place to start. 

 

P.S. - Rumor has it we might have picked Quasar as the team name strictly because it’s kind of a cool word. We’ll neither confirm nor deny that rumor.

All Systems Go

After getting cleared for takeoff, Launchpad’s second cycle is off the ground! Although the first week consisted mostly of meetings and copious amounts of coffee, Team Quasar is off to a strong start. We were able to learn a bit about the dynamics of each department here at HLK, pick the brains of our mentors and view some past work before being assigned our first client brief. We learned about everything from time management to industry lingo, as well as a bit about our mentors themselves.

The great thing about the Launchpad Internship is that our mentors are different each session, demonstrating the depth of knowledge and skills that each employee exhibits here at HLK.

Since last cycle has already acquainted you with the dogs of the office, we thought it was time we introduced you to their owners. You know, a few of the people that actually make things happen around here.

Without further ado, we present you with this session’s Mission Control.

Cecilia, Account Management Mentor for Stephanie

• With 14+ years of marketing & advertising experience, Cecilia is proof that positions are earned through dedication to client relationships and long hours, not just something your entitled to upon graduation.

• As a liaison between client and agency, it is important to be able to defend the agency’s work. Have a rationale. Have answers for the client.

• A "retainer" is a word that refers to a client that pays on a regular basis rather than a project basis.

Ross, Art Direction Mentor for Justin

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• When told that ‘your brief is showing’ it means that your creative execution is literally a repetition of your strategy: this is a big no-no.

• As an Associate Creative Director, he claims that the most rewarding aspect of his job is being pleasantly surprised by creative ideas from his team even more than seeing his own work come alive.

• Ross is actually his middle name. He walks exceptionally fast. He's a Webster University alumnus and also has experience with the Webster University account.

Jamie, Content Development Mentor for Lauren

• If you ask her a question, don't expect an answer because she will probably answer by asking you a question.

• She believes the content team could benefit from organization similar to the workings of a newsroom.

• She’s done almost everything. Before taking a content role, she worked in account management. She also has experience with strategy, media planning and buying, research, analytics… the list goes on.

Patrick, Strategy Mentor for Jenny

• Patrick seems to know when he has shifted too far off-topic and will stop mid-sentence and say “..but that's a story for another time..”

• The most important consideration for a strategist? Stay objective.

• Claims the 80/20 rule inspired by Pareto's Principle is a great time management philosophy, but that's a story for another time.

Andrea, Research & Analytics Mentor for Emily

• Targeting philosophy is to find the BEST people at the CHEAPEST cost.

• The transparency that an analytics dashboard provides is often scary to the client.

• She stresses the importance of the ability to work with a wide variety of personalities, not taking anything too personally and listening well, all of which are vital for success in this business.

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Jill, Media Buying & Placement Mentor for all

• She's very sad that HLK does not currently have a media intern, but she gets all of us instead!

• Media people really do get to meet cool people sometimes (Jimmy Fallon, for example.)

• Claims the job has truly strengthened her negotiating skills in her personal life.

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Maeve, Copywriting Mentor for Nick

Sadly, we did not get to have a one-on-one meet with Maeve, but here are some things we’ve gathered:

• Maeve is a master of voice, both the literary and literal kinds. When she read the HLK philosophy aloud during orientation, all of the interns were moved.

• She’s a part of the HLK volleyball team that plays on Monday nights at Trueman’s.

• Her dog, Murphy, is the only one that has had the courage to approach the Launchpad Intern Room, which is perhaps the official approval we needed.

If there’s one thing that we have learned from our orientation at HLK, it’s that everyone here is incredibly welcoming and more than willing to give each of the interns the best learning experience possible.

Besides a job, what more could one ask for?

Over & Out

Today is the last day of our internship and our final day as Team Nebula, so we collaborated and wrote this signing-off post together. The past six weeks have flown by (every one of us suggested for the internship to be longer in our exit interviews). Where do we even begin to sum up our experience here?

