Here's how you can excel in a Creative Strategy internship.
Landing a Creative Strategy internship is an exciting opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of innovative thinking and strategic planning. As an intern, you're expected to bring fresh ideas to the table while learning the ropes from experienced strategists. To excel, you'll need to demonstrate a unique blend of creativity, analytical skills, and eagerness to learn. Whether you're a student or a young professional, the following insights will help you navigate your internship with confidence and make a lasting impression.
Curiosity is your most valuable asset in a Creative Strategy internship. Approach every task with a desire to understand the deeper purpose behind it. Ask questions, seek out new information, and don't be afraid to challenge the status quo. This inquisitive mindset will not only help you learn more but also show your supervisors that you're invested in understanding the intricacies of creative strategy. Remember, every question is a stepping stone to a deeper understanding of the creative process.
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Trent Robertson, MBA
Senior Product Strategist, Researcher, and Designer
Be passionate, curious, and respectfully outspoken. Don't think only you have the answers, which means being an active and thoughtful listener. Keep your eyes on the strategic big-picture (which can be tough for those who love doing the actual creating). But above all be true to yourself and stay positive!
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Jahangir Umer
Writer | Creative | Content Producer | Communication | Documentary maker
Asking questions leads to more knowledge. If you want to ace creative strategy domain, never stop researching. Possessing extensive knowledge will open ways to understand and deliver the concept to the best of requirements. Seek the right answers, analyze them and see how your ideas can enhance the already happening practices. Staying curious will take you places. Start with listening and observing. Study how pioneers of the industry are approaching the matter. Initiate your process from there. Look towards your supervisors, ask them. Discover their exercise and take notes. Creative strategy will always be incomplete without your own insight. Trust yourself and own your work to stand out.
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Gaurav Pawar
Senior Digital Marketing Executive @GIC | Social Media Creative Strategist, MARCOM
Basically, be super curious about everything! Ask tons of questions, dig deep into stuff, and never stop wondering why things are the way they are.
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Iris R.
Excelling in a creative strategy internship involves a blend of creativity, analytical thinking, and proactive learning. Start by mastering the basics: familiarize yourself with the company's brand, goals, and target audience. Stay updated on industry trends and competitors to generate innovative ideas. Communicate effectively with your team, being open to feedback and collaboration. Take initiative on projects, showcasing your problem-solving skills and creativity. Utilize tools and resources to enhance your strategic thinking. Lastly, maintain a positive attitude and a strong work ethic, demonstrating your passion and dedication to the field.
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Keyonnia Small
brand strategist | educator of subcultures | maip & adfellow alum
Curiosity doesn’t stop when the workday ends. Budding strategists can cultivate this skill in their daily lives by immersing themselves in things outside of their usual echo chamber. Maybe watch a move you would have never considered. Maybe attend a lecture on a subject you’re unfamiliar with. Avoid passing judgement and simply absorb the new information or experience.
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Jordan Laessig
Creative Director at Mallard Agency | Empowering Creatives to do their Life’s Best Work
Excel in a Creative Strategy internship by proactively seeking to understand the company's goals and projects. Demonstrate initiative by contributing creative ideas and solutions. Build strong relationships with mentors and colleagues, ask for feedback, and continuously learn from experiences. Show versatility by adapting to different tasks, and manage your time effectively. Stay updated with industry trends and showcase your enthusiasm and dedication to the field.
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Reham Majdali
Brand Creation & Activation | Building Stories, Crafting Experiences.
Always try to imagine someone living the situation of the brief you have; what does he look like, what are his interests, how does he think, what does he hate... That would take you miles closer to achieving a very targeted insight. Think people first, so your idea can be matched to your target audience.
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Masha Liokumovich
Corporate Wellness Expert | Vibrant Yoga Helps Companies Thrive | Customized Wellness Programs | Boosting Workplace Productivity & Morale | Let's Create a Healthier Work Environment 💪🏼
Absolutely agree! Curiosity fuels innovation and growth. By embracing an inquisitive mindset, you not only enhance your own learning but also contribute to the team's ability to think outside the box. Asking questions and seeking deeper understanding is key to mastering creative strategy. Keep pushing boundaries and challenging the norm—this is how great ideas are born.
Research is a cornerstone of creative strategy. You must become adept at gathering relevant data, trends, consumer insights, and competitive analysis. This information will inform your creative decisions and help build strategies that resonate with the target audience. Develop a systematic approach to research, and always be ready to back your creative ideas with solid data. This skill will not only impress your mentors but also enhance the quality of your contributions.
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Gaurav Pawar
Senior Digital Marketing Executive @GIC | Social Media Creative Strategist, MARCOM
You gotta be like a detective, dude! Get really good at finding info, analyzing it, and using it to come up with awesome ideas. Google is your best friend here!
