I MAIP'ed It Happen

This past February, I was honored to be selected as a MAIP Fellow, founded by the 4A's Foundation. MAIP stands for Multicultural Advertising Intern Program, which allows students of color to intern for an advertising agency or brand for the summer while also participating in workshops, networking events, and so much more. At the beginning of June, 400 MAIPers and I set off on a start to the summer of opportunities.

I was fortunate enough to be selected by Havas Media Group to work virtually as a Biddable Intern, where I learned the ins-and-outs of Programmatic and Social buying. I even ended up being a Programmatic Trader for a couple of weeks, buying inventory for Gold Bond, Xyzal, and Jose Cuervo.

Now that my internship and fellowship are coming to an end, I wanted to take this time to reflect on my journey by re-defining the MAIP acronym.

M is for Marketing. As in, without picking this career path, I never would have been a part of these unbelievable experiences.

I started community college having no idea what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I tried graphic design and contemplated architecture until I realized that physics was not for me. I took a couple of business courses and discovered marketing. It combines the creativity and problem-solving that I loved from graphic design and business into one option.

A is for Amiable. As in, everyone I met along the way this summer was incredibly amiable and kind to me.

I am thankful for the relationships I've made thus far. My coworkers and managers at Havas Media welcomed me to the team like I was one of their own. I made friendships with three MAIP/Havas Interns that I'll stay in touch with after this summer ends (shout out to Sydney, Janelle, and Edina). MAIP has allowed me to connect with so many industry professionals along the way, including my supportive mentor, Grace.

I is for Interesting. As in, this whole summer was interesting.

Because we are still in a pandemic, everything has been virtual. Name the event and it was virtual. MAIP labs, networking events, group projects, mentor check-ins, and even the internship itself. All virtual. I was very nervous about this summer due to the nature of this environment. I worried that I wouldn't get the experience I wanted because this shift to online has been a difficult acclimation. Despite this barrier, I grew and learned so much these past several months. I have a new appreciation for the work and effort that goes into being a media buyer.

P is for Projects. As in, LOTS and LOTS of projects.

I had both MAIP and Havas projects. For MAIP, I was a strategist for two 14-person group projects that presented decks to actual clients. The most difficult thing was trying to schedule meetings that everyone could attend. We all worked 40 hours, attended two 2-hour weekly MAIP labs, and had other obligations in addition to these projects. On top of all that, we had to factor in our different time zones. By the end, we were very good at scheduling.

One of my internship projects consisted of creating a brand audit for Havas' creative agency Arnold, where I analyzed 17+ competitors' creative assets, such as TV commercials, videos and socials, and compiled those into a deck. At the end of the presentation, my partner and I suggested where the client's brand could sit among the competitor landscape.

I am beyond grateful for these opportunities that MAIP has brought and look forward to the future ahead. This upcoming Monday is MAIP's Face of Talent where I'll be networking with recruiters in hopes of finding a job within strategy or social strategy.