Upon first joining the Williams Whittle team, there was an air of uncertainty about what lay ahead. Coming from a background with limited exposure to marketing and advertising, in addition to lacking prior professional experience in the field, I had no idea what to expect. However, my initial nervousness about my first day “on the job” dissipated quickly. Williams Whittle and its team has given me comprehensive guidance on the intricacies of running an agency and has provided me with indispensable avenues for work experience. I am delighted to be able to share that my fall internship at Williams Whittle has left a profound impact on me, influencing not only my personal growth but also clarifying the direction I aspire for my future career.
What set the Williams Whittle internship apart for me was the close communication within the team. With this internship, I saw the benefits of working with a small company firsthand. Working directly with account executives, the creative team, the President, and the CEO provided me with an invaluable experience that many of my peers could only wish for. The supportive environment, clear communication, and creative freedom allowed me to discover my strengths. Constructive feedback and guidance were consistently provided, contributing to my improvement in weaker areas. Working for an agency specializing in nonprofit advertising provided me with a unique perspective that is not thoroughly covered in my required business school classes, which predominantly focus on messaging for for-profit companies.
My initial responsibilities at Williams Whittle primarily involved conducting competitive research and performing brand audits for potential new business ventures. I found a passion in learning about how agencies perceive businesses from an advertising perspective. Despite these being early projects, I recognized the significance of my work to the agency, feeling that my contributions were valued and utilized to their fullest extent. Later on, I engaged in analytics for other clients, contributing to the development of dashboards and KPIs detailing their impressions, reach, and other relevant metrics. In terms of account management, I assisted the team as needed, attended calls, and demonstrated reliability in task execution. I also collaborated on social media management, helping to plan and create posts, which was some of the most fun I had with this internship.
One of my standout experiences involved writing and designing a market outlook for a client—a task I had never attempted before. This was my favorite project because I got to research something I am passionate about: Women’s Health. I took pride in this project and wanted to make it as detailed and thorough as possible. The positive response from the client and my supervisors motivated me to continue doing similar projects throughout my internship. This opportunity allowed me to discover and strengthen my copywriting skills, for which I am extremely grateful. I also felt a sense of accomplishment in conducting various communications audits for clients. Being involved in these pivotal early-stage interactions with prospective clients reinforced my feeling of being an integral member of the team. In every project I engaged with, I experienced a sense of my contributions being an essential part of the team’s efforts, consistently finding encouragement and motivation from them.