Our time at HLK has taught us some incredible lessons and it would be impossible to list all of them here.  We got to work on real client projects, discovered new tools and strategies we never knew existed, sat in on client meetings, delivered pitches, and experienced the behind-the-scenes of production. We not only learned a lot and got a chance to flex our creative muscles, but we also made some new friends and gained mentors that we'll keep in touch with for the rest of our careers. As a team, the Launchpad crew has bonded and grown more than any of us ever expected. When accepting an internship position to work with a team of five other interns, you never know who you might be expected to work closely with. We all lucked out because we instantly meshed and hit it off. The best part is, we have learned so much from one another in addition to everyone here at HLK.  

We got an opportunity to work for one of the top companies in St. Louis. The culture, compassion and pride that the HLK employees have instilled in us in our time here is something that will resonate with us for the rest of our lives and we're all so thankful to have spent six short weeks here.

Team Launchpad, over and out.

We also found the official Launchpad & HLK stamps...

No Surprise

This morning the interns got up extra early to help deliver newspapers to everyone in the office. HLK was voted one of the St. Louis Post Dispatch's top places to work in St. Louis and while it's bitter sweet coming on our last day as Launchpad interns, it’s a perfect reminder of how great things can be when your working in a place you love.

Job-hunting can be a long and stressful process but we can take heart in knowing that great work places do exist.  Where you work and the people you work with truly make all the difference. While there are a lot of things I will be taking away from my experience at HLK, I know that is among the top. It's been great working for someplace so great.

U - S - A!

It's always nice to enjoy the company of your coworkers outside of the office once in a while. Today for our lunch break, we joined a group at iTap to watch the USA play Germany in the World Cup. It was fun to see HLKers decked out in red, white, and blue and cheering. In the end, the US team couldn't pull off the win and Germany took the game 1-0. It was an unexpectedly close game, but at least the US did advance to round 16 thanks to Ghana's loss to Portugal and all of us could go back to work relieved and refreshed.

The 7 B's

Early on we realized that rules and regulations don’t fly around here. We are used to stuffy offices that have strict dress codes and firm lists of what you can and cannot do, but that's not how it is at HLK. You can crack a beer open at noon if you want, crawl around on the rooftop when Janice isn't looking and ride a trike around the agency, even if - especially if - a client is here. We have a lot of freedom at HLK (which we are thankful for), but as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, with great freedom comes great responsibility. A sense of obligation balances out the freedom. That’s why Mission Control presented us with the 7 glorious "B’s" to serve as guidelines as we continue our journey at HLK and, most importantly, in life. Here are the 7 B’s that Lauchpad lives by:

1. Be Informed

It’s as simple as being aware of what is going on around you. Never stop asking questions and always fuel your zest for learning. Don’t forget to keep up with relevant trends and stay up-to-date with events that are happening in your neck of the woods.


2. Be Passionate

Always put your heart into what you are doing and take pride in what you have created. If you don’t feel strongly about or even like what you are doing, it will show. Find a way to develop a connection to your project and you won’t have a hard time letting others know about all the fantastic work you are doing.


3. Be Decisive

This one may be hard because you will always be faced with an excess of possibilities, but take control of the situation, make a choice and then roll with it. Once you make a choice, you will find a million reasons to back up your decision and not even think twice about the other one.

4. Be Optimistic

No one likes a Negative Nancy, so do everything with a smile! A smile is contagious in a work place, so if you smile and stay positive you are likely to spread those good vibes to someone else.

5. Be Thoughtful

When you work with other people, it is important to be considerate of their feelings and opinions. You don’t want to burn any bridges, so go out of your way to be nice and appreciate what they bring to the team. A simple pat on the back or a thank you goes a long way.

6. Be Independent

Sometimes it's easy being sucked into the group-think and mob mentality, but be an individual! Know what you are capable of and what you bring to a team. Your suggestions and abilities could be the difference between a so-so idea and an award winning campaign!

7. Be Brave

Probably the most important B, don’t be afraid of new challenges and opportunities! No top dog or superstar got to where they are today by playing it safe, so take risks and embrace change. That’s the best advice we can give you coming into this internship.

As all of our intern shenanigans are coming to a close at HLK, we will always have the 7 B’s to guide us as we move on to our next big adventures in life.

