Part II: The Case for Leaving Yellow Page Advertising.: Campbell, Harrington & Brear

Part II: The Case for Leaving Yellow Page Advertising.: Campbell, Harrington & Brear

Rising With The Sun

Over the weekend I was offered an opportunity to re-familiarize myself with the selling process. I forgot how much work went into preparing to put something on the market, making sure every detail is perfect and that the product is ready to be shown to hundreds of people. The only difference this weekend what that I was asked to do a sales video for a horse named Octavian, not a product or a service. I’ve learned a lot at Campbell Harrington and Brear about how much work goes into first coming up with a concept or idea about a product, then planning how to make it happen, then editing and refining the concept/idea, and finally presenting it. The system isn’t brain surgery, it’s just a tedious process that requires a lot of work and thinking to make sure everything turns out at planned.

Saturday morning I was up at 6:00am and out to the barn to watch Octavian’s owner ride him. I had to take mental notes on his behaviors and how he responded to certain aids because I was going to be the one riding him later in the day. This was the research part of my process. I’ve have only ridden this horse once before so it was vital that I got to know him on the ground as well as in the saddle.

After he was ridden in the arena he was taken to the round pen to work on body commands and to get him listening to the rider. It’s important to make sure he is paying attention and listening to the rider and responding to what he is being asked to do. I would categorize this as part of the planning. We needed to make sure he was going to behave and pay attention as it would be very dangerous to jump a 1200 pound animal and not be in control.

After the round pen we brought him back to the stables to get him cleaned up. I spent a good 40 minutes giving him a bath, washing his white legs so they would stand out and look nice, and brushing through his mane and tail. This is the editing/refining time that was used to make him picture perfect and stand out over other equine sale videos.

The final step occurred at about three o’clock that afternoon as I changed into riding breeches, jumping boots, and a polo and began riding Octavian. I warmed up for a about 20 minutes and the next thing I know I was flying over 3 foot fences.  The prep work definitely paid off as I completed several courses. The finished product: a successful sales video!

 Check out the link to the video below. The beginning is slightly boring but the action picks up towards the end!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZE5utuX3yY&feature=player_embedded

CH&B launches new website!

It’s a very cool experience to be able to see ideas sketched out on a notepad transform into a fully functioning interactive completed project. Although I wasn’t at Campbell Harrington and Brear during the basic idea developing stages of the new website for Strine’s Heating and Cooling I was able to be a part of the last steps in completing the website developing process.  I was able to see how a somewhat “monotone” website was pulled apart and transformed into something not only visually appealing, but intellectually attractive as well.

The idea behind the website was to provide better visibility for Strine’s brand, to set up a platform for interacting with customers, and to showcase the core values of Strine’s Heating and Cooling.

From what observed there was a lot of good information from Strine’s website. It was a matter of pulling out the information and placing it into a better designed website. Because this new website was a lot more thorough then the older one, there was also a fair amount of new copy that needed to be written. New pictures were taken to replace some of the older outdated photos posted on the old site. It was quite a facelift!

It was obvious that many visual changes were appearing. What was as noticeable was the important strategy of what was going on behind the scenes. A website could have the world’s best pictures and copy, but if nobody knows about it, it’s not going to be seen. So how do you fix that problem? SEO. SEO is a strategy that uses certain techniques to make sure your website gets noticed. If done successfully, it will create a larger viewing presence of your website though keywords and consistently keeping the website information fresh.

Building a website is a time consuming and tedious process. It definitely doesn’t happen overnight.  I was lucky that I was able to experience some of the website building process. Even though it was only from observation, I was able to get a lot of useful information out of it!

Words of Wisdom

“It doesn’t matter what you do in life as long as you have a valuable skill or skill set. Pick something that you can learn that will set you apart from everyone else.”

