Week 8, Cool and collected

Week of Feb 22-26, 2010

Tuesday 9.30-1.30=4 hours

Hours left for credit 166-4=162

Back on today, with finishing up the Advanced Academics outline. Just trying to get it done right, I talked with Allison earlier, and she said that we should meet later to see how everything was going, I don't want to let her down.

Dallas, last Friday was fun, I learned a lot about the advertising world in the big city, it seemed a lot more high paced, maybe it was just the city itself. I do not want to discount what I am doing here at Visual Image, because there are days here that seem just as stressful, it's just that the agencies we visited in Dallas, were much bigger, than VI and maybe that's why there was a different feel in perception.

Thursday 8.30a-12.30p=4 hours

Hours left for credit 162-4=158

This Advanced Academics thing is getting old. I cannot wait till I am finished with this project. Allison wanted for me to have it finished by today, but i do not think that is going to happen. As I have said before, when I give the finished outline to her, I want to make sure that it meets beyond her expectations. So i am just plugging away at the same stuff today, it's getting redundant, but it is productive.

In the other part of my life, school to be more exact, as always the things are hectic as always, but i think they are cooling off in the sense that I have a better grasp on what is needed to get finished with the projects/assignments. It's either that, or I am just getting used to the workload.

What really though is the fact that I work Wednesday nights, at Kamps nightclub, as a bartender. I usually stay at a fellow bartender's house at the end of the night, instead of driving all the way back down to Norman, to alleviate the fact that I have to drive all the way back up just a few hours later. The point I am trying to make is that I get three hours of sleep, and it is starting to grind on me. There is an up-side to it though. The fact that I am sleeping on a couch and not my own bed, helps me get up, in the morning as oppose to continuously pushing the snooze button. Even though I am sleep deprived, what sleeping on my friend's couch and not my own comfortable bed does for me, is get me in here bright and early to tackle the day. On Thursday mornings coffee is a Godsend.

Friday 8.30a-11.30a=3 hours

Hours left for credit 158-3=155

Today is hectic up here, clients are coming in for meetings all day, everybody is running around. I am just staying quiet and doing my work, especially when I am here for only a few hours today. So I started the day off with an email to Allison, letting her know that I did not have the outline finished. She is totally fine with that and re-itterated the fact that it is just ongoing work, but she did meet with me to check on my progress. I showed her all the info I obtained, and she seemed very impressed. I just worked on getting all the info into the finished document. I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with this project and I am getting eager, I have figured out how to streamline all the relevant information, and properly source the info.

It's really great how everything I am doing in my classes, coincides with all that I am doing here. I feel that it really differentiates me from the other interns, because I come in i know what I am doing, and I feel very confident with my work.

Week 7, Damn its Hot!

Week of Feb 15-19, 2010

Tuesday 8.30a-1p=4.5 hours

Hours left for credit 175-4.5=170.5

So it's still cold in OKC, but i am feeling hot as hell, please excuse the reference, I have so much going on that i am not sure up from down. My reason for feeling so hot is mainly because of school. My Advertising Research class, along with my Account planning class, are equally just as much work, so I feel that i am working double to get through with both. Next Allison, here at VI, just let me know that she wants to wrap up the Advanced Academics project. I am to type up a finished outline of everything i found, and she put a tentative deadline on it, for next Thursday. Here is my problem, I don't know what information she wants, and what she does not want. It's kind of like being in Professor Avery's class when he tells you he wants something done, isn't really specific about what exactly he wants, you turn in the assignment, and then he takes off points for not doing it to specifications he wanted , but did not tell you about. I do not want to let Allison down, nor do I want to extend the deadline. I am trying to keep it all together.

Thursday 8.3oa-1p=4.5 hours

Hours left for credit 170.5-4.5=166

Just working hard on finishing this outline. I don't have much to type about today, other than I am really learning about stress and multi-taking...for real! I am trying to work double time, because i will not be here in the morning, our Account Planning class is going down to Dallas, to visit some Advertising Agencies.

Week 6 Stress!

