Grady InternViews: Blake Campbell

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

Blake Campbell is a fourth-year Journalism student interning with TBWA \ Media Arts Lab as an integrated media planning intern. Read on as he provides insight into what this internship looks like.

Briefly describe your internship and responsibilities.

My internship is in media planning and buying at the Media Arts Lab, Apple’s only advertising agency. I work alongside the Apple TV+ Strategy Team to develop audience insights, approve programming, and aid in creating media plans for every title presented to Apple.

What does the structure of your internship look like?

I am remote Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I work in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

The communications field is all interconnected. Advertising and journalism are in the same college for a reason. However, both specialize in different aspects. My struggle has been with trying to reframe my mindset. Instead of working for a general audience and making it digestible, I am doing the opposite. I have to understand my audience to then target them specifically and balance that with digestibility.

What has been your favorite part about your internship so far? Tell us a story if you have one!
Blake Campbell stands in front of the doors to TBWA \ Media Arts Lab
Campbell enjoys how this internship diversifies his skills in journalism and advertising. (Photo: Submitted)

My favorite thing has to be the people. Everyone I have worked with has been so nice and welcoming. I have been included and contribute to just about everything, so I don’t feel like a stereotypical intern, but a part of the team. That, or the in-house barista is a big sell.

How have the classes you’ve taken at Grady prepared you for this internship?

My classes focus heavily on audience interaction with our writing. As a journalist, you want whatever you work on, from broadcast packages to stories to social media promotion to be accessible to any audience. It is the same in media planning. You want the audience to interact with the campaign the same way.

What’s your advice to other students looking for a similar opportunity?

Finding jobs is all in the way you market yourself. As someone in a different but related field, I saw my journalism skills presented in different areas. Apply for programs that align with where you want to go, not only what you are currently capable of. A willingness to learn and perseverance can take you lengths farther than hard skills.

How will this role guide your future career path?
Blake Campbell stands in front of a colorful wall while traveling to Pasadena.
Campbell took a trip to Pasadena while living on the West Coast for the summer. (Photo: Submitted)

This role has given me a new perspective on the communications field. I think it has made me a well-rounded candidate. I am increasing my skill set so that I am competitive.

What’s your career goal?

I am aiming to become a creative director at a communications or publishing company.

What lessons will you take back with you to the classroom in the fall?

My analysis skills of different audiences and the hard skills I learned on the job, like Excel and Google Insights.

How has this role helped you discover what you are passionate about?

Everything is a step closer to wherever you end up. I think what I have learned is that my heart is in design. In this case, presentation design and trying to design campaigns for our target audience.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Try everything! Either you end up loving it, or you have learned something new about it and yourself.

What’s your favorite part of living in LA for the summer?

I think it’s definitely the weather. As cheesy as it sounds, the temperate weather without excessive humidity is so refreshing. I’ll work outside sometimes because it is so nice.

EMST students network with alumni and creatives in Los Angeles

The opportunity to network and learn directly from the experiences of alumni and industry professionals is one of the key advantages of study away programs. Entertainment & Media Studies students have spent nearly two months in Los Angeles as part of the Grady LA Field Study program, and the following recap follows along one week of the program. It was written by Laurena Bernabo, assistant professor and lead instructor for the LA program which included 24 students this year.


Kathryn Kostovetsky stands at the head of the table talking as a group of eight students listen.
Kathryn Kostovetsky (AB ’18), associate producer at 51 Minds Entertainment, shared her experiences moving to Los Angeles after earning her journalism degree.

The week started with guests in Tuesday’s class including Grady alumna Kathryn Kostovetsky (AB ’18), associate producer at 51 Minds Entertainment, and Lisa Steele, a three-time Emmy award winning producer for “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” who earned her fourth nomination just that morning. Students were excited to learn more about the career opportunities that exist in the world of unscripted television production.

On Wednesday night, Emmy award-winning television writer Ellen Plummer sat down with a small group of students who specifically want to write for film and television. Plummer shared wisdom from her years writing on “Friends,” as well as general advice for succeeding as a writer in Hollywood. After her talk, she gave feedback as the students practiced pitching scripts they are currently writing.

The next evening, the class guests were Matt Solik, a “baby writer” for “9-1-1: Lonestar,” and UGA alumnus Brent Fletcher (ABJ ’98), established television writer and current showrunner for “Superman & Lois” on the CW. Though Solik and Fletcher met only minutes before class started, it seemed the two had been best friends for years; their chemistry was amazing, and the students learned a lot while sharing many laughs.

The week concluded with two exciting excursions. On Friday morning the group traveled to the Disney Studios lot to meet with UGA alum Mitch Powers (ABJ ’96), vice president and general manager for D23, the Walt Disney fan club. After an exclusive tour of the lot, Powers and his colleague, Patty Miranda (ABJ ’13), shared their exciting work with D23 and answered student questions. Later that evening, the group was hosted by UGA alum Jace Cook (ABJ ’90) and his wife Rachel O’Connor, an executive producer at Pascal Pictures. While students chowed down on pizza and cupcakes, Cook and O’Connor shared their career trajectories including Cook’s many years at CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and O’Connor’s success with the recent Spiderman films and “Little Women.”

Jace Cook and Rachel O'Connor talk with students outside. A grove of palm trees is in the background.
Jace Cook (ABJ ’90) and his wife, Rachel O’Connor (far right) talk with students after a dinner they hosted.