Grady InternViews: Katie Barber

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.  

Katie Barber is a fourth-year advertising student working with NBCUniversal as a Bravo Brand Marketing Intern. Read on as she provides insight into what this internship looks like.

Briefly describe your internship and its associated responsibilities.

This summer I interned at NBCUniversal as a Bravo Brand Marketing Intern in New York City. My responsibilities on the Brand team spanned two key areas: Brand Growth & Innovation and Show Promotion. Basically, my time was split between show-specific promotion and overall Bravo brand marketing. I supported my team in conceptualizing, developing, and executing eight campaigns for Bravo original series mainly focusing on the upcoming new seasons of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and The Real Housewives of New York. I helped with campaign planning by creating internal marketing decks for executive approval and partnering with creative agencies on large-scale Bravo events. As a Bravo fan, it was a dream to get the chance to work so closely with the team.

What opportunities did you have during your internship?

I had the chance to assist the Brand Growth & Innovation team in planning and executing the second-ever Watch Party by Bravo, which featured an advanced screening of a brand-new episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County. We hosted Bravoholics and influencers in NYC for sneak peeks of RHONJ and MDLLA, cocktails, taxi swarms, exclusive merch, and appearances by everyone’s favorite Bravolebrities. I sourced and engaged influencers, ensured event adherence to Tresemmé brand guidelines, helped manage talent, and assisted in the production of merch. This event was no doubt a highlight of my summer.

What skills and knowledge have you gained from your internship?

This internship taught me how important teamwork is in bringing a campaign to life. I sat in on meetings with people from research, strategy, social media, brand, paid media, public relations, finance, creative, multiplatform, and production teams (oh my!). Every single person had an important role to play in executing these wildly successful marketing plans. Observing and watching what happens live (IYKYK) in these meetings opened my mind to all the careers and job titles available to us as Grady graduates. Don’t dismiss an internship title because it isn’t exactly what you pictured—there are so many incredible roles out there just waiting for you to apply.

What is one piece of work you are proud of creating in this role?

I had the opportunity to complete a competitive analysis on a marketing campaign of my choice. I selected the campaign for House of the Dragon Season 2 by Max and HBO, which aired this summer. They executed a massive out-of-home, in-person, online, and digital experiential marketing campaign called #RaiseYourBanners, where they raised CGI banners across NYC. I fully fleshed out the campaign and then presented this competitive analysis to my entire team, concluding with innovative suggestions for how we can promote upcoming Bravo shows. I received very positive feedback for my presentation, with my team highlighting how thorough and confident I was. This project was a lot of work but I am so so proud of the final result.

How have you balanced this internship with college?

Honestly, it was hard. This summer, I was part of the AdPR NYC: Experience and Exploration program through Grady while also serving as the program fellow. We took a summer class called PR in Large Markets, taught by the amazing Rachel Mierzwa. On top of my internship and class, I also wanted to find time to explore the city, spend time with friends, and recharge. The biggest piece of advice I have for balancing all your responsibilities is to make your calendar your best friend. For me, that was my Outlook calendar—it was a lifesaver to see both personal and professional commitments all in one place! Another big lesson I learned this summer is that you simply can’t say yes to everything; you have to be selective with your time and ensure you aren’t overcommitting yourself (still working on this one).

What challenges have you overcome in this role?

When I initially started my role, I found it very hard to balance both of the teams I was working under. I had two supervisors, one on the Show Promotion team and one on the Brand Growth & Innovation team. At times, both teams would request work from me simultaneously. Initially, I really struggled to speak up and ask which assignment to prioritize and what the deadlines were. As I started to understand the team dynamics more, I had to learn to advocate for myself, recognizing that it is not my supervisors’ responsibility to know the full breadth of work I was handling. I learned to ask for specific deadlines and prioritize tasks by creating a shared Slack channel with both teams. This helped me immensely in ensuring I was delivering top-tier work for both teams while understanding what needed to get done and when.

How has the Grady curriculum you’ve taken prepared you for this internship?

Tom Cullen’s ADPR 5920: Public Relations Communications absolutely prepared me for my role on this team. This course forces you to learn how to manage long-term deadlines, balance multiple assignments simultaneously, and, most importantly, how to write concisely. One of the biggest compliments I received this summer was on my ability to sum up complicated topics and campaigns into a short amount of text that effectively relays the message in a marketing deck. Professor Cullen continuously challenged me to improve and grow in my concise writing, and I am forever grateful for the way he pushed me to develop.

Who is one Grady Professor who has inspired you?

Kim Landrum has been a huge inspiration throughout college. Fun fact: I have never actually taken a class with Professor Landrum. I first met Kim during my freshman year as a member of the event planning committee for PRSSA. Kim is the academic advisor for PRSSA, and we first connected during our bi-weekly runs to the Grady College attic to grab cups, ice, and food for events! Even as a freshman, I remember chatting with Kim on those Tuesdays about the classes I was taking or the internships I was applying to. Kim was always there to listen and offer encouragement whenever I was panicking or stressed about my future career path (I can be a bit dramatic). She always gave the same advice: keep working hard, be kind to everyone you meet, and trust that everything meant to be will be. I am so honored to now be working alongside Professor Landrum as the President of PRSSA this upcoming year! Come say hi to us at our first meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 3 (InternView exclusive!).

What advice would you give to someone looking to apply to similar internships?

Start building your personal brand now! Remember that every professor you meet, career fair you attend, interview you have, and friend you make in class is an opportunity to create a connection and leave a lasting impression. Use the Grady alumni network, come to PRSSA meetings (shameless plug), join clubs, go to office hours, and network as much as you can! People want to help those who show they care—so care! And the motto I live by is this: someone has to get the job, so why not you? Be the person who makes it happen and don’t downplay your strengths!

How has this internship influenced your future career?

This internship has had a huge impact on my career aspirations. For one, I’ve fallen in love with New York City and am now determined to find a way to move back. It has also solidified my interest in the marketing industry while highlighting areas where I need to improve my skills. I’ve realized that I can’t be in a purely creative role and that I do my best work when balancing both creative and analytical tasks. I’ve identified gaps in my knowledge, particularly in digital analytics and programmatic media planning, which is why I’m enrolling in courses on both topics this Fall. I’ll be honest, I’m still figuring out exactly what I want to do, but I’m trying to be patient with myself and trust that everything will work out as it’s supposed to.

How Did you find out about this internship?

I always knew about NBCUniversal and their internship program but was never set on a career in the entertainment industry so had not given it much thought. At the time, all I knew was that I wanted to be in New York City and gain some experience in the marketing industry. A family friend suggested I reach out to her mutual connection who worked in marketing at NBC Sports. I cold messaged her on LinkedIn and asked if she had a few minutes to chat about her role. During our conversation, she asked if I was interested in any internships at NBCU and offered to refer me to a few different applications, one of which was Bravo! I know it can be frustrating that referrals and networking have such a big impact on internship offers, but don’t let it frustrate you—let it help you!

Edited by: Shannon Lorusso, sel67411@uga.edu