Week of February 8-12, 2010

Tuesday 8.30a-12.30p=4 hours

Hours left for credit 181.5-4=177.5

So still working on the Advanced Academics project. I have found lots of info, so much that I am having a hard time deciphering what would be relevant info, and what wouldn't. Allison asked me to make an outline of the information that I have found out so for, especially concerning Broward County. On Thursday they have a meeting with Advanced Academics, and are going over the preliminary plans to open the market in Florida. I could feel some tension in the air, everyone was busy pounding out their work, and trying to get their projects put together, to run for advertising spots. When i walk in, and everybody has their heads down, and nobody is talking, I know it's go time to get at it, and start grinding away.

Thursday-missed this day, because I am stressed out with all the work that has to be done in all my classes. My account planning class, and Advertising Research class are stressing me out, I have project after project due. The second we are finished with one thing, something else is already due. In some small way I appreciate the fact that I am staying busy, because this is how it's going to be in the future. The only difference is that I won't have to be juggling a lot of things, work, school, my internship, and homework. Hopefully I will just have my one job, and that will be the only thing i have to focus on.

Friday 8:30a-11a=2.5 hours

Hours left for credit 177.5-2.5=175

Talked to Allison today, and she told me that her meeting went well with Advanced Academics. There was not much talk about what i had been studying, just other facets of the campaign. So I continued to work on research. Today was pretty uneventful, I wrapped up the morning by running an errand for Account Executive, Deana Paulson, I was to pick up some media pics from one of their photographers, and run it to her client for First Fidelity bank, then I headed back to Norman, for class. I am not looking forward to this weekend, I have tests and projects due Monday. My weekend is going to be filled with studying. Maybe next week will be a little bit smoother, and hopefully sunnier.

Week 5 Feeling the heat

Week of Feb 1-5, 2010

Tuesday 8.30-1=4.5 hours

Thursday 8.30-1=4.5 hours

Friday 8.30-10.30=2 hours

Total for the week 11 hours

Hours left for credit 192.5-11=181.5

This is a little bit of a shorter blog, I am just going to sum things up in one paragraph, for the whole week, instead of blogging about daily experiences.This week has been really pushing the envelope so to speak, not necessarily here at Visual Image but all together, school, work, and my internship, has been a bit trying on my schedule, and more so my mind.

First off, in school my group has this presentation to do in my Account Planning class next Monday. My group has been working really hard to get all the research and reports finished. We have been spending lots of time at Gaylord prepping for our presentation.

At Visual Image, I have still been doing lots of research for Advanced Academics. To review for you, I am researching three counties in Florida: Alachua, Lee, and Broward, where we are opening up three new markets. I have found that Broward is the biggest county, and most densely populated. I have focused more of my research on Broward, because we are more likely to grab some of their market due to the greater population. I have found this website askalibrarian.com, that I found when I was using google to find out info on Broward County schools. This website was awesome for research, and I have never quite used anything like it.

I am sure most states have the same kind of system, but this one is the first time I used it. I first thought where is the best place to go to find out any information, the library. So I found a link to Florida's library system webpage. On the Florida public library system website, I found this feature where I was able to have a real-time chat with a librarian, Vivian Paine. I connected with her, and explained to her my objective. Within 10-15 minutes she sent me seven links to relevant websites where I could find the info I needed.

On Thursday Allison and I sat down with each other, and i went over with her all the information I found. She was pleased to hear that I found some of these websites, and said they would be very useful for the final presentation. So I feel that I have been doing a great job, and really feel motivated, and that I am in very supportive surroundings in the Advertising Industry.

That's it for this week. Wish me luck on my presentation!

Week 4, Working hard!

Week of 1/25-1/29, 2010

Tuesday 9a-1p=4 hours

Hours left for credit 201-4=197

Worked on Advanced Academics research. I have found a website, called greatschools.com that gives lists of all the schools in each state, and gives reviews of the schools as well. i found some really good stuff about what schools might be performing well, and which ones are not. The schools that have bad reviews we are trying to grasp some of their market, by letting them know they have other options, with Advanced Academics.

Thursday 8:30a-1=4.5hours

Hours left for credit 197-4.5=192.5

Worked on Advanced Academics research and left early because of the Snowstorm. Friday the office was closed for the same reason. One more thing, after I left Debra Kos went into labor that afternoon, and birthed a beautiful boy.