Tips & Tricks for the Logistics of Living

Being the only intern this summer who is not originally from St. Louis, as I have mentioned before, I had a unique problem after I accepted my internship with HLK: where to live?

The internship is only six weeks long and this poses some difficulties for finding affordable, furnished short-term rentals if you’re from out-of-town. If you’re lucky, maybe you have relatives or friends who would be happy to have you stay with them. If you’re like me, those aren’t options for you. So what you need to be is persistent, and I’m here to help you. 

In my search, I noticed a few things that helped me locate a place to live and I’m also going to share with you the things that I wish I’d known!

1.   Tap into groups that you may be able to network with.

I was able to find my temporary housing through my sorority by contacting the SLU chapter. I’m now living with two of my sisters from another school, so we had a connection right off the bat based on our college experiences in different places.

2.   Many student housing complexes on SLU or Wash U’s campuses can help.

They may keep a list of residents that are looking for summer subleasers and can help you get in contact with some of them. The Lindell Strip, on SLU’s campus, will also offer 6-month leases for a little extra rent.

3.   Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. 

It’s not personal! When I set up my situation, I negotiated on price. It wasn’t awkward; my “landlord” knew my situation and that I was trying to keep my costs down. At the same time, I tried to be understanding of her situation as well and we eventually settled on a price that made us both happy.

Always remember to be careful on sites like Craigslist. There are some creeps out there, but most people do have good intentions. It may seem like a daunting task to find a place to live for such a short term on a small budget, but let me assure you that HLK is absolutely, one hundred percent worth it. Good luck, be safe, and happy hunting! 

Mission Control

I love to learn. I’m always seeking to absorb new information whether it is a newspaper article about recent stock market trends or chatting with my 13-year-old cousin about the pros and cons of Justin Beiber and One Direction. Turns out I’m a Belieber.

My zest for learning is why interning at HLK with their Launchpad program is a perfect fit for me.  The Launchpad program provides experiential learning within a market leading advertising agency. Each day I learn something new about advertising and then I am asked to apply that knowledge to our Launchpad projects.

My favorite aspect of Launchpad is our Mission Control. The Launchpad program places each intern with a mentor in his or her department, or as we call them, our Mission Control. The mentor-mentee piece of Launchpad creates a teacher-student dynamic that is more of a conversation and less of a lecture.  Our mentors offer guidance on our projects, bring us in to help on their projects and are always free to chat and dole out advice. 

As a strategy intern, my mentor is a seasoned strategist who may be one of the smartest people I have ever met, and I’m not just saying that to gain brownie points (but I’ll take them). She brings over 8 years of advertising and strategy experience, and is such a wealth of knowledge that I walk away from each of our 30 minute conversations feeling like I read a 300 page text book.

The role of strategy requires you to find all the pieces of the puzzle, put the puzzle together, and, then, question the puzzle to find what is missing. It is a role that can lead to dead ends, forks in the road, or get you completely lost in the middle of nowhere. While stitching together the strategy for On the Run (our first Launchpad project), I got a little lost trying to go in several directions at once. My first draft of the strategy was a jumbled mess trying to do too much. Luckily, my ‘Mission Control’ was there to ground me. She helped me narrow down a strategy that pinpointed the problem and exacted a solution. In that moment, my mentor taught me an important lesson of how to look at the entire puzzle without ignoring the individual pieces. For a guy like me, who tries to cram in as much information as possible, learning to hone in on the singular was a much needed lesson.

While the Launchpad program pairs each intern with a mentor, I can confidently say that everyone at HLK is a mentor. Everyone at HLK is willing to lend a helping hand and turn our questions into a learning experience.  In just 4 weeks, I have learned more about advertising and strategy than I did in 4 years of college. The Launchpad internship has definitely given me the tools to launch my career in marketing and advertising. 

Gratitude

Today the interns helped pick up and distribute Gus' Pretzels to surprise the staff with a tasty treat after an especially demanding work week. For some in the office, hours have been long and stress levels have been high, but hopefully a free pretzel lifted their spirits. 

