Before my internship, if you had asked me what marketing was, I would have told you it’s designing and releasing ads to promote a business and its products. While this definition isn’t technically wrong, through interning with Paperkite, I’ve realized marketing is so much more than pumping out ads! It’s people, businesses, data, strategy sessions, photoshoots, social media, site visits- the list can go on for miles. As I reflect on this past semester, here are a few things I’ve learned about the industry and what it takes to work in a marketing agency.
So, What Is It?
Simply put, marketing is a combination of tactics designed to increase brand awareness and drive business. At Paperkite, marketing is a mix of different specializations that work together to provide their clients with results.
I like to think of Paperkite as a brain, with a left side and a right side working together to give their clients the best service possible. On the logical left side, we have strategists, digital marketing experts, social and web data analysts- technical gurus that handle the more calculated parts of marketing. On the creative right side, we have graphic designers, copywriters, photographers/videographers, and social media coordinators who deal with the more visual components of marketing.
What I've Learned
– It's a Balancing Act
When you work for a marketing agency, it’s almost as if you work for multiple businesses. With each new client comes unique branding, voice, business needs, and aspirations, in a variety of industries. No matter what side of the “brain” you’re on, it’s essential to be able to alter your mindset from client to client. You have to be able to work on a craft beverage campaign in the morning, then flip the switch and write for a beauty blog in the afternoon. It’s all about easily switching gears, with a hint of time management.
– Inspiration is Everywhere
When I first started my internship, I was worried about my ability to come up with fresh, new ideas all the time. Thankfully, I realized I didn’t have to! Other businesses, personal experiences, nature, holidays, and internet trends are all sources of inspiration that you can turn to for ideas. The “thing” with marketing is, new ideas are great and they will happen! But, the job is all about taking a familiar concept and putting your spin on it. Add details, cut out elements, change the message- find what works for your project and make it happen.
– Flexibility is Important
Pandemic or not, changes happen constantly. When working in a marketing team, you should be ready to change direction or scrap old plans at the drop of a hat. These changes happen for plenty of reasons; customer’s behavior shifts, new technology, changing seasons, world events… maybe your client just wants to try something new! Whatever it is, the more flexible you are, the easier it’s going to be to go with the flow and make those adjustments.
– Team Work Makes the Dream Work
There are so many different factors that go into a marketing plan, but from what I’ve seen, Paperkite’s strategy works because we all work together. Our team is like a brain, remember? A brain needs all of its sections to work collectively to be successful. The same goes for Paperkite. The left side and right side bounce ideas off of one another, share sources of inspiration, and most importantly, support each other. Our analytics support our strategy, which supports our creative, which supports social, and so on and so forth. It’s the merging of these various sectors that produce quality work and get results for our clients.
Though I’ve only been working in the marketing industry for a short time, these are the main takeaways that both surprised me and helped me “find my groove” over the last few months. I know there’s so much more to learn about marketing, and I’m thankful to the Paperkite team for giving me this opportunity to learn and grow as a marketing professional. I can’t wait to see what’s next!
By Gabrielle Daigneault, Marketing Intern
