Innovation Internship | Elevencom
2024
In July 2024, I interned at advertising agency, Elevencom, as a junior creative. This internship was full of enriching learning experiences that stretched my creative skills beyond the typical boundaries of my discipline in product design. By immersing myself in the cultural and operational fabric of Elevencom, I aimed to understand the dynamics of the advertising industry, build a professional network, and identify potential career paths that align with my passion for creativity and innovation. Observing and understanding the organisational structure, workflows, and interpersonal dynamics provided valuable insights into how creative ideas are cultivated and executed within a team in industry. Enhancing my design thinking skills involved transferring and applying innovation and creative intelligence methods from my product design background to the advertising sector, fostering a mindset that is adaptable and versatile. This cross-disciplinary approach helped to broaden my creative toolkit, preparing me to address complex challenges, provide innovative solutions and set a strong foundation for a successful and fulfilling career.
In studying innovation and creative problem solving, I believe that my time spent in an internship should give me an indication on how I can make a real impact in industry. ‘Me in Industry’ illustrates my goal to bridge my creative methods and knowledge with existing industry practice to pave a new path for innovation.
With Elevencom, I had many opportunities to practice my creative skillset in idea generation for ad campaigns, participate in field work at a Domino’s Australia photoshoot, complete brand strategy research for oncoming clients, and refine my skills in visual communications using Adobe Suite.
I had the opportunity to ideate and present my creative development for a major client, Perfection Fresh Calypso Mangoes, to the Elevencom team in a collaborative pitch meeting. This was a pivotal moment, as it was my most anticipated project during my internship at Elevencom, where I was eager to showcase my creativity and strategic thinking. The presentation was designed to showcase my response to Perfection Fresh’s creative brief for their 2025 seasonal campaign. The brief required innovative concepts that would elevate the brand’s visibility and engagement during the mango season, focusing on ‘irresistibility’ and the unique attributes of the Calypso Mangoes. To prepare, I thoroughly researched the brand and target audience. I employed the ‘Crazy 8’s’ ideation strategy to generate a wide range of ideas, which I then refined to ensure alignment with the brand's identity and the brief's objectives. I then selected the most promising concepts and crafted a visual and narrative presentation that would clearly communicate the creative direction and its potential impact. Prior to the presentation, my ideas were reviewed by the Art Director, who provided valuable feedback that I used to further polish the concepts.
The presentation was well-received, and my approach of sharing all ideas—both polished and in-progress—led to a productive discussion. The team appreciated the fresh perspectives I brought to the table, and several of my concepts were shortlisted for further development. This experience not only strengthened my creative process but also demonstrated the value of collaborative ideation and constructive feedback in achieving a successful campaign.