These very wise words were given to me from Campbell Harrington and Brear’s President, Mel Campbell, this morning as we sat down and had a chat about what I was doing as an intern and what has been going on in the world of advertising. These words hit me pretty hard as I have been struggling with realizing that I’m not really a sit at a desk from 8am-5pm person. Make no mistake, I’m still 100% sure advertising is what I was to be doing with my life. I’ve always dreamed of owning my own business, starting with a small home run farm giving lessons and training, then moving on to bigger things, such as owning a ranch or resort. It’s going to be a while before those dreams can be fulfilled, but thanks to CH&B I’ve got a pretty good head start! I have learned many new business and advertising skills. I’ve been able to learn a few “tricks of the trade” and I’m constantly learning how things work in a business setting.  I’m picking up skills that I can use in future jobs, and even further into the future as I possibly attempt running a business of my own. You can take the knowledge that you learn in an agency setting and use them practically anywhere. I came to the conclusion that having a basic business background with a focus on advertising is what I need. I can learn to manipulate the skills I’m learning and use them for my own personal benefit.  

CH&B has immersed me in a world of social media. I’m not going to lie; at times it’s very boring and mundane work. But, at the same time I learning a skill set that not everybody has or wants to be a part of. I’ll have something to offer a potential employer that other people might not. This is important because it’s one of the stepping stones to one day having my dream job and owning my own business.

I thank Mr. Campbell for his words of advice and insurance that I’m on the right track and doing what I need to do to promote a solid future. I encourage you to keep those words of advice in your mind at all times. What you’re doing now can greatly impact your future!

Media Buying

Today I had an awesome opportunity to sit down with Stephen Marcum, Campbell Harrington and Brear’s director of media strategy and learn a lot of things about media buying that you can’t learn from sitting in a classroom. Because media buying is kind of an abstract area there really isn’t a set formula on how it should be done. There are definitely general guidelines of costing and you can sit down and takes not on the different kinds of media buying, but they strategy behind the process is best learned by watching someone who is experienced in the field actually do it.  

Each client purchasing advertising space has different needs in order to successfully reach the market they are trying to advertise to. For some businesses print ads work best while for others TV and Radio are other profitable contenders.  It’s all about researching the market area and figuring out which medium is going to work the best! Seem simple? Not so fast! So you’ve figured out the medium of what you’re going to use little did I know before today how many subcategories are connected to each medium. For newspaper you need to figure out where in the paper the ad needs to go so it will be most valuable. Do you choose the sports section, or the life and style section? Do you print the ad in black and white of in color? For radio, what station do you play the ad on and what’s the best time to have the ad playing? And, as for TV, what network do you advertise on, or how long should the spot be?

These are all critical details that take time and research to figure out. You need to know not only your client but they target audience of their message. It’s so much more than just punching a bunch of numbers into a calculator and giving the client a bill for the advertising space.

I’m grateful I got to sit in on and listen to a man with a good amount of knowledge and experience in media buying. It’s an important skill to have because even as new media marketing strategies develop, traditional advertising will always be a part of the business.

Branding

On May 11, 2011 Japan experienced a life changing weather event when a tsunami hit the shores of the small island.  Lives were forever changed as houses were destroyed, property was washed away, and lives were taken because of the earthquake that set off the massive storm. There were a lot of negative impacts on the island of Japan that took place on that awful day in May but there was one good thing that came out of the tragedy.

 I was astonished to read an article today, found on AdAge, that the storm did have one positive impact in Japan. The impact was on how the Japanese are now putting more thought into what they consume and how they consume it.

“77% of people said they were actively seeking out brands they believe are helping recovery of the country and personal stability.” – AdAge

This should be a neon flashing sign to the producers of thousands of products around the world. We have added a large group to the already larger bandwagon group of people searching for products that first off benefit/help sustain their country as well as products that are environmentally friendly to the different lands we call our home.

How does this affect marketing?

Simple! We need to produce products and market them in a way that people connect to the product and feel as though they are doing some good through purchasing the product.

“Our own research indicates that over 60% of people want "to be part of a shared process in product and service development.” – AdAge

You are more likely to purchase a product if you feel good about purchasing the product. It’s a very simple idea, but an idea that we don’t think about a lot of the time.

We need to brand our products according to what’s important to the consumers.

