Hello Hello - An insight into my internship at True

Over the last four weeks, I have taken an internship at True, during which I have experienced a concise insight to all aspects of the agency world and been immersed in the fast-paced, creative yet structured environment True runs to ensure its success.

Now seems like a good time for a little introduction... hello hello, my name is Jack and despite growing up in the home counties, I am going into my last year of university at Florida Tech, made possible by receiving a Tennis Scholarship to play on the team and study Business Administration/Marketing as a Student Athlete. Balancing sport, study and social commitments gets pretty hectic and as a result of this I have not yet had the time to carry out an internship. So I am very thankful to Richard and the Truees for providing me with this incredible opportunity.

My time here was loosely structured by a week within each department at the agency; Strategy & Planning, Business Development, Creative and Account Management. I cannot list all of the things I have learnt during my time at True, honestly! I tried to take notes to reinforce what I have absorbed, but this generated an amalgamation of scribbles crammed into my notebook. The week that I felt most at home and enjoyed the most was my third week, assisting Rob Ganguly - what a legend! What a name!? Rob is a Senior Creative Copywriter at True and has years of experience with a large hall of fame, working on famous and successful campaigns. The freedom of the creative department appealed to me and seeing an idea be turned into adcepts and a fully-fledged campaign is extraordinarily rewarding.

From the outset I tried my best to step lightly and not voice all of my opinions like I normally do, to know my place and just keep my head down and crack on with what tasks I was given without getting in the way... This lasted for about 3 days, my inner self was encouraged to come out and I started to back myself to use initiative and contribute to discussions. The culture of open communication within True allowed me to freely voice my opinions and ask for more valuable and important jobs as time went on.

Communication, communication, communication. It is widely known and accepted that communication is key and fundamental within any business or any relationship at all for that matter. True have nailed it. To start every day, we hold a ‘Scrum’ (team meeting) to all go through, collectively and together, what we have to achieve by the end of the day and plan our time respectively. Taking 15 minutes out of the morning to do this is well worth it, as all being on the same page allows for a strong force to move in unison towards the goal. “No Man Left Behind.” a True Truth which is built upon communication and teamwork. If someone needs help, you give it. No matter what you need help with, serious or trivial (how to work the coffee machine), no matter how much they have on their plate, they will drop what they are doing and help, right then and there. A sensational culture to be a part of.

“The Best Idea is Boss.” Another True Truth that highlights the fantastic relationship the staff here have, is that everyone is involved with brainstorming – and everyone’s input is heard. It does not matter if the idea were to come from the Creative Department or me as an Intern - the best idea will be taken forward selflessly and with respect. There is a family here at True. A team, all striving for shared goals.

The openness to all inputs in my first ever brainstorm was so captivating for me, and not what I expected. There is no hierarchy - it is a level playing field with the goal of doing the absolute best for the client’s success. A new voice, a different view and a fresh face is always a useful asset in creative fields as well as other industries. Allowing my inner self to come out to play a little more as I was becoming more confident worked a treat and, as a result of this, some of my very own creative copy was turned into reality - which I think is pretty bloody cool.

“Work Hard, Play Harder.” My final True Truth for this blog, one which I will carry forward into my future career path, whatever that may be. Agency life is mental, utterly mental. The pressure, the pace and the expectation of perfection is extremely demanding. However, Truees allow themselves to take a break, go out and have a good time - as a group. I have had some memorable evenings in my time here, big ones. ‘Enjoy yourself, see you at the 9:15am Scrum.’ Not rules, but expectations. This is True... the real deal.

I cannot thank the Truees enough for all of their help and welcome, accepting me with open arms. It has been an unforgettable experience and the potential prospect of being here permanently in the future, if they let me, is special.