July 10, 2008

by Chelsea Parks

CHICAGO, ILL. - Unlike most twenty-one-year olds, I can't say that I have spent my summer months working any "real" job. Up until my freshman year of college, June, July and August were dedicated solely toward perfecting my tan and maybe an occasional jog (simply to maintain my beach bod). After my freshman year, I ditched the beach-bum lifestyle and decided that from there on out, my college summers would be productive, spent on activities that would help my future.

And so it began. After my freshman year I interned at the Central Intelligence Agency. The 90-minute commute through congested Beltway traffic and crammed Metro trains forced me to face the harsh reality of working life. Sleepy, nine-hour work days filled with stapling, copying and filing reminded me of why I had avoided "real" work my entire life.

I then decided to spend the summer of my sophomore year coaching lacrosse camps. The situation was ideal; I would be making money coaching the sport I love while still avoiding actual "work." Best of all, being outside would allow me to build that beautiful tan I missed out on the summer before. When the summer bronze turned to a farmer's tan and every bone in my body perpetually ached from standing all day, I decided that my next summer had to be different. I had to find the best of both worlds, a balance between work and play.

Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to work in the advertising business. I am obsessed with the constantly evolving nature of the industry and truly addicted to its superbly creative environment. Going into my senior year, I knew I had to find an advertising internship in order to break into the competitive industry. So, I did some research, filled out some applications and miraculously ended up in interning at Leo Burnett Worldwide in Chicago, IL.

For the unfamiliar, Leo Burnett Worldwide was founded in 1935 by Leo Burnett. The company originated in Chicago but now boasts offices all over the world. Leo Burnett is known for such famous cultural icons as the Jolly Green Giant, Tony the Tiger, the Pillsbury Doughboy and the Marlboro Man. Some of their current clients include McDonald's, VISA, Proctor and Gamble, Hallmark and Samsung.

Of the 1,000 people who applied for the internship, around 60 were accepted as interns in either account management, account planning, creative, broadcast production or print production. Upon being accepted, I did a serious jump for joy and I'll have to admit, I cried a little bit. Then I booked a flight, packed my bags and headed to the hometown of Kanye West.

This summer I am working as an account management intern on the Secret antiperspirant-deodorant team. In advertising, account management is the grease that keeps the wheels of the advertising process turning. The account management team works with the clients to understand their campaign goals and from there work with the client to craft the campaign strategy. The account management team is critical to the production of every advertisement out there.

A typical day of work begins at 9 a.m. I usually come in, settle down, check my e-mail and by 10 a.m. I am off to my first of many meetings of the day. Throughout the day I do everything from sit-in on client meetings to attend brainstorming sessions, all while do my best to soak up every bit of new information I come across. Yes, I do the occasional copying and stapling, but at Leo Burnett the interns are considered a part of the company. Every day I am learning more and more about advertising from the best in the business. The days fly by and I find myself eager to go into work the next day.

Aside from my work on the Secret team, I am also working on a summer-long intern project for Bally Total Fitness. The interns are separated into six groups, three groups that work on Bally's and three groups that work on Nintendo. Each group consists of interns from creative, account management, account planning, broadcast production and print production. The goal for each group is to develop a campaign and present it to the client at the end of the summer. I am unbelievably excited to tackle this project as it is a challenging and realistic introduction into the world of advertising.

Although I have a long, hard summer ahead of me, Leo Burnett has set up a few activities to keep the interns from becoming raging workaholics. Burnett has planned summer trips to White Sox games, the Taste of Chicago and plenty of other events. Trust me, these guys know how to have fun. Everyone is always laughing and joking; work here is serious, but never too serious. The offices are adored with random pictures and props. The dress code is casual, which, as an athlete who usually wears sweat pants every day, might just be my favorite part of the deal.

So here I am, a long way from my home in Ellicott City, Md., interning for one of the greatest advertising agencies in the world. I came to the Windy City anxious for the summer ahead, nervous because I did not know a single person. I have only been here a month or so but the friendly people of Chicago make me feel like I have been here my entire life. My experience in Chicago has been nothing less than amazing so far and I know it will only get better. I am working a "real" job that I love and, perhaps best of all, the beach at Lake Michigan means great weekend tanning opportunities. This really is the best of both worlds.