The statement, “I’ll be starting my internship this summer,” has come out of most college students’ mouths at one point or another. Most people hear this and immediately have negative presumptions about what an internship entails—weeks to months full of coffee runs, filing papers, having limited creative freedom and sitting at a desk all day with no real tasks to do. Ahh, the intern life.

When it comes to Adcom, assumptions about internship life couldn’t be further from the truth. The Adcom team was determined to create a lively and authentic space that enriches its interns and provides unique opportunities unlike other prospective internships. The Future Marketers Program is a four-week curriculum that offers a well-rounded and intellectually stimulating experience for future marketers, all while fostering an environment full of support and growth. At Adcom you gain real-world work experience alongside intentionally curated education.

Now that my time in the program is over, I can confidently say that my co-interns and I had an unparalleled experience. What we all assumed would be “just another internship” turned out to be one of the most rewarding, enticing and transformative opportunities I’ve had. Between learning from the best of the best and being out in the field to shooting content, there was never a dull moment in the program.

Acquainting Myself with the Program and the Culture

My two main internship goals and hopes were that the people I worked with over the next four weeks (both co-interns and Adcom staff) would be kind and supportive, and that there would be a true educational experience offered. For this brand-new program, Adcom partnered with its client, Destination Cleveland, for an incredibly innovative and engaging internship opportunity.

Destination Cleveland, a local nonprofit organization that aims to promote Cleveland to those near and far, wanted to utilize our knowledge as Gen Z students in creating quality content. Our goal was to do research on our target audience (Gen Z, specifically college-aged students) to showcase the appeal of coming to Cleveland, whether that be for a summer trip or a permanent stay. Over the following four weeks, we worked with Adcom and Destination Cleveland staff members to display Cleveland’s charm, authenticity and liveliness to show people that Cleveland is an incredible city.

• Week One: Eat, Sleep, Educate, Repeat

  • From guest speakers, including professors from The Ohio State University’s Fisher School of Business and former and current company presidents to account specialists and creative directors, our first three days were full of invaluable education.
  • Within 72 hours, I had extensive knowledge on topics like strategic planning, concept development, creative briefs and performance marketing, all with real-life accounts to back it

• Week Two: Where Exploration Meets Engagement

  • Groups of 4 interns were given two locations to visit, shoot and produce videos for social media. We had creative freedom in our projects for Destination Cleveland, as they truly value that we are the target audience they want to communicate with.
  • Future marketers explored the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Whiskey Island, Progressive Field, Huntington Beach, Great Lakes Water Sports, the Flats, and the Foundry—combining real-world experience with the production of content.

• Week Three: When CapCut and Canva Became My Best Friends

  • Our assignment began to take shape in week three with the editing of our videos and the creation of our pitch decks.
  • From value mapping to influencer recommendations to strategies, we combined the creative aspects of copywriting and video editing with the analytical side of marketing to create a well-rounded deck for our client.

• Week Four: Pitching to the Client

  • Did someone say dress rehearsal? The groups practiced and perfected our pitch before the official presentation to Destination Cleveland with group leads and the Adcom team.
  • We highlighted our research, creativity and knowledge from the lived experiences we had over the past three weeks and created impactful pitches that the client loved.

My Transformation and Takeaways from the Internship

Entering this program, I knew none of my co-interns, I was terrified about my lack of knowledge on the principles of marketing, and I hadn’t yet found my love for the city of Cleveland. The Future Marketers Program at Adcom didn’t just provide me with marketing skills, SEO knowledge or help spark my creativity—it helped transform who I am as a person and as a Clevelander.

During our final dress rehearsal, our CEO, Joe Kubic, asked my group what we thought would entice Gen Z to visit Cleveland. I told him how the project changed my perception of Cleveland. Within four weeks of my internship with Adcom, I did and learned more about the city I have lived in my whole life than ever before. I visited both new and familiar places, like the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Flats, but also pushed myself out of my comfort zone with activities like kayaking on the river. My prior indifference to the city quickly blossomed into care and love for the place that has been right outside my door all along.

 Watch Sophie's personal rediscovery unfold. Check out the video here

This project quickly showed me just how important authentic marketing is, especially for Gen Z. Without this program and the opportunities, it had for me, I would never have realized just how special my city is and the power of real, relatable participation for creating effective marketing. One of the greatest benefits of internships like The Future Marketers Program is your chance to gain genuine insight while garnering real experience. Don’t shy away from the best internship program out there—instead, join us at Adcom and experience it for yourself!

Are you looking for an engaging, authentic and unique internship experience? Contact the Adcom team to learn more about our internship programs and how we help future marketers navigate the field. We’re always looking for ambitious and attentive students to add to our team.

About the Author:

Sophie Corbissero spent her summer as a Copywriting Intern at Adcom. This fall, she will be attending her first year at Emerson College in Boston to obtain a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. As a lover of all things, words, language and organization, she is constantly trying to find new ways to produce engaging and fresh work.