The interns love to ride the office trike around whenever we can find an excuse to and today was, of course, a perfect opportunity to load up the trike basket with fresh-baked pretzels, cold soda and beer and parade around the office like a street vendor. Yes, our office has a trike and gives out free pretzels (and it's not even Friday!). I'm always noticing that the work environment here is too good to be true, but not just because of the fun atmosphere. Everyone here is just so... nice. 

It is impressive to see that the higher-ups at HLK really know the importance of showing their appreciation and gratitude for their hard-working employees. From day one, I have seen that people here understand and preach the value of mutual respect. Our first few days here were spent learning about each department of the agency and the work and responsibilities those team members tackle every day. It was a way of instilling appreciation for each department and recognizing that the agency couldn't function the same way without their role.

At HLK, there are frequently simple gestures and planned events that keep morale up, stress low and creativity blooming. Whether it is a staff luncheon, a surprise party for a coworker's 25th work anniversary, or even just an unexpected pretzel, there always seems to be something going on that makes people smile and lets them know they're appreciated.

Advertising is a demanding industry where clients expect the best work under tight deadlines, working overtime is anything but uncommon, and there is a constant pressure to break through the barriers to the next big idea. The culture at HLK eases the challenge. The gratitude that is constantly expressed in this office and the welcoming, pleasant culture are just a couple of reasons why HLK is a wonderful place to work.

5 Bars to Get the Creative Juices Flowing

I decided to suggest a few of the best places in town to spend your Happy Hour while also feeding your creative inspiration. I bring you, five Launchpad approved bars in the downtown St. Louis area:

1. Taha’a Twisted Tiki

Photo by St. Louis Magazine.

4199 Manchester Ave | St. Louis, MO | 63110

The vibe: Say aloha to Taha's Twisted Tiki! This tropical oasis is a rum bar located in The Grove with a $4 shot menu to make you forget all about your worries at work. Looking for a more laid back? No worries! Taha's also has a variety of rum cocktails served in shark heads, Easter Island statues, and pineapple halves.

The Crowd: A mix of trendy Grove regulars as well as businessmen and women looking to kick loose and relax over some delicious run cocktails.

 

2. Planter’s House

Photo from the Riverfront Times

1000 Mississippi Ave | St. Louis, MO | 63103

The vibe: As the premium bar of Lafayette Square, the mixologists at Planter's House have turned bartending into an art form. This bar is equipped with fuzzy wallpaper and multiple cocktail menus featuring custom creations and creative takes on classics. Indulge in new and old favorites while soaking in the upscale atmosphere.

The Crowd: Anyone from hipsters to seasoned bar veterans. Everyone in the Lafayette neighborhood usually frequents this popular St. Louis favorite.

 

3. Three Sixty Rooftop Bar

Photo from www.360-stl.com.

Photo from www.360-stl.com.

1 South Broadway | St. Louis, MO | 63102

The vibe: Sporting views of downtown, Three Sixty is a contemporary bar located in the heart of St. Louis. The rooftop bar is a unique venue with one bar inside accompanied by a DJ; and a second bar outside with fire pits, plasma screen TVs, and plenty of seating overlooking the city. Be sure to bring plenty of money if you come here because although their drinks are delicious, they are pricey.

The crowd: Get ready to see a huge following of Cardinals fans if you go on game day, but it's a great place to come out and get a drink with a view.

 

4. The Fountain on Locust

Photo from www.jonwilliamson.com.

3037 Locust St | St. Louis, MO | 63103

The vibe: Embrace your inner kid with alcoholic milkshakes at the Fountain on Locust! Decorated with 1920's art decor and armed with a friendly staff, the Fountain is one of midtown's best kept secrets. The social servers will be happy to recommend customer favorites and even some off-menu items. The welcoming service, specialty drinks, and classic American eats will keep you coming back to The Fountain for years to come.

The crowd: St. Louis University undergrads and graduates can be spotted at the sweet bar, along with the occasional cute couple splitting a milkshake.


5. The Broadway Oyster Bar

Photo from reallifestl.com.

