Cheers to Launchpad

Two months ago, most of what I knew about an internship came from episodes of The Office and visions of Anne Hathaway sitting at a desk as Meryl Streep walked by throwing things at her in 'The Devil Wears Prada'. While I have always known that these ideas weren't accurate, it couldn't be more untrue about the way things are for an intern at HLK. in light of this, I've formulated a few of the assumptions I had made about my prospective experience six weeks ago and paired them alongside truths about my time at HLK. If this doesn't give you a good idea, then who knows what you'd do with a creative brief.

What I envisioned....................What I experienced

coffee runs for boss....................................mentor offering me to use Keurig in her office at any time

writing content that will never be read...........getting constant feedback on the blog from mentors

huge, intimidating meetings........................small, interesting meetings with all questions welcomed

designated desk with no optional work areas.......freedom to work on a bean bag or ride the trike

miss my pup all day...............................distract myself with the dogs of the office wandering around

constant monitoring of my work process...............meeting with department leaders to share ideas

eating alone at my desk......eating with other interns on the mezzanine with a skyline view of STL

going to the gym on Monday night..........playing sand volleyball with coworkers on Monday night

being told "that idea sucks"................being told "i like that idea, maybe you could push it further..."

refilling my water bottle midday...........................meeting in the kitchen for a sangria tasting midday

intimidated by the task at hand...............................working with mentors that guided me throughout

View fullsize

Team Quasar cheersing to Launchpad

While a bad internship might make for a good sitcom or dramatic movie, a place where I've made connections and friends while being challenged and creating awesome ideas that I'm passionate about with the occasional opportunity for sitting outside with a beer during lunch break sounds like a much better life experience.

So, cheers to Launchpad.

Eliminating the Enigma of Agency Roles One Meme at a Time: Strategy

STL Insider's Guide for Every Mood

Forbes says St. Louis is one of the best cities for job-seeking college graduates, and we couldn’t agree more. However, we agree for more reasons than just the affordable cost of living and high workplace happiness.

Outsiders are well aware that St. Louis is great because of its rich traditions, such as Cardinals Baseball, Mardi Gras celebrations and great thin crust pizza. Molly, from Cycle 1, touched on some of those classic places that make St. Louis, well, St. Louis-y. While those staples are important, they only skim the surface of what the city has to offer. There are many hidden gems within the city and the surrounding areas that make it special. There is something for every mood and personality. So, here’s the insider's perspective of suggestions, depending on your mood.

Ted Drewe's Frozen Custard, Chippewa Street

Sweet Tooth who doesn’t like a little sugar rush after work?

Bailey’s Chocolate Bar

Ted Drewe’s Frozen Custard

Tropical Moose Snow Cones

Gamlin Whiskey House, Central West End

Night Out On The Town because sometimes happy hour lasts until close.

Gamlin Whiskey House

Sub Zero Vodka Bar

The Dubliner

City Museum on 16th off Washington Avenue

Feel Like a Kid Again let’s face it, kids have it pretty good.

Venice Cafe

City Museum

Fitz's

Soulard Farmer's Market in Soulard

Switch Things Up great places to try when you’re craving a little culture.

Anthonino's Taverna

Seamus McDaniel’s

Soulard Farmer’s Market

Grafton, Illinois winery

Day to Explore  because sometimes you get stir-crazy after being in the office for hours.

Katy Trail

Grafton wine countries

Forest Park

St. Louis has more to offer than what first meets the eye. Of course, it’s a place where you can enjoy the city classics without breaking the bank, but it’s also more dynamic than most know. After you visit a few of the places we’ve mentioned, it's easy to understand. It’s urban. It’s scenic. It’s diverse. St. Louis isn’t a place where you have to choose what you want, because you get a little bit of everything and then some.

Like Working at TGI Fridays Without All the TGI Fridays

Even though our space might be a little crammed in the Launchpad office, the Art of Living building in which HLK lives offers many other places to be productive.

Let's take a little tour.

Author before moving around to write this post 

---

Kitchen Booth

Author in kitchen booth without mozzarella sticks 

Conveniently located next to the kitchen, the appropriately-named kitchen booths offer a little nook, perfect for working in an environment that feels like a TGI Friday’s without all of the TGI Friday’s-ness of a TGI Friday’s. Although some mozzarella sticks would be nice, they would probably just make my keyboard greasy.

---

Kitchen Couch

Author looking literally shady on the kitchen couch due to sun 

Situated near a massive window overlooking the overflow parking lot, the kitchen couch area is where I go when I want to spread out. The couch is comfortable enough to sit on for long periods of time, but not comfortable enough for naps. (Not that I’ve tried to nap on that couch before. I would never do that.)

---

Mezzanine

Author attempting to (and failing at) taking a picture outside

On the top floor of the Art of Living building exists a small strip of office space occupied by a couch that might be too comfortable, a long table and a pretty incredible view of the STL skyline. For those who watch a lot of Mad Men and think that great ideas come from staring out of windows, that’s kind of true up on the mezzanine. Except there is a significant lack of drinking, smoking and suits.

---

Basement

Author getting scared in the basement 

There’s a ping-pong table, a veritable labyrinth of old office supplies and the snack vending machine. Who am I kidding? This is not a suitable place to get work done. But I will grab a Diet Coke.

---

Underneath My Desk 

Crouching underneath where I usually work seemed like a good way to shake things up without having to actually move that much. But then my back hurt and sitting curled up in a ball just wasn’t really worth it anymore.

Author hitting his head on the bottom of the desk

---

In the Bathroom 

Author making a bad decision to work in the bathroom 

I thought this would be a good idea for some reason. It wasn’t. I don’t really want to explain.

---

If you’re one of those people who is afraid to join the real world because you’re afraid that it’s going to require planting yourself at a cubicle from 9-5 everyday, working at HLK couldn’t be further from the truth. No one really cares where you work (except for the bathroom because that was weird) as long as you get your work done and get it done well.

The Importance of Having a Homemade Sangria Contest in the Office on a Tuesday Afternoon

View fullsize

Very important. 

The Importance of Getting a Taco Bar Catered to the Office

Very important. 

Eliminating the Enigma of Agency Roles One Meme at a Time: Account Manager

The Drawing Board

Someone once asked me what my favorite part of the creative process was and to that I answered ‘nothing.’

I don’t despise what I do, quite the contrary. Turning an idea into reality (or a close facsimile) is one of the most exciting things I can think of, especially when I look back at what I started with… nothing. A blank canvas, a clean slate, call it what you will. Every project starts there, and for me there's no other place I'd rather be.

Think about it, from here you can literally go anywhere. Perhaps you might decide to ‘this’ in place of ‘that’ or ‘zig’ where others might ‘zag’. The paths are many and the possibilities endless! That’s why I love brainstorming so much. There are no wrong answers, just ones that seem, for some reason or another, more true. In a way, it’s a lot like fishing, you wait (for what sometimes seems like forever) for a bite. And like fishing, the more lines you cast out, the greater your chance of catching the big one. But before you set your boat adrift among the hypothetical waves of your imagination, it’s important to carve out a little place where your thoughts can gather and organize. Socrates had his scrolls. Galileo collected manuscripts. We have our white boards. Way back in the early days of cycle 1, the freshly painted walls of our Launchpad office began to quickly subside into the ranks of obscurity. Research documents, Post-It notes and cat memes hung from every corner of the office with all of the spontaneity that might remind one of the set of the movie Se7en. It became apparent that our creative process, while spirited, could benefit from a little organization. You can imagine my astonishment when, following a simple ‘wouldn’t it be great if’ moment, Bill Hughes, the H in HLK, stopped by to tell us he’d ordered whiteboards for our office.

A critical part of working in a group is making sure everyone is on the same page. When balanced with regular time to regroup and reflect, collaboration can be a beautiful thing. Did the success of our team hinge upon and a piece of laminate and set of dry erase markets? Of course not, like most anything it’s merely a tool to facilitate productivity. But for me, nothing beats a creative brief, a cup of coffee and a good old whiteboard.

View fullsize

Get Out of the Room

Throughout the various workplaces I have experienced, there has always been a space dedicated specifically to the intern(s); whether a desk, a personal cube or a full room.  At times, it can be petrifying to escape the assigned walls because of the comfort associated with familiar individuals; similar to feeling the need to look at your cell phone when you are alone in public, because sometimes speaking to others can be daunting. While it is comforting to have a space dedicated specifically to you, overuse of that space can put you at a disadvantage.

Often, a simple social interaction can be the difference between something good and something great. For example, the difference between a stranger passing and meeting the love of your life or a less-than-impressive referral and a dream job offer. As someone who has had a fair share of internship experiences, there are a few behavioral tendencies I’ve noticed among those new to the office, myself included, so I’ve put together a few guiding principles when it comes to interacting in a new work environment.

Leaving the room is like learning to walk for the first time. Scary, yes, but ultimately necessary for progress.  Unless you’ve committed a crime, you probably aren’t banished to this place you call your home. Just because there is a designated space for you doesn’t mean you have to live there full-time. Get out! Tell a joke, introduce yourself to someone new, step outside and stretch with a friend.

Understanding the little pieces is just as important as the big picture. While status meetings may seem boring or mundane, they are just a part of the process.  Everyone, even Beyonce, has to go to meetings.  Attendance shows your investment, understanding and commitment to the end result!

Help is often welcomed and appreciated. There’s no denying that people work long hours. Some weeks are packed full while others may be a walk in the park.  While you can’t change the workload, you can certainly help a co-worker out.  It may be proofing a presentation or merely getting them a fresh cup of coffee – the point is that you recognized their need and lent a helping hand.

Recognize that your co-workers are real people. Some days are stuck staring at our computers with zero human interaction with only chatter focused on the project at hand. Go get a coffee or lunch with a co-worker to get some reprieve from the day and make a personal connection with your co-workers.

Technology and your own space are obviously factors that contribute to success in almost any workplace setting, but social interaction is often forgotten as an essential part of advancement in your career and in life altogether. 'Look Up'  is a video that went viral a few months ago. For me, it reiterates the feeling I get when I’ve sat at my desk in the Launchpad room for too long. A feeling that can only be dismissed by looking up, making eye contact and building a bond with another human being.

Eliminating the Enigma of Agency Roles One Meme at a Time: Art Director

I Still Have Sand in My Shorts

Before joining the HLK sanctioned sand volleyball team, I made it very clear to Programmer/Designer and Team Captain Elise Hecht that volleyball was not really my sport. The last time I had ever tried to play volleyball was my junior year of high school in a class aptly named “Volleyball, Tennis & Badminton.” But once Elise explained that this volleyball was more “drink beer and trash talk” than “play volleyball,” I was committed.

At Trueman’s Place in Soulard, there’s a single beach-­like battleground tucked behind a pretty standard bar and patio. I quickly realize that whoever decided to put 30 foot tall nets around the court was a genius ­  volleyballs are quick to come flying towards those more intent on enjoying a beverage than playing the game. I arrived shortly before the 9PM game time and the team was warming up with a couple buckets of Anheuser­Busch products. So far, Elise was right about the “drink beer” part of the HLK volleyball.

After a few brews, we make our way to the court to actually warm up. Our opponent for the night? A slightly less rag­tag looking group with a few tall, muscular dudes in headbands. Things were looking grim. Then things started looking even more grim when the first serve came flying over the net — a scorching line drive headed straight for a spot in the sand completely void of HLK players.

One nothing.

Two nothing.

Seven nothing.

I think it was eight nothing before we earned a point, I can’t really remember. It was a blur.

We lost the first game, somehow managing to scrounge up at least a double digit amount of points before finally succumbing to an impressive opposing squad. As was the post­game custom at Trueman’s, we came together for some “good game” high­fives and made our way back to the buckets full of Anheuser­Busch products to refuel. It was much needed.

Our plan for game two, as dictated by Senior Art Director Rob Hutti, was simple: “get the ball over the net.” Miraculously, it worked. We won the game by slim margin, forcing a third game in the best of three series. Winning a game was a big deal — it wasn’t something that happened too often. But there’s something to be said about teams that can stick together despite a lack of victories. Without losing, winning would never really feel that good. And to this team, winning really felt good. The only thing keeping me from really getting excited was the excessive amount of sand that was already stuck in my shorts and would be sure to fall out in the drivers seat of my car later.

Game three went much like game one, which was disappointing after what looked like a glimmer of hope only a few minutes earlier. A few more “good game” high fives later we were back surrounding the buckets of Anheuser­Busch products. It wasn’t a bad place to be. Fellow intern Lauren and I chatted with some real life HLK­ers about everything from grocery stores to how interns should have to win at volleyball to earn a full time job. (Hopefully that’s not the case for me. I might be unemployed forever.)