To read the full article head to:

 http://adage.com/article/agency-viewpoint/japanese-earthquake-changed-consumer-habits/228124/

The Art of Being Prepared

Today became an unusual day at the office as our secretary Lisa suddenly had to leave the office. Because of her absence and the fact that she would be gone for the following week I immediately assumed the secretary responsibilities. Luckily for me I was aware that she was going to be out of the office the following week so I had had some time to learn the basics of what she does such as answering the phones and delivering the mail. They may seem like mundane chores but you don’t really realize how important something is such as taking a phone call until a potential client is on the other line! Talk about pressure. With 40 buttons on my phone in the office, yes I counted my notes on answering the phone graciously got me through my first phone call. It might seem silly to take notes on such a thing but honestly I was grateful to have them as I was unexpectedly thrown into a situation I wasn’t familiar with.

The saying “You can never be too prepared” was abundantly true.  I would have been scrambling around hoping that I knew what I was doing. It’s nice to feel comfortable in a situation you have no control in.

I kind of enjoy being able to answer the phone “Campbell Harrington and Brear, how may I help you?” because it gives me a chance to talk to someone and delivering the mail to other employees because it gives me the opportunity to get out from behind my desk.

I’m sure in the next week I will get a lot of value from taking over for the secretary. I’m already learning basic office skills that are important to have.

Becoming a Leader

I try and live my life by the idea that the world already has enough followers, what it needs is more leaders. Luckily I was brought up in a family that encouraged me to pursue my dreams but also taught me that I was going to have to work to get them. I learned very quickly that nothing in life was going to be handed to me on a silver platter.

This message really sank in to me as a 16 year old sophomore in high school. I had always loved singing, had been in the school choir, and even took private lessons and studied classical music. When I found out that a select choir from Novi was going to be performing in Carnegie Hall in NYC I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. That year I worked hard on my singing and sight reading abilities in order to be selected into the Novi Festival Singers choir. In the Fall I discovered I was placed into the choir and that the following spring I would be in NYC singing. This is one of the first big memories I have of putting myself out there, segregating myself from the group, and becoming a leader to myself. Let me tell you there is no feeling more empowering than standing on a stage in Carnegie Hall looking out over the New York Symphonic Orchestra and trying to count the hundreds of faces blurred in the audience by the stage lights.  

Although it may seem a little farfetched I often thank John Rutter, yes “the modern Mozart of Europe” John Rutter, and the New York Symphonic Orchestra for where I am today.

At Ferris State University I am a member of The Ad Group of AAF (American Advertising Federation). It amazes me every year how many kids in my program don’t think that it’s important to become a part of an RSO for their major. One half of me is happy because I’m hoping that as a member of TAG I’m being set apart from others in my field that I could potentially be competing with for jobs. The other half of me is sad as I know how much they are missing out on not being a part of what we do.  The group has taught me that being a leader doesn’t mean holding all of the responsibilities that somebody like the President of the USA holds. I think that is why people shy away from leadership opportunities. They don’t want to overwhelm themselves. I am guilty of this as well as I am a quieter less “out there” kind of person.  What I have learned is that you step up for smaller leadership opportunities and expand as you become comfortable. Sometimes becoming a leader requires a little leap of faith but not once have I held a position where there wasn’t anyone to help me, guide me, or fall back on when I needed them.

Leadership opportunities have allowed me to build up strong list of qualities that will help me in my future. Responsibility, Confidence, Ability to take action, and knowledge are all things that becoming a leader has taught me that can be used not only as appealing traits to a potential employee but anywhere I go in life.

The next time you are searching for jobs or filling out an application think to yourself, “Am I a leader than stands out from everybody else, or am I just a follower that meets the minimum requirements?”

Remember, the word already has enough followers, what it really needs it strong leaders!

CH&B Brings a Lot of HoHoHo to AAA Membership Campaign

CH&B Brings a Lot of HoHoHo to AAA Membership Campaign

Our Media Buying Services Simplify the Confusing Landscape of Advertising

Our Media Buying Services Simplify the Confusing Landscape of Advertising

CH&B Launches Mammoth Content-Managed Site and Introduces New Simplicity to Management of Large Websites

CH&B Launches Mammoth Content-Managed Site and Introduces New Simplicity to Management of Large Websites

CH&B Launches Mammoth Content-Managed Site and Introduces New Simplicity to Management of Large Websites

CH&B Launches Mammoth Content-Managed Site and Introduces New Simplicity to Management of Large Websites

Connections

You know the theory of 6 degrees of separation? To an extent the theory is true and has a lot of

intriguing value. I’m beginning to learn how important connections are. After all it isn’t always what you know but who you know. It amazes me that a company can fail or succeed just because of who they are associated with. People land jobs according to the experience they have and the people they have met in the field. It brings to light how amazingly impactful a simple hello to somebody can be.

