From day one, I felt a persistent feeling of anxiety about whether or not I was doing everything correctly or even if I was asking too many questions. Thoughts like, “Is my work the best it can be?” and “Am I spending too much or too little time on tasks?” constantly ran through my mind, creating a whirlwind of uncertainty.
However, this anxiety and fear of the unknown in the professional world isn’t all too new. As a first-gen college student, I’ve always struggled to explain my undergraduate experiences to my parents—whether it’s explaining what my major entails, the details of my school projects, what my classes are like, or my internship role. Unsurprisingly, it’s been more difficult to convey the uncertainties of my first professional internship. However, by learning from and working alongside Amélie’s inspiring and passionate professionals on impactful and important cause projects, the anxiety I once felt has grown into a strong confidence and understanding that I can contribute boldly and meaningfully to the dynamic business world as I move forward in my career.
As I reflect on my wonderful experience this summer, it’s important to start at the very beginning, during my very first week. I was able to attend a shoot day, gaining access to a unique behind-the-scenes look at the creative process. I gathered firsthand insight into the collaborative work that drives successful advertising campaigns. Shortly after, I attended Colorado Ad Day. Through this event, I had the opportunity to sit in on the “Together We Thrive” session with Bernice Chao, the founder of the global non-profit organization Asians in Advertising. This experience reinforced my passion for marketing, highlighting how diversity in advertising creates a deeper understanding of the nuances of varying communication messages and audiences, leading to more successful, creative, and authentic advertising messages. This experience solidified my sense of belonging in this field and in this space, reminding me that my perspective is valued.
The first week truly laid the groundwork for the rest of my summer, as I jumped in right as the Social Account intern. I was quickly entrusted with my own intern campaign project at Amélie, where I dived into advertising processes, including research, briefing, and kicking off meetings. This experience allowed me to co-own a campaign with my fellow intern (and fellow CU Buff!), Courtney Brown, while simultaneously contributing to company accounts such as Keep The Party Safe, Lift The Label, I Matter, and CDOT’s Bustang. This dual responsibility gave me hands-on experience managing a project independently while supporting broader company clients across various campaigns and timelines. I attended meetings where I interacted with executives, clients, and vendors, refining my communication skills and client relationship management skills. Additionally, these meetings offered valuable insights into the overarching campaign development process, from ideation to post-campaign analysis.
With each project and task across all the accounts throughout the summer, I engaged with a toolbox of resources that strengthened my tactical marketing skills. This hands-on experience enhanced my understanding of essential platforms and software for overall productivity, digital marketing, account management, and media management. I utilized software tools such as Brand-watch, Google Looker Studio, MailChimp, and Meltwater and learned the importance of creating a comprehensive brand image and communication that engages audiences across multiple touchpoints.
One of the accounts that I leveraged this toolbox was for Colorado Consortium’s Keep The Pary Safe, an overdose prevention education campaign where I focused on content creation, research, and partnerships. I engaged directly with audiences and created organic social media content on-site at a large-scale music festival called Global Dance Festival. The interactions I had with audiences at this event showcased how the campaign deeply resonated with individuals and the importance of cause marketing in saving lives. Through my experience, I learned that partnerships are vital to the success of cause marketing campaigns within various communities. I was able to leverage my previous experience as Brand Manager for CU Boulder’s entertainment and music council to establish a partnership between the Keep The Party Safe campaign and CU Boulder.
Additionally, I found that research plays a crucial role in informing broader strategies and shaping campaign insights. Two key research projects that I applied this to were the analysis of the Colorado Lotus Report and the development of a company-wide accessibility guideline. For the Colorado Lotus Report project, I conducted in-depth report research and analysis to provide valuable insights into AANHPI (Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) communities in Colorado. This project allowed me to learn from meaningful work that directly impacts communities I identify with and contribute my insights. This experience not only deepened my understanding of AANHPI issues but also helped me develop skills in research and cultural analysis, which are crucial in creating authentic and resonant social change campaigns. Creating the company-wide accessibility guideline taught me the importance of considering diverse needs from the outset, further broadening my perspective on inclusivity. My research work on this project highlights that effective communication in marketing goes beyond messaging—it also means ensuring that audiences can access and engage with the message. These projects at Amélie have strengthened and deepened my commitment to fostering inclusivity both within Amélie Company and a broader society.
Not only have I developed my tactical marketing skills, but working at Amélie has allowed me to learn from a team of dedicated and empathetic professionals whose expertise and guidance were vital to my experience. My journey with Amélie began even before my internship, thanks to Royer Lopez, a former CU Buff, with whom I initially networked to learn more about the company and its mission. This initial connection paved the way for me to work directly under the guidance of Account Manager Julianne Collins. The guidance from Julianne has been instrumental in shaping my experience at the agency, inspiring me to embrace and practice a strategic and empathetic approach in my work and, broadly, my career. Her ability to lead with expertise coupled with compassion has been a motivating model of leadership, teaching me how to balance tactical skills with an empathic understanding of the client’s needs and the campaign’s goals. Whether it’s through innovative ideas, collaborative feedback, or a shared passion for making a difference, the entire team at Amélie has profoundly influenced my development in the field of marketing and advertising.
My internship experience with the Amélie Company has been a new journey of personal self-discovery and professional growth. From beginning with seemingly insurmountable feelings of anxiety to leaving with stronger confidence, I am beyond grateful that I have started my professional career with Amélie. I’m grateful to say that it’s truly challenging to capture every person, project, or task I interacted with and learned from, as my experience has been filled with a wide range of experiences and contributions that have spanned multiple teams and campaigns. I’ve gained experience assisting and learning about the creation of campaigns that drive awareness, shift behaviors, and advocate for important causes. Thank you, Amélie Company, for kickstarting my career and equipping me with the skills and authentic perspective needed for future leadership roles in the professional world!
