Rachel Ziner was taught the value of setting goals and achieving them from a young age. To her, tenacity comes after those goals are achieved. Ziner is a Double Dawg, who first earned her bachelor’s in advertising at Grady College before staying this year to earn a master’s degree in Emerging Media through the New Media Institute. Ziner is currently interning as a corporate public relations intern for Golin, which she says has been her biggest accomplishment in the past year. This summer, she interned at McDonald’s corporate in Chicago, Illinois this summer for their in-house agency, Agency123. She currently serves as the director of intern relations for Talking Dog, and is a communications intern for the AdPR department.
Why did you
choose your major?
For my undergraduate degree, I wanted to study something that challenged me to continually be creative and have no two days that were exactly alike. This led me to choose advertising due to the fast-paced nature of the industry and the creativity it takes to be successful. After obtaining this degree, I wanted to learn more about the future of the industry and the role technology plays in modern media, leading me to pursue the Emerging Media Double Dawgs pathway. This program focuses on the intersection of design and technology, teaching me how to leverage new technologies to communicate with audiences differently than before. The knowledge from both of my degrees has made me well-ounded in understanding both traditional and digital media strategy while prioritizing the needs of the target market.
What is your most memorable Grady experience?
I can easily say my most memorable Grady experience comes from my senior year of undergraduate when I was an account executive on the Luckie Health team within Talking Dog Agency. My seven-member team worked all year to develop a research-driven campaign for the launch of the sub-brand of Luckie & Co., Luckie Health. Our team had the opportunity to present at the agency-wide competition, Battle of the Brands, and our case study on our work won 1st place in the competition! I remember feeling so proud of my team and everything we accomplished. It felt like all the long hours had paid off and we were recognized for our success.
Who is your favorite Grady professor and why?
Though she was not my professor directly, Missy Hill is easily the first person to come to mind. This past school year when I served as the director of intern relations within Talking Dog Agency and as a communications intern for the Advertising and Public Relations Department, Missy has been my advisor for both roles. I admire Missy’s work ethic in everything she does for the department and how she always leads with kindness first. She has so much impressive knowledge and industry expertise. I never leave a conversation with her without learning something new. I know I can always go to Missy when I need advice or have questions about the wide world of advertising and public relations. Missy has always been a champion for helping me achieve my goals and I know she’ll be a mentor to me for years to come. I am so grateful to have her in my corner as I will soon be navigating post-grad life.
What does tenacity mean to you?
From a young age, I was taught how to set goals and the value that comes with achieving those goals. When I set out to accomplish my goals, my drive and determination and what brings me to achieve them. To me, tenacity comes in after that, once those goals are accomplished. How can I continue to strive for further achievement? What’s the next level of success look like for me and what can be done to reach that? Tenacity is fighting to continually do better and build the life I want for myself, even after I achieve my goals. Tenacity is continually asking for and gladly welcoming what’s next, even if I know it will be challenging.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best piece of advice I have ever received is “Comparison is the thief of joy.” This means that everyone is on their own path and you cannot compare where you are at in life with anyone else. You will never find joy if you spend all day thinking about what other people are doing or the ways in which they are achieving. It’s better to focus on yourself, take things one day at a time and remember that you are your own person with a unique purpose in life that is not to be compared with anyone else. Instead of sitting around comparing yourself to others, think about what you can do to get yourself to where you want to be. Enjoy the journey that is uniquely yours (and rather than wishing you were in other’s shoes, choose to celebrate the success of others rather than sulk in what you feel you may lack).
What are you passionate about?
Professionally, I am passionate about viewing the audiences my work serves as humans. In the modern age of information, we are constantly consuming media, whether we know it or not. I’m passionate about making this media consumption more enjoyable for consumers – not just another headline or advertisement in their feeds that does not connect with their wants and needs. The exciting thing about this passion is that every consumer is different and consumer desires will change over time. There will always be opportunities for me to consider first the individuals that my work is serving and use that as a guiding factor. I’m passionate about using this human-first approach in building campaigns that bring consumers closer to brands.
Personally, I am passionate about creativity and trying new things whenever possible! I love to try cooking new recipes, exploring new places and most of all crafting new projects to gift to friends and family. I’ve always been very resourceful and had a passion for
flexing my creative muscles whenever possible.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the past year?
My biggest accomplishment in the past year has been landing a job with Golin as a public relations intern, working on the Discover Financial Services and West Monroe Partners accounts. I knew in my final semester of graduate school I was interested in pursuing an internship opportunity to apply my skills and add to my resume before graduating. I applied for the opportunity at Golin, did some networking on LinkedIn and landed the job! I’ve really enjoyed working full-time, remotely, and gaining real-world agency experience while still in school. Having this role has taught me so much about client service and earned media strategy to couple with the emerging media strategy that I am learning my graduate program.
What is an example of a time you used your skills in a real-world experience?
Last summer, I had the opportunity to intern at McDonald’s corporate office in Chicago, Illinois within their in-house agency, Agency123. I mostly worked on account management and project management for a number of internal clients. Throughout my final year at UGA, I acted as an account executive within Talking Dog and for my campaigns class team. In both of these experiences, I learned how to write project briefs and develop KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for the success of a campaign. As the Agency123 intern, I was asked to write project briefs, including KPIs, for a few projects throughout the summer. My manager was impressed with my ability to write such comprehensive and detailed project briefs, thanks to my experiences in Talking Dog and in the classroom. It was a great feeling to be so early in my career and be given an assignment that I already knew how to complete.
Where’s your favorite place on campus and why?
My favorite place on campus would have to be Studio 100 in Grady! I spent so many Wednesday evenings there in the past two years as a member of Talking Dog Agency. I love the atmosphere of the room and always know I will be surrounded by talented, creative and overall awesome people when I’m there.
