Working as an intern at KSA Marketing + Partnerships can only be described as a professional experience like no other. From its Tide Mill converted to office space, to its incredible staff of eight heroes, KSA embodies what it means to stand out. Since they are a company that provides marketing services, their unique brand fits perfectly with one of their company objectives: to ensure their clients are set apart from competitors in a way that successfully engages the target market. In the case of hiring interns for the spring semester, I believe I was in their target market and KSA most definitely stood out to me.
The reason I applied for this internship was because I had the privilege to hear KSA’s founder, Katie Schibler Conn, give a presentation at my school last Fall. Katie’s story of her journey to founding KSA was such an inspiration to me, I felt like I had to apply to their spring internship program. Once I began interning in January, it was clear I was going to experience marketing in a hands-on fashion. As an intern for the Global Client team, I was given the opportunity to see how KSA tackles working for a client as big as PepsiCo. When I joined the team, they were in the midst of working on Pepsi’s #ForTheLoveOfIt campaign. I was intrigued by the team’s incredible attention to detail and strong relationship with the employees at Pepsi who were also working on the campaign.
One experience I had at KSA that speaks strongly to what it is like to work here was when I sat in on the meeting with the KSA Pepsi team and Katie to reflect on the campaign after it had been launched. This occurred in February, so I had only been working at KSA for a short time. However, I felt comfortable enough to answer some questions of why I thought the campaign was such a huge success. I believe the reason I felt like I was able to offer my opinion was because of the openness and collaboration that was encouraged in the office every day. The emphasis that each team member at KSA, including the interns, are valued and respected is another factor that makes KSA stand out among the rest.
Another valuable experience I was able to receive at KSA was learning the inner workings of gaining a new client. During my time at KSA, they were hired by a workforce development program in Massachusetts called MassHire, specifically for the manufacturing programs. This was especially interesting, because it was something I had not learned about previously. One contribution I gave to KSA once they gained this client was a competitive analysis. Completing this analysis, as well as attending the meetings which discussed the work we would be doing for the client, gave me a very clear understanding of what it takes to market for a new client while staying true to the client’s brand and objectives.
I am profoundly grateful I was given the opportunity to work at KSA, and feel like a valued member of the team. My advice to anyone who is considering an internship at KSA is: do it. The reason for this being you never know what new and exciting clientele will be in store for KSA. Additionally, their welcoming environment and incredible work ethic will prove to be a wholistic intern experience.