Photo from reallifestl.com.

736 S Broadway | St Louis, MO | 63102

The vibe: A hometown favorite with an eclectic Cajun atmosphere, Broadway Oyster Bar is your destination for Mai Tais, Hurricanes, and their famous Horny Gators! This lively bar has a mouth-watering seafood menu and an outdoor patio where they play nightly live music. The Launchpad crew tried it out last week, and it made for a delicious lunch! The aromas of oysters, Mardi Gras décor, and happy bar-goers make the Oyster Bar a little slice of Bourbon Street in St. Louis!

The crowd: Anyone with a free spirit or a love for live music and great Cajun food!

Pitch Perfect

Once I joined the HLK team as an intern, I quickly learned the importance of teamwork, passion, and being punctual. When I first walked into the office, I was greeted by one of the happiest ladies I have ever met, HR Director Meredith Osborn. She showed me around the office, introduced me to my team, and briefed me on our first project. I had a team of people who were more than happy to give me a push into my role as the researcher. At first, I was extremely overwhelmed, considering I joined the team three days late. Nonetheless, I finally got to join team Nebula!

After three weeks of hard work and getting used to the company, it was time to present our first pitch. The afternoon before we presented, we all stayed extra hours in the office fixing every little detail in our project. Whenever we felt confident that our presentation was perfect, we found five more things to improve. Finally, around 7pm we all decided that it was "pitch perfect" and that we were ready for the morning. As I laid down that night, I couldn’t control my mind from racing. I was so nervous that it wasn’t going to be perfect or that something would go wrong. Despite all the nerves, I was so excited to be able to show our hard work to the On The Run team.

This was something that all my years in college and experience presenting led up to. This was our moment to show our mentors/client team what we could do as a team. We had an opportunity that most companies don’t give to their employees until they have been working for them for at least five years or more. 

The day of the pitch, I could tell that everyone was anxious and adrenaline was pumping. Miranda put on some music to calm our nerves and set the tone for our audience as they began filing in. Nelly's "Hot in Herre" (yes, "Herre") gave us the confidence we needed to let loose and have a little fun when presenting. We gave a fluid, strong presentation and took pride in everything we did. It was exciting to finally see all of our ideas come together in a real pitch. Afterwards, I was so proud of our team and the way we collaborated in three short weeks to produce a winning campaign. It was an amazing feeling to know we accomplished all of our goals all while being supported and encouraged by everyone at HLK.

From Chi-Town to The Lou

I’m the odd one out in this intern bunch, being the only one not from St. Louis. This past weekend, I set out to check out what this city really has to offer, and let me tell you: it’s a lot!

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First stop: The Galleria

An amazing shopping experience with pretty much every store I could hope for. Having lived in Columbia, MO for the last four years, I forgot how much I missed Forever 21. Retail therapy is a real thing, I swear to you.

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Second stop: Downtown Clayton

I had no idea that St. Louis essentially has two downtown areas. Clayton rocks! Lots of bars and food options make for an interesting night out. Many bars are in walking distance of each other, which makes for easy perusing around town through the night. Wheelhouse and John P. Field’s were two of my stops and definitely worthy of a recommendation.

Third stop: Ballpark Village

The current crown jewel of St. Louis is just as awesome as you think it will be. This past Saturday night, the band Reel Big Fish was playing the main stage in the center of the venue, and having never heard them before, I was thoroughly impressed. Although the drinks were on the expensive side, I was prepared for such and still had a great time.

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Fourth stop: The Arch

A St. Louis classic! The panoramic views from the top are absolutely unparalleled. On weekends especially the wait to go up is going to be a little long, but you can take in a lot of the history of the Lou while you’re in line. It’s definitely a tourist attraction, but everyone goes up at least once.

Fifth stop: Broadway Oyster Bar

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that Broadway Oyster Bar is one of their favorite places to eat in St. Louis. Our intern crew had a celebratory lunch after finishing our first presentation complete with a round of fun drinks. Being allergic to shellfish, I ended up ordering the muffuletta sandwich—absolutely delicious. It was huge and I ended up taking half of it home. The other interns ordered classic dishes off the seafood menu and said only good things. A stop at the oyster bar is a must when you’re in St. Louis. Make sure to bring cash, though—no separate checks here!

