The Monigle Internship Experience

In Part Two of this series, Sean Roper and Michael Rardon discuss what it was like being interns at Monigle.

As we enter the final weeks of our internship we have begun to reflect on our time at Monigle with great admiration. Since our first post, we have participated in a number of projects that have given us a new perspective on branding and we have learned from a variety of experiences.

Michael: I essentially started as a blank slate at Monigle, with a minimal understanding of branding, and I am leaving with knowledge that I could not or have not (yet!) learned in school. For instance, I completely stumbled through my first brand architecture assignment due to a misunderstanding of its overall objective; however, with the leadership of the Strategy and Insights team I was able to better grasp the concepts contribute to many more projects.

In addition, I participated in marketing communication audits, status calls, naming concepts, marketing assignments, research, and presentations. I also worked on a semester-long project that explored the distinctive tools and frameworks Monigle uses to present to clients. Out of all these experiences, the one that stands out the most is a project to name a new product. Watching the project develop internally, and working alongside the client, was very exciting. It taught me about the importance of verbal identity and brand expression. I can truly say over the last four months I have learned an incredible amount about the branding industry.

Sean: In my time at Monigle I was able to work on many projects, from naming and tagline development to marketing communication audits. My experience feels special because it was so hands on. I was even asked to help research SEO options, which initially did not go smoothly due to my lack of technical knowledge in this area. However, I worked through my frustration and by the time I was done I was a little closer to being an expert than a novice―making this “struggle” a great learning experience.

However, the experience that I value the most is the time I spent on a project team for a regional healthcare organization that recently went through a merger. I was able to see firsthand how Monigle guides a client through a brand architecture project, from contact to discovery and exploration, and ultimately to presenting findings and giving recommendations. It was an invaluable professional experience that was unlike any I have had thus far―because it allowed me to experience the life of branding professional for a short time.

Michael Rardon and Sean Roper are Monigle’s spring 2014 interns. You can learn more about them in Part One of this series.

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