1.17.2013

ADPR Internship Spotlight: Channing Jones


Channing Jones
Channing Jones, a junior majoring in marketing and advertising, is from Atlanta. 

Where did you work? This past summer, I was the Marketing & PR Intern for Lovell Communications, a firm that specializes in marketing, public relations, and crisis management in Nashville, TN.

What were your responsibilities? The assignments ranged from responding to ProfNet queries (from PR Newswire), research and media/social media monitoring, using Cision and MyEmma software, handling a social media account, and posting and authoring posts for the company blog. I also had the opportunity to meet with clients and participate in brainstorming sessions for businesses, primarily in the healthcare industry.

What valuable information or skills have you learned at your internship?
I learned so much valuable information from my internship at Lovell, I actually wrote a letter to their future intern with some tips! My experience highlighted the importance of prioritization and time management: it is critical to understand what projects are time-sensitive and to work your to-do list in order of priority.

What activities are you involved in at Grady/UGA? I am currently the Professional Programming Chair for the UGA AdClub and schedule professional speakers in varied advertising and new media backgrounds. I also work with the VP to plan two
Atlanta agency tours for the club each semester with three agencies that vary in specialization and scope. I am the Account Executive on the PHIL account with Talking Dog, Grady’s student-run ad agency, responsible for facilitating group collaboration as well as overseeing the development of marketing objectives and tactical executions of promotional pieces. I feel fortunate to have been selected and paired with a professional mentor via the Atlanta Broadcast Advertising Club and Alliance for Women
in Media in a mentorship program for Grady students. I also volunteer weekly with UGA Newsource, the student-run daily broadcast news segment on campus, and I have served as a mentor with Shop with a Bulldawg (SWAB) for the past two years.

What part of your Grady experience (classes, professors, etc.) has been helpful in
your internship? All of my advertising and marketing classes prepared me for my internship because I was familiar with industry jargon and was also aware of emerging media trends. Semester projects like developing a creative plans book and pitching an actual client in Dr. Kirsten Strausbaugh-Hutchinson’s Advertising Message Strategy class provided me with insight into the agency-client relationship and a comprehensive understanding of campaign development.

What was the best part of your internship experience? I was treated like an employee at Lovell and given assignments that really allowed me to leverage my writing skills and creativity