With Facebook and Twitter around our ability to make connections is unlimited. Social networking sites have given us the opportunity to reach out to others with little effort, although with how brainwashed into social networking system we are we typically don’t bat an eye lash at accepting a new friend request.

While applying for jobs at school in the Fall I have gained an appreciation for the people I have made connections with in the past, whether they are friends, family, or past employees. I am continuing to find value in even just one person that can serve as a reference for me and help me move forward in life. Luckily I have been blessed with many connections.

The point is to get to know people, work hard for them, and form a friendship. In this day in age a positive word from a connection is far more valuable than a few letters typed out on a paper claiming that you did something in the past.

Ambushed by Social Media

We are living in a world where more kids are sitting at home on their computers instead of outside playing with friends. Computers are a continually growing trend and so are the social media sites that go along with it. Right now I am working with CH&B on making social media a prominent part of their company. Over the past 2 weeks I have “tweeted” countless messages, posted various facebook statuses, and uploaded a large amount of their portfolio on Flickr and Picasa, online photo sharing websites. I do believe social media is important as it is part of the future of advertising, although I believe if we shift all of our focus onto computer generated interactions we will lose a large part of what advertising really is.

How many times do you sit around the dinner table and discuss how awesome somebody’s tweet was about something? Although it’s possible to be crafty and creative with the copy of a tweet you’ve got 140 characters to get your message across. Not a lot of space for a meaningful message.

Now on the other hand, how often do you sit around the dinner table and discuss how funny a TV commercial was or how creative a magazine ad is? That’s more like it. We even have a full evening every year dedicated to TV commercials; some people refer to it as the Super Bowl.

        What is always on the “must see” list while visiting NYC? Times square of course. Thousands of billboards and flashy signs creatively designed to catch our attention.

        I think I’m making my point clear. Social media definitely has its place in the industry. It’s cheap, quick and easy to use. It’s great for making connections and posting events and news. There have also been some amazing uses of social media such as Jell-O Pudding monitoring sad faces ( L ) in Twitter messages and sending the person with the sad face a coupon for their product. But how often is an ad on the computer, or an event posted on facebook, or a message tweeted on Twitter so appealing that you remember it and bring it up as a conversation piece?

        The thought behind a social media site like Twitter is that a business can tweet about their latest product, investment, achievement or clients. Unfortunately, according to MarketingSherpa Research “nearly two-thirds of marketers aren’t monitoring or responding to comments (both positive and negative) about their company.” It’s something that a accompany gets excited about but forgets about in the long run.

        Once again I would like to reinstate that I am totally for social media marketing, but my passion for advertising definitely doesn’t lie in the form of social media. That’s one of the reasons I’m so grateful for this internship. It’s given me the opportunity to realize that sitting at a desk by myself tweeting and posting isn’t really for me.

        While working on an NSAC campaign for JC Penny I discovered the joy I get from being creative and working together in teams to come up with creative ideas. All three of my commercial ideas were chosen for the plans book as well as a print Ad and 2 billboard ideas. I’m hoping one day you’ll be sitting around your dinner table reminiscing about one of my TV commercials that you’ve seen on TV.

        We also get so wrapped up in the online world we forget how big of a statement something such as outdoor advertising can make. Just like I mentioned above the advertising that takes place in NYC makes Times Square a destination. Now just think of how effective advertising would be for your company if you could provide an ad for each client that was a destination, some place where everybody would want to go to see it. Obviously I live in the real world and know that it would be impossible to do that for every ad produced but it also reels my brain to think how powerful a medium like that for advertising could be. That right there is the kind of work I want to be involved in. Check out this page of billboards created for various companies. I know for sure I would take a second to stop and look at the message that was being given by these billboards:

        http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/01/05/clever-and-creative-billboard-advertising/

        It’s ok that we begin to take a step into the virtual world of social media, as long as we keep one foot planted in the real world. I believe successful advertising is a compatible mix between traditional advertising and the online world of social media. Luckily for me I am getting an inside look at both mediums and learning from professionals how they work together to complement each other. It’s time to get excited about the future, but also to remember where the roots of advertising have been planted for many years.