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Reham Majdali
Brand Creation & Activation | Building Stories, Crafting Experiences.
Dive into hashtags of similar type of communication, for example if your'e planning on selling jewelry, look through #jewelry #bling #beauty you'll be surprised with how many creative ideas that were already done that you need to avoid to make sure your brand doesn't speak repetivive creativity.
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Joshua Whited
News Producer at KFVS-TV
The more knowledgeable about a subject, the more creative you can be. Finding more efficient ways to do things, inventing ways to improve methods, or even creating content about the subject all comes from knowing the ins and outs of that subject. Take your time, research as much as you can, and the creativity will spark as you become an expert in whatever your focus is on.
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Giselle Carr
Head of Brand and Communications at InPlanet
I love the idea and practice of being a big picture thinker with a love for detail! Data and research have a way of showing the "face" of a big vision; learn how to recognise this when putting the pieces together.
In the realm of creative strategy, collaboration is key. You'll work with diverse teams that include copywriters, designers, and marketers. Learn to communicate your ideas clearly and listen actively to others. Be open to feedback and willing to adapt your ideas to fit the team's vision. A collaborative spirit will not only make you a valuable team member but also enrich your learning experience through the diverse perspectives you encounter.
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Gaurav Pawar
Senior Digital Marketing Executive @GIC | Social Media Creative Strategist, MARCOM
Don't be a lone wolf, yo! Work together with your team, bounce ideas off each other, and create magic together. It's all about that teamwork vibe!
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Giselle Carr
Head of Brand and Communications at InPlanet
Super important to master collaboration early in your career - pay attention to the leaders that lead by listening and amplifying the efforts of others.
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Reham Majdali
Brand Creation & Activation | Building Stories, Crafting Experiences.
Brainstorming takes one idea miles ahead! BUT remember to take note of everything said, because sometimes in the middle of a 4 hour brainstorming session you might connect an idea said in minute 00:11 with another idea said in 3:44, which is where magic can happen possibly.
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Masha Liokumovich
Corporate Wellness Expert | Vibrant Yoga Helps Companies Thrive | Customized Wellness Programs | Boosting Workplace Productivity & Morale | Let's Create a Healthier Work Environment 💪🏼
Collaboration is the cornerstone of success in creative strategy. Working with a diverse team of copywriters, designers, and marketers allows you to blend various perspectives into innovative solutions. Clear communication and active listening are essential. Embrace feedback and be flexible in adapting your ideas to align with the team's vision. A collaborative attitude not only makes you an indispensable team player but also enhances your learning through the richness of different viewpoints.
Critical thinking allows you to evaluate ideas, identify potential problems, and devise effective solutions. In your internship, use critical thinking to assess the viability of creative strategies and their potential impact. This means looking beyond surface-level appeal and considering how strategies align with brand goals and audience needs. By honing your critical thinking skills, you'll become an asset to your team and help create campaigns that are both creative and strategic.
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Reham Majdali
Brand Creation & Activation | Building Stories, Crafting Experiences.
One thing I've found very useful is before diving into a creative idea, get to know your brand, and REALLY get to know it! It's mission, vision, promise, values, core DNA, persona, map it's archetype, research brands from other industries with the same archetype, know your consumer really well, it's perception of your brand and competitive brands in the same industry, basically live the DNA of the brand as if it's your very own soulmate. And depending on those components, just like how you know very well that your best friend will like that red leather bag very much, you'll know that this creative idea will fit that brand like a glove.
As a creative strategist intern, your ability to think outside the box is crucial. Take the initiative to present unique ideas and perspectives that can differentiate a brand in the marketplace. Don't be afraid to experiment with new concepts or suggest innovative approaches to projects. Your creativity is a fresh breath of air for the team, and it could lead to breakthrough strategies that capture attention and drive results.
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Reham Majdali
Brand Creation & Activation | Building Stories, Crafting Experiences.
Think like a child! A child doesn't see a pencil like a pencil, it could be a rocket to him/her. Similarly, when you have a brief, mindmapp all possible visual components, for example, if you wanna promote a smudge free lipstick, map the following: -lipstick -lips -face -finger smudge -smudge -smile Think what smudges then: -message on a white board -melting clock wallpaper -melting cheese And then a weird idea can pop! "Melting only belongs to cheese. Choose a lipstick that doesn't move."
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Xander Simms
Your Daily Dose Of Pure Curiosity 🎨👨🏾🎤 Generative AI Creative Director & Immersive Designer | Influential Voice in Web3, XR & Digital Fashion 🎤🔊 | Gamer & Futurist 🎮👾 Founder of Digital Storytellers Ink
As a creative strategist intern, thinking outside the box is crucial. Take the initiative to present unique ideas and perspectives that can differentiate a brand in the marketplace. Experiment with new concepts and suggest innovative approaches to projects. Your creativity brings fresh energy to the team and can lead to breakthrough strategies that capture attention and drive results. Don’t hesitate to push boundaries; your unique insights are valuable and can significantly impact the brand’s success.
