My internship journey began in Australia. There, next to surfing and traveling, I started looking for an internship in marketing, something I was always wanting to do. As time flew by, I found myself back in my home country, only one hour away from my birthplace in Starnberg, near Munich. It was there that I embarked on my first job in the field of communication, starting my internship at INSTYLE Productions, a successful international marketing agency.
During my first weeks at my internship, I was tasked with supporting strategic marketing, designing campaigns, and managing social media for Williams Racing – England’s representative in Formula 1 (F1) and our biggest client to that time. However, this should soon come to an end. Just two weeks into my internship, rumors started within the agency that Williams Racing was no longer satisfied with the recent marketing outcomes. This also reflected in conferences with Williams Racing which grew more tense and the lack of information we were provided with about the upcoming schedule.
We worked harder and harder to counteract the inevitable. We brainstormed new campaign ideas, reached out to celebrities and artists for collaborations, and organized press days with Williams Racing’s drivers, Alex and Logan. Unfortunately, despite our hard work and numerous creative ideas, Williams Racing what started as a rumor became reality. Williams Racing decided to end our partnership from one day to another. The three years of close collaboration came to an unexpected and abrupt halt.
While I was only part of the team for two weeks and was shocked by the sudden ending, my boss (see image on top, left woman), who had dedicated her life to Williams Racing’s marketing, experienced a profound loss. The shock reverberated through the entire team, and its aftermath became evident within two weeks. The loss of our biggest client led to the termination of one colleague’s contract due to financial constraints. Two weeks later, another colleague had to leave. We started as a team of five but had now shrunk to three.
During this challenging time, I reflected on the crisis management lectures I had attended in corporate communication. I pondered how I could best support the agency and help us recover from the loss we had experienced, what to communicate to collaborating brand ambassadors and to all our remaining clients.
What is next? Was probably the most commonly asked question these days. The agency’s owner made the strategic decision to focus on her startup, which focused on sustainable supplements called OneChoice. Alongside other small projects such as designing an underwear campaign for Triumph, a photo shoot for Bugatti, and a video campaign for Sensodyne, we dedicated ourselves full-time to OneChoice. It was clear… it must be a success.
In hindsight, the loss of Williams Racing was both a blessing and a curse for me as an intern. I quickly became the sole social media manager for OneChoice, gaining more responsibility and creative freedom. This opportunity allowed me to showcase what I had learned throughout the three years of studying communication science. Thus, despite the internship taking a complete turnaround, I transformed from being just an intern to a full-fledged employee in only three months.
What I learned in my time as an intern? Sometimes things are going a different way but this does not mean it is necessarily bad. Be open for new ways!
When one door closes another one opens.