       

Horses and the Corporate World

After accepting my internship at Campbell Harrington and Brear I didn’t have a ton of time to find a second job in order to pay for my living expenses over the summer. I knew I wanted a job that I already had a background in as I figured I’d be stressed out enough learning to work in the Advertising Agency I was interning at. That’s when I came to the conclusion that I wanted to work on a farm. It didn’t really matter whether I was riding, training, helping with lessons, feeding or even mucking stalls. I ended up hitting the lotto when I emailed FCS Equestrian Center about possible employment opportunities. A week later I met with farm owner and operator, Justyne Litten, to discuss job responsibilities as well as meet the project horse Justyne and I would be riding over the summer, a sassy little mare named Cassie.

Working on a farm is a unique experience and I love every minute of it. It’s nice to actually get excited to go to my second job. I believe there are a lot of things you can learn working at a barn that you will never be able to learn sitting at a desk in an office, although surprisingly there are many similarities that I notice between a desk job and the job of being a stable hand. I’ve decided to make a list of things I’ve learned over the years working at a barn that have proved to be just as important in a corporate setting.

1)      Patience- Working with a large animal often calls for a large amount of patience. Just because you ask a horse to do something nicely doesn’t mean that they are going to do it. It’s important to realize that just like humans they have a learning curve and can’t be expected to do everything as soon as it is asked of them. We all also have good days and bad days. Whether we are training somebody to learn a new job, or just dealing with somebody that isn’t in the best mood we need to have patience.

2)      A lot of times people hold themselves superior to each other, especially if they have a higher position or earn a higher salary than you. Through riding I have learned respect is the key to getting along with something that is so much more powerful than you are. It’s easy to get a big head about yourself but when I start to get cocky I’ve got a 1500 pound animal that quickly reminds me where my place is. It’s about working together as a part of a team, not segregating yourself as a higher power.

3)      There have been many times I’ve just needed a break from the real world. We get so caught up in everything that’s going on and we exhaust ourselves. We pile so much work on our own plates because we think we can do it better than somebody else, and we forget that it’s ok to ask for help every once in awhile. I was reminded of this on Sunday when I went on an awesome trail ride with Justyne. After we both worked a full day on Saturday we needed a break. Luckily for us we had two horses that were more than happy to carry our weight and let us catch our breath for a few hours.

4)      Sometimes we are so focused on our own thoughts and ideas that we forget to take into consideration what somebody else sees. A few years ago while trail riding with a friend I learned the important lesson of always listening to what someone else has to say. We left early in the morning for a full day of riding on the trials. We ended up in a swamp area and spent about 45 minutes trying to get back on track. I asked my horse to move forward into an area I thought was stable to walk across in order to get out of the swampy area. He probably knew the area was a sink hole by how the ground felt underneath his hooves and refused to move forward. He finally gave in and listened to my decision to move forward and yes, we ended up in the sink hole. This time I let him do the steering as he was able to get us out of the watery sink hole safely. I should have known all along that he knew it wasn’t ok to go forward but I decided not to listen to him. I am very careful now to listen to what the horse underneath me is trying to communicate because a lot of times they have a better plan than I do.

5)      Love and Acceptance- While working we encounter various kinds of people. Different races, genders, values and beliefs. One of my favorite parts of the barn is the unconditional love given by the animals I work with. It’s important that we follow their example. It doesn’t mean you have to necessarily love and be best friends with everyone you work with, but it does mean you should be able to accept them as a person and fellow co worker and give them the respect and kindness they deserve.

6)      One of the most important lessons I have learned working with horses is the need to take a job seriously and always put your best work into it no matter how big or small the task is. Something as simple as feeding a horse the wrong type of grain or not tacking a horse correctly can put the horse or rider in danger.

7)      Responsibility- Horses are a lot of fun but they are also an unbelievable amount of work. Cleaning stalls and scrubbing water buckets is a part of owning a horse regardless of how many championships or blue ribbons you have won. The same goes for working in a corporate setting. Just because you’re the president of the company and have a top floor executive suite doesn’t mean you won’t participate in grunt work every now and then.