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Masha Liokumovich
Corporate Wellness Expert | Vibrant Yoga Helps Companies Thrive | Customized Wellness Programs | Boosting Workplace Productivity & Morale | Let's Create a Healthier Work Environment 💪🏼
Reflecting creativity is essential in a creative strategist internship. Taking initiative to present unique ideas can truly set a brand apart in the marketplace. Embrace experimentation and don't hesitate to propose innovative approaches to projects. Your fresh perspective is invaluable and could spark breakthrough strategies that captivate audiences and drive success. Let your creativity shine and inspire the team!
Finally, apply what you learn throughout your internship to real-world projects. Take every opportunity to contribute meaningfully, whether it's through brainstorming sessions, creating presentations, or assisting in campaign development. The more you apply your knowledge, the more proficient you'll become in the art of creative strategy. Your eagerness to put theory into practice will not only accelerate your learning curve but also demonstrate your potential as a future strategist.
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Will Palmer
Founder @ Growth Lab. $3M ARR. Marketing. Sales. Law Firm SEO & PPC. Branding. Quintessential Millennial. Happiness is a form of courage.
Soak it Up: Dive deep into what they teach you. Get the theories, strategies, and methods really stuck in your brain. Jump In: Apply what you learn. Whether it's projects or brainstorming, get your hands dirty and try stuff out. Ask for Feedback: Don't be afraid to ask how you're doing. Feedback helps you get better. Learn and Adjust: Look back on what you've done. Figure out what worked and what didn't, then tweak your approach. Stay Curious: Keep that hunger for knowledge alive. Go to events, workshops, anything that keeps you learning. Connect: Build relationships. You never know who might help you out or where your next opportunity will come from. With these steps, you'll be rocking your Creative Strategy internship like a pro!
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Roua Aouni
I help you create strategies that embrace your brand by crafting creative campaigns 🌼 I Junior Marketing Strategist | MBA | B2C I Personal Branding | Consumer Psychology Nerd I Occasional Blogger
Always be open to learn. There is no right or wrong in the industry. It is all about testing out and exploring and learning. Keep track of everything you've learned from your internship journey, it is very important step.
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Christine Elizabeth Cooper, JD-MBA
Marketing executive, creative, + AI advocate
Be vocal. Advocate for yourself and your projects. There are many people around you who are extremely busy and have blinders on as a result. They would probably even love to mentor you or help you a bit, but they won't think to do it on their own. Don't wait for it. Reach out, follow up. Repeat.
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Nuria Pizan
Brand & Creative Director bei SanLucar Company | Taste the SUN ☀️ | LinkedIn Top Voice
Speak your mind. Be active and show commitment. If you contribute unique perspectives, you'll stand out and be heard. Always offer your help and don't be afraid to make mistakes. When you take action, you will make mistakes. You can learn from them. Own your mistakes and say that you have learned from them.
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Zeb Kidd
Freelance Snr Strategist | Social 🤝 Creative 🎨 Content 🎬 Influencer ⭐️
I've always found that knowing one of the board members through your parents has been one of the most effective ways for you to be able to secure an internship at a top agency - maybe try it out!
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Ekta Jas Mathew
Top Social Media Marketing Voice | Netflix Marketing Blogger | Digital Consultant for Iconic Brands
Self-Organization: For any work, you need to be organized with their tasks and small-term or long-term goals. Keeping organized can also help with identification of the lacks and abundance of skills. With this you can learn the lacking ones and hone the existing ones. This works for both your professional and personal life.
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Tom Theys
Executive Vice President Global Strategy
Don't force yourself to be all that you aspire to become. But be all the more what you are today: young and open-minded. Trust me, everyone in the room will envy you for it. Use your own lived experience and be proud of it.
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Kevin Williams
🌟 Imaginative Marketing Solutions🌟Customized Tradeshow Gifts🌟Tradeshow Giveaways🌟Promotional Gifts | Promo, Brand | Branding | Advertising | Employee Gifts | Gift Ideas | Logo Items
In the world of promotional branding, creativity is not just about coming up with unique ideas, but also about strategically aligning those ideas with the brand's message and goals. As an expert in branded merchandise, I can attest that successful creative strategies often involve a deep understanding of the target audience and the ability to predict trends in advertising. Whether it's custom apparel or tradeshow giveaways, every promotional product should tell a story that resonates with the consumer and reinforces the brand's identity.
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