Week 3- Start of school, Still keeping up on the Internship

Week of Jan 18-22

Thursday 9a-1p=4 hours

Hours left for credit 208-4=204

Today I was a little late, my car broke down on the highway, my battery died while i was driving, and my car shut down. This meant that the alternator went out, and my battery drained. Luckily AAA came quickly and we towed it to my mechanic. He had a spare car I could use, while he was taking care of mine. I let Debra know what was going on, and she was fine with the situation. Luckily I was only an hour late.

At VI I finished typing up my notes on the Social Media Webinar from the week before. I was then asked to run another errand for them. Last week in one of the morning meetings i heard creative talking about how they were designing a t-shirt for Christ the King School, in North Oklahoma City. Coincidently, that is where I attended elementary school. I picked up the T-shirts delivered them, and headed back down to VI. The t-shirts looked great by the way, and everyone was pleased.

Friday 8:30-11:30=3Hours

Hours left for credit 204-3=201

So when I get to VI i am immediately put to work. VI made the welcome brochures for Casady High School. The brochures were folded out into a cross shape, on each wing of the cross, there was information printed about the school. When going through the brochure they noticed that there was a mistake in the printing, on the bottom part of the cross, so they had to cut that wing off, re-print the info and use it as a stuffer in the folder, located in the middle of the cross. So now the cross is not really a cross. So I learned that sometimes you have to improvise and deviate away from the original plan. For VI to reprint the whole brochure would cost more money and the deadline would be pushed.

When i returned to VI, Account Coordinator, Allison Abbott put me on he biggest project yet, and I am a bit timid and nervous, I want to make sure I do real well for her, but I am up for the challenge.

Advanced Academics, an online school program, is opening three new markets in Florida, in Alachua County, Broward County, and Lee County. I am to research each school district, finding out about the schools, demographics, and helpful organizations or charter schools that we may team up with to help advertise.

Still Excited and Eager-Week 2

Week 2, 12/11-12/15, 2010

Breakdown of 2nd week at Visual Image

Tuesday 2pm-5:30pm=3.5 hours

Hours left for credit 230-3.5=226.5needed

To become more acclimated and acquainted with the Accounts team, on monday morning I sent all them an email. In the email I let all of them know that I am eager to learn from all them, and that I would gladly accept any work they gave me to keep me busy. I encouraged to give me anything simple or hard, or even errands to run.

When I arrived in the afternoon, at Visual Image, I found out that Shannon from the Colorado Springs office has given me a task. For "Earth Month," in April, I was to come up with different ideas on different tasks that could be used n order to conserve energy, or different tips for recycling. I also came up with different activities that could be used in the campaign. For example Shannon told me about how they did a blackout in Colorado, and participants all turned off their lights and used candles to for their source of light for a period of time, in order to conserve energy. I started researching and typing up a document of energy saving tips, promo ideas, and activity ideas that could be used in the campaign.

Wednesday 8:30am-5:30p, 30 min lunch=8.5 hours

Hours left for credit 226.5-8.5=218 needed

I continued to research and type up the document on "Earth Month," and finished it by lunch. In the afternoon there was a Webinar (Seminar on the web), over social media and how its uses are transforming the way we advertise, and how we should use different forms of the media. Debra Kos asked me to type up notes on the seminar.

Thursday 12p-5:30=5.5hours

Hours left for credit 218-5.5=212.5

Today started out with running another errand for VI. When I came back to the office, I am continued to type up notes on the Webinar, from the day before.

Friday 1pm-5:30=4.5hours

Hours left for credit 212.5-4.5=208

Today I searched the internet for relevant articles regarding what's happening in the Advertising industry. There was much news about the earthquake relief and relevant writings regarding the Carribean Cruise ship that docked on the other side of the Haitian island. There was muych talk about how Carribean Cruise lines will be affected by this publicity.

I also talked with Greta whose account is the "Stop Smoking" campaign. For the past couple of days they were organizing opportunities for an outside marketing group to go to different bars in Tulsa to start spreading the word of "no smoking". I thought this was cool, because I learned about marketing groups that did this type of stuff in my Principles of Marketing class. Only they used it for clothing campaigns, but they used the same principle. The marketing group would gather the trend setters of their community, and they would then build of team to spread the word about a certain product or in this case, to "stop smoking". I did not ever know how that was set up or how stuff like that was organized. To have the insight brought me closer to the industry, and I became excited about my future career of choice.