Sixth stop: Ad Club STL Event

Miranda already mentioned this in her blog post "Revolution and Reverence," but it's worth mentioning again. Our visit to Urban Chestnut Brewing Company provided me with a chance to take a look at some award winning work and inspired me to take a closer look at what the ad club in STL can offer me. St. Louis has not necessarily been the city I immediately think of when it comes to great advertising, but I am starting to realize how very wrong I have been. There is so much amazing talent in this city once you start looking for it.

I’d consider my first few weeks as a St. Louisan a success. This city has so much more entertainment, food and attractions that I can’t wait to check out. Stay tuned!

Revolution and Reverence

  Beyond the ADDYs 2014 logo

We finally got to have our first beer on the job at Urban Chestnut in the Grove. A cross between a traditional German biergarten and a modern craft brewery, Urban Chestnut has created a “new world meets old world” approach to brewing. Equipped with a European-inspired, walk-up bar and an industrial factory vibe, the brewing company has become a patronage to revolution and reverence. The newly opened Urban Chestnut was the perfect setting for ad agencies in St. Louis to celebrate their award-winning campaigns at “Beyond the ADDYs,” a sold-out event put on by the St. Louis Ad Club. We were excited to get free access to the event and a free lunch, too!

Fresh off the Ameren new business win, HLK’s very own Joe Leahy gave the introductory address followed by presentations from Boxing Clever, Cannonball and Rodgers Townsend. It was an exciting opportunity as interns to hear first-hand how ad agencies formulate and execute a successful campaign, especially as we are in the midst of our own. We received rare insight from the creatives behind the campaigns which made us think and laugh, and inspiration that left us awestruck. As each agency gave commentary on their campaign and walked us through the creative process, we started to learn just how important revolution and reverence could be in this industry.

Coming in wide-eyed and fresh faced to the world of advertising; we are starting to learn that you need both revolution and reverence to be a successful agency. Of course, advertising is about revolution. No one gets to the top by staying the same. Changing our tools and thinking are necessary to any agency’s survival. Without it, we would be in the advertising graveyard of lost potential and hopeless causes. But you also have to never forget where you came from and always be inspired. That’s where reverence comes into play. Sometimes that just means coming together over a beer to celebrate ideas that are bigger than yourself, your agency, and maybe even the industry itself.

Welcome to Launchpad

We’ve been a team for just one week, but the Launchpad interns are meshing and collaborating nicely. There are six of us: Account Management Intern Miranda Lopez, Art Direction Intern Justin Tolliver, Content Development Intern Liza Poskin (that's me), Copywriting Intern Molly Gingrich, Research and Analytics Intern Lindsey Wolfgang, and Strategy Intern Philip Azar. We have branded ourselves as team Nebula, named after the interstellar clouds where stars are born. We like to think we’re clever. Our mission is not only to help launch Launchpad and make a name for the program, but also to take on real client projects. Along the way, we are guided by “Mission Control,” or mentors from each department at HLK specifically assigned to guide and teach each intern.

In our first week, we went through a couple days of orientation and introduction to HLK before getting down to business. We got to meet the partners and learn a little history of The Hughes Group before it became HLK. We've met so many people already from all of the different departments and got the chance to sit down with each team individually to get insight into their jobs and a better feel for each department's role in the overall process. We've learned that in order to work together as a high-functioning team, it is important to understand what goes into each department's work. Learning about each position creates a level of mutual respect that helps foster group success. On our third day in the office, we got another chance to network at a fun and delicious lunchtime potluck. 

We are currently most excited/overwhelmed with the fact that we were given our first assignment for the local convenience store, On the Run. Our task is daunting, but full of possibilities. Team Nebula is up for the challenge and ready to work!

Keep reading to hear from each of the six Launchpad interns over the next few weeks.

The Launchpad team pretending to be rockets after our first day in the office (not pictured: Lindsey Wolfgang).