MAIP Comes to a Close | Reflecting and Looking Ahead

It has officially reached the final week of my full-time summer internship with MullenLowe. I remember how far off Friday August 6 seemed when I began, but it is incredible how quickly this summer has flown by.

That being said, so much has happened over the past nine weeks. 

I created two Summer Project Campaigns with my amazing MAIP Team for Jollibee and Izze. This was my first time creating a campaign with this many team members, which really lent itself well to creating great work since everyone came with their own unique expertise and ideas. Our work clearly paid off because the Izze campaign was selected as a finalist, giving us the opportunity to improve upon and present our project to a panel of judges within the actual agency. 

Additionally, I created my first ever website. Figuring out how to purchase my own domain name (really isn’t as complicated as I made it out to be in my head), strategically thinking through my skill set and piece together a site that reflects who I am currently has been a great professional milestone for me. 

Within my actual internship, I learned how to work across numerous new platforms to create and manage jobs, track finances, log hours and update status documents. Understanding how to effectively use technology to complete tasks that keep teams informed and projects running smoothly is essential as an effective Account Management employee. I loved how many facets there were to my role. One day I would be researching future talent options and the next I would be working on gathering insights for a social media campaign. 

One of my favorite parts of the job was interacting with my first real brief for my team’s client, Corona Beer. In the past, I have worked with real companies to solve real issues through classes, but the campaigns have only ever been thought starters that the clients take into consideration. Working at an agency, I loved to see the pieces unfold and the work being done come to life whether it is on Instagram or a billboard I see. 

Working on an alcohol brand, I have learned a lot about the industry as a whole through the lens of advertising. There are so many legal considerations that come into play with regards to vetting talent, hosting giveaways and writing copy for social posts. 

The HR team at MullenLowe did a great job of keeping the interns across the Boston and LA offices in the loop through virtual lunches, events and team building activities. We got to attend sessions across different departments to gain a sense of what people did in roles that were far different than others. We were also able to talk to industry leaders, including the President of the MullenLowe Boston Office, Kelly Frederickson. This inspired me to continue reaching out to people who inspired me, so I began setting up chats and got to pick the brain of my very own team’s Brand Strategist, Sheida Karami. 

Last but certainly not least, I joined the MullenLowe LA office’s Asian Pacific Islander’s ERG and had the opportunity to meet the group and attend one of our very own events about self-care practices to promote mental health wellness with speaker Dr. Arnel Calvario. Being part of this ERG allowed me to feel more connected with my fellow Asian Pacific Islander’s across the agency. 

I feel so fortunate to have had this experience with MAIP at MullenLowe, and even more fortunate that I will continue working for MullenLowe part-time this Fall while I finish out my senior year at the University of Denver! Here’s to more opportunities to learn, grow and push myself.

MY MAIP Experience Thus Far

It feels utterly surreal that I am over halfway done with my MAIP internship for the summer. Going into my junior year of college, I was not sure I was on the right path. I really enjoyed my marketing classes, but struggled to imagine myself in any of the roles and opportunities that many of my peers were seeking out.

It was then that I took my first advertising elective, and everything began to fall into place. As a South Asian, MAIP has given me the opportunity to work with and meet so many other people of color with similar goals and ambitions to mine. Not only has my network grown, but my sense of belongingness, support and community is so much richer.

From virtual lunches with MAIPers at my company (shoutout to my fellow MullenLowe L.A. intern Trés Jones!) to meetings where I get to pick the brain of industry leaders, I feel so fortunate. No one in my family is in the advertising industry, let alone the business world, so gaining access to these kinds of opportunities is life altering for me. 

On top of all of that, working for MullenLowe U.S. has been everything I can ask for and more. My supervisor is always there to help, listen and provide me new opportunities and feedback when needed. I appreciate how tailored I’ve been able to make my experience, while also getting hands-on experience with so many of the daily responsibilities of an Account Management team member. Each day brings something new, and it has been so reassuring working in a space I can see myself in as I enter into post-grad life next year.

Although this summer did not look quite as expected with morning commutes and office cityscapes, I found the silver linings in working from home. Getting to chat with my roommate over lunch, taking breaks to water my plants, go on walks and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery were some of the many ways that I embraced this new normal.

Lessons Learned Thus Far

One thing that my internship has taught me is the importance of advocating for yourself. You have to speak up and make it clear what you want. No one is going to understand what I need unless I make it clear, especially with remote work. I have already seen great improvement in my ability to communicate effectively and confidently as a result. 

In addition, working for a big company means you must understand how everything operates. I have really taken the time to learn people’s names (even if we are on Zoom screens with our titles!), positions and how they fit into the company. It has been so helpful because as an Account Management Intern, I am constantly having to communicate both internally and externally. This has not only saved time, but it has given me a greater understanding of the company and its operations.

Working full-time, it is easy to get stuck in the daily tasks and projects. Still, I have learned to dedicate time to staying on top of industry updates and trends. Having a grasp on the industry helps bring new, fresh ideas to the table. I always begin my days looking through the news and various email subscriptions with curated updates, which is a habit I hope to carry into the rest of my time working in the industry (or any other one for that matter).

In addition to industry lessons, my time as a MAIP Fellow has taught me a lot about myself. Having done online and hybrid classes for school, I didn’t really think much about having a full-time remote position. It wasn’t until this experience, however, that I have realized how much I crave human connection each day. While I am so thankful for my internship, I am excited about the prospect of meeting some of my co-workers face-to-face and having a physical space to go to. While I understand the convenience and importance of remote work in a lot of cases, I think that the hybrid or fully in-person offices will be best for me when it comes time to sign onto a position.