The chance to talk to our newfound co­workers felt easier here than it did in the office. No longer were there desks or walls or fluorescent lights, but some ramshackle patio furniture and the shared experience of losing. I had an actual conversation with people that I passed in the kitchen. I laughed with people I only saw in the parking lot. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m hyper­competitive, even when it comes to friendly volleyball games. But even with the loss, I still left Trueman’s Place satisfied.

The 80/20 Rule

Regardless of your role at an agency, nothing is more important than being able to manage your time wisely. Those were a few wise words taken from Patrick, our strategy mentor, during the first week at HLK. At this point, I think I can vouch for that. Most things in life (effort/work, reward/money, output/time) are not dispersed evenly. Some things in life contribute more than others. I could create a long, elaborate post on this topic, but I'm not one to contradict. So, when you begin to feel overloaded with work or stuck on a small detail of a project, it is important to remember the following things:

1. Majority of results come from a minority of inputs.

2. Focus on the 20% of things that make a difference instead of the 80% that doesn't add much.

3. "Work smart on the right thing"

Okay, you get the idea, I'm saying the same thing over and over. If you didn't read anything in this post besides the sentences in bold above, you'd still be well on your way to understanding time management. The other 80% of the content supports, but isn't necessary to, the success of your understanding the importance of time management skills. And so, in the spirit of the topic, I digress.

View fullsize

Eliminating the Enigma of Agency Roles One Meme at a Time: Copywriter

The Ingredients of Good Experience

Here we are, at the beginning of week four, fresh off the first pitch and getting down to the grind on our second project. It’s crazy to think that we only have three weeks left. In addition to the challenges we have already faced and have yet to face, Team Quasar certainly hasn't forgotten the importance of just having a good time.

After three weeks, we have shared our worst ideas (and our best ideas), witnessed various status meetings, and proofed anything from mind-numbing product guides to exciting RFPs. At this point, we have worked on a client project all the way through and pitched the final product to our mentors, aka the client. Team Quasar had the opportunity to work with and learn from each other, all of who come from different educational backgrounds. In celebration of our successes at HLK so far, we’ve bonded over food and drinks at McGurk’s and delivered Ted Drewe’s ice cream to the entire office, which were both entertaining feats to say the least.

Immediately following the close of this internship, I will be returning to the University of Illinois to begin my last year of undergrad. Most college seniors are stuck between severe bouts of senioritis and desperately clinging on to every moment before graduation. Before HLK, I'd say I was leaning toward the latter. For the fall semester, I was enrolled in random electives that were “easy A’s” as well as a few advertising classes to wrap up my degree. I was ready to kick back and relax before the impending onset of the “real world”.

Getting to know my teammates and witnessing the skill required for every role has motivated me to learn more and, subsequently, change my senior schedule for the better (why was I enrolled in ice skating?). Now, I’m signed up to take classes such as media entrepreneurship, media sales, and persuasive writing. While maybe they aren't "easy A's", these courses will help me understand more about the industry, and, therefore, become a better team player in my future career. Like I said earlier, I’m not forgetting to have fun. Coaching wheelchair basketball is one course I kept on my schedule that will definitely fulfill that requirement.

Beyond the Application: Improving Your Presence on LinkedIn

As a recent college graduate, something I’ve been working on is tweaking my online presence to impress advertising professionals. Facebook and Twitter are now second nature to me, but LinkedIn has always felt a little strange. After growing tired of guessing what’s appropriate etiquette for LinkedIn, I decided to ask the woman who’s in charge of finding the best and brightest for HLK - HR Director, Meredith Osborn.  

One thing that surprised me was how influential LinkedIn is when landing an interview. When Meredith receives an application, she says that the first thing she does is go straight to the applicant’s LinkedIn profile. It allows for a more in-depth, proactive search that isn’t narrowed to one page. It’s an important part of her hiring process, and since she’s the one who does the hiring for the Launchpad internship, here are a few tips she gave me on how to best use LinkedIn to your advantage:

1. Include a hyperlink of your profile on your resume. This will take Meredith directly to your page and will ensure that she receives even more detail on all of your past experiences. Plus, you’ll save her more time, and that could potentially get you some brownie points.

2. Don’t be shy – ask for a recommendation from a professor or supervisor. LinkedIn recommendations give the writer more flexibility to write about you how they want and when they want. It’s much easier, more personal and takes less time than formal letters of recommendation.  

3. Connect with whomever you can. The more people that you connect with, the wider your search possibilities. You do not have to be the person’s best friend or co-worker before you can connect with them. Make sure to include a personal note if the person you want to connect with isn’t a just a peer or friend from school.

4. You can join up to 50 groups – start joining! Groups are a great way to learn about job openings and networking events. It also shows that you keep up with industry news and might even offer opportunities to interact with agencies.

5. Maintain contact with recruiters. If you notice regular job postings, keep in contact about once every month. Other than that, send a friendly note about every two months or so. This shows them that you’re interested.

6. Ask about potential internships or freelance work if there isn’t an opening. You know, it never hurts to ask! Internships and freelance work are one of the best ways to get your foot in the door. It will also show that you’re a proactive go-getter. Who wouldn’t want to hire that?

7. NO grammar mistakes. A profile that’s sloppily made is worse than having no profile at all. 

---

P.S. If you’re interested in interning here at HLK, Meredith is the gal that you need to know. Here are a few things about the woman who started the Launchpad program and gave me all of this wonderful LinkedIn advice.

View fullsize

The lady who helped launch Launchpad, Meredith Osborn, HR Director at HLK.

Meredith received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Southern Illinois University. After undergrad, she pursued a Master’s of Human Developmental Counseling at the University of Illinois. She spent the first several years of her career working as a Counselor at Saint Louis University while she also advised for several different Greek organizations. Meredith says that her experience in higher education has given her more opportunities networking with career counselors, universities and recent graduates. If you want to connect with Meredith, here is her LinkedIn.

Eliminating the Enigma of Agency Roles One Meme at a Time: Research & Analytics

The Art of Schmoozing

Networking can be as uncomfortable as it sounds; I know this from personal experience. There are millions of fears that run through one's mind; Will I make a fool of myself? What's the point? How will I even know what to say? The fears are often coupled with the difficulty of trying to schedule coffee meetings or phone calls between two conflicting schedules. Ad Club St. Louis, an organization for St. Louis' advertising students and professionals, helps to remove one step in the tough equation – a meeting time and place. With events such as the Summer Kickoff Happy Hour and Beyond the ADDYs, mingling among industry comrades is simplified. As a rookie to the networking game, I learned a few things during the Summer Kickoff Happy Hour on July 15th about the art of schmoozing. Here are a few tips that you can tuck in your back pocket to better prepare for events such as these.

1. Strike up a conversation with 3-5 strangers.
That's the whole point, right? Reaching out to others opens up opportunities to meet new people, learn about new agencies and/or discover roles you hadn't had exposure to before. 

2. Bring a friend in your field. 
Ask a friend from another company to attend with you. With less than six degrees of separation, there are better odds of breaking the ice with that one person who could be the difference between 'a job' and 'my ideal job'. Since two other interns accompanied me, Jenny and Nick, I was introduced to some of the people they knew.

3. Have a working knowledge of current industry news. 
With the agency world feeling like a small town, knowing the latest industry gossip can give you an upper hand on conversation topics to strike up with strangers. Who won new business? Who made a big agency switch? Is there a new campaign that caught your eye?

4. Don't be afraid – truth is, everyone has those first date jitters, too.
You have nothing to lose. As long as you aren't insulting the CEO of St. Louis' biggest agency or double fisting when you approach the HR Director of your ideal workplace, then you'll probably be okay. In fact, you'll most likely leave happy because you made an effort to be a part of such a valuable community of industry professionals.

The act of networking is often daunting, but Ad Club St. Louis has many resources for young professionals in the advertising field to alleviate the pain of doing so. A bit of bravery and knowledge can go a long way if only you are proactive and take advantage of all of the wonderful connections that St. Louis Ad Club has to offer. Now, all you have left to do is jot these tips down, put ‘em in your back pocket and join Team Quasar at the next Ad Club networking event!

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.

Eliminating the Enigma of Agency Roles One Meme at a Time: Content Development

View fullsize

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. 

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.