8)      Love what you do with all of your heart! A lot of people think it’s crazy that I am more than happy to be up at 7am cleaning stalls. It’s not crazy to me because it’s what I love to do. When you have a passion for something you throw your heart and soul into it.  You should be excited about your job. If everybody came to work un-happy the office environment would be rather unpleasant. Find people to work with that have a passion for what they do. Trust me; you’ll be much happier working there if you do!

I’m proud to have various barn employment opportunities listed on my resume as I feel there is a lot of valuable things to be learned working at an equestrian center. I’ve learned so many important lessons while working with horses that I can carry with me anywhere I go in life.

Humble

You know when you get to the point that you think you've got everything figured out? You begin to get a little cocky about yourself, think that you know it all and have got it under control? It's easy put yourself on a pedestal. Everyone is guilty of it at one point or another. Luckily for me I have a history in horseback riding which I believe is one of the most humbling sports around. Anytime I get a big head about myself I've got a 1500 pound animal that quickly reminds me that there are bigger, more powerful, things out there besides me. For example last week I was doing a trial ride on my trainers horse Octivian. Things were going pretty well and we started jumping around. This is where I made the mistake of letting my guard down because I thought I was in complete control. The next thing I knew I was face first into the ground covered in dirt and rubble. I'm not saying having confidence in your abilities or being proud of your skill sets is a bad thing. I'm just saying it becomes a bad thing if you let it give you a big head!

I'm learning very quickly in the work place that the act of being able to humble yourself to others thoughts and opinions is very important, especially when you're working in groups on a project for a client. Just the other day I sat in on a meeting about the design of a website that CH&B created that is set to be launched soon for a client.  Different people have each taken up different parts of the website to work on. The designers created the actual layout and design of the website while others were in charge of the copy. The point is that I'm sure there were a lot of ideas thrown around about the design and what the site should say. With everybody certified in their craft whos to say whos idea was better to use? I can't answer that question as I wasn't there for the inital creation of the website, although I did sit through an 1.5 hour meeting where we debated back and forth things that needed to be changed. If the majority of the room wanted to change something that's what happened regardless if the deisgner or anybody else didn't like the suggestion.  The goal is to create a website that will benefit the client, not satisfy the creative desire of one member of the team.

There is always something new to learn from each other. Sometimes your idea will be great, sometimes somebody elses will be better. Have pride in your work but also keep an open mind and humble yourself to others.

Nothing Special...

Today has been a typical day as an intern. I was assigned the task of once again updating old client databases and searching for each company on various social media sites. It is interesting in the advertising world because somedays things are crazy and you don't get a second to catch your breathe...other days...well it would be nice to have a fouton in my office to take a nap! The good news is that I was asked to ride my project horse today in the early afternoon so I'll be leaving CH&B around 2pm. I don't want to sound like every day I'm in a rush to get out of here, because I'm not. But...when you're sitting at your desk and its bright and sunny and beautiful outside who doesn't want to go home?

Creating a Brand Image for Yourself

You know the saying “Another day, another dollar?" Well, for me it's "another day, another 8 hours of working."

Over the past few days I have had a lot of people asking me why I accepted an unpaid internship for the summer. With tuition bills, rent and utility bills for my new apartment, and just general living expenses adding up I understand why so many people would be curious about the decision I have made. I took some time to think about my personal choice and came up with the conclusion that it is for my own brand image. Eventually we will all graduate and have to market ourselves to potential employees. I could have been a waitress, babysitter, or worked in a movie theater among many other options college students can choose from. In no way do I intend to discount the work ethic and value that goes into a job I have previously stated, as I know those jobs are valuable work experiences, although when considering how I wanted to brand myself for a job in advertising, actual experience in the field was what I thought fit best.

Brand Image is one of the most important parts of having a successful product. If you have a poor reputation you will most likely not be the first choice of the consumer. You can have a great product but if you don't have a great image to back it up than it's pretty much worthless. We live in a world where everybody wants the best of the best, a product that will satisfy all of their needs, wants, and more! I'm hoping this internship will give me a leg up on the competition as I am gaining valuable knowledge about the Advertising Industry that you don't get from working at McDonald's. I was sent an article today about Pepsi and how they are using green environmentally friendly cups to promote their brand image. This article really hit the nail on the head in terms of how people respond to products when they give themselves a positive image. Their goal is to put themselves above Coca Cola, who came out with a plant bottle made from 30% plant materials, and make more sales with their completely biodegradable cups. You can check out the article here: http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2011/05/23/PepsiCo-Green-Cups-Launch.aspx In essence, I have the same concept. Make myself look better and more desirable than the competition.

Interestingly enough, this concept also ties in with what I’ve spent many hours working on this week. I was asked by CH&B to go through their portfolios of old and current work and set up albums on Flickr and Picasa to display what they’ve worked on. This includes examples of direct mail, Print Ads, Brochures, and Corporate ID. It was my job to take the examples and set them up on various photo sites so that CH&B has a quality representation of their work online. The goal? Obviously to showcase CH&B’s work in a tasteful manner to build a positive image of the work CH&B puts out. It’s not rocket science but it is a very important, sometimes forgotten, part of advertising.  You can check out some of CH&B’s work that I have put together here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/campbellharringtonbrear/

So really I guess my new motto should be “Another day, another 8 hours put into building my brand image.”

The beginning...

Just a week ago I embarked on a 507 mile journey from Novi, MI to York, PA. You might ask yourself why choose York as a destination? If you're traveling that far you might as well go somewhere nice like a beach, a national monument, or a state park. After all it is Summer vacation! Well, summer vacation isn't really on the schedule for me this year as I was hired as an intern for a local Advertising Agency in York, PA called Campbell Harrington & Brear.

As my friends are taking exotic vacations and soaking up the sun, I'm soaking in as much information from the agency as my brain and notebook can hold from 9am- 5pm while working a second job as a stable hand for FCS Equestrian Center in the evening and on weekends. And you thought studying for finals was hard...haha just kidding! Although it seems like a lot to have piled on my plate for the Summer, I am extremely blessed to have such oppertunites. Unfortunatly, a lot of people still don't recognize the fact that a college degree isn't enough anymore to land you the job of your dreams. Real world experience is the best thing to have on a resume you send out to a future employee and I am so greatful to CH&B for the oppertunity!

I've been working as an intern for a week and all of the staff at CH&B have already made me feel like part of the team. It's great working with a smaller agency because you really get to know the people you are working with. Not a day passes by where someone doesn't come to my desk and chat with me for a few minutes. Even the president himself makes sure to stop by every once in a while!Talk about good networking!!! I've been included in every meeting and discussion that takes place here as well as already having a list of jobs that I take care of. Last Friday I presented what I've been working on in one of the production meetings. It was awesome that they let me chime in and update them with the progress I've made. Another unique thing that I've picked up about CH&B is the way the praise each other when something good happens and kindly but constructively fix or  critique each other when something isn't perfect of needs to be changed. It's refreshing to see that in a work place as unfortunately that isn't how it works in a lot of other  places.

Right now I am working hand in hand with Stephen Marcum CH&B's Director of Media Strategy. It's easy to tell he has a passion for what he does! He can't keep from smiling  every time he is teaching me something new! It's awesome to see someone getting excited about teaching somebody else what they do! Only a week has gone by and he has already taught me so much about SEO (search engine Optimization),  creating a successful website, and social book marking which are all good things to know for advertising in the future! He's got an amazing sense of strategy and detail , despite the fact he called me Lindsay the first few days I worked here, and is leading CH&B successfully into the future of social media advertising. Oh, and he's got my name right now too! :)

As of now my duties include updating CH&B's large portfolio of previous and current work and placing it on Flickr and Picasa. This puts it online where people can access it. What makes this extremely effective is that I've been posting the links to CH&B's twitter pages with a little description of what each piece of work is. Besides that I am working on building a following on Twitter for the company and I've brought us 5 new followers since last Wednesday! I've also dipped my feet into social book marking with the help of Stephen and successfully submitted CH&B's blog post about our political advertising for Craig Trebilcock when he won a seat for Judge to several social book marking websites.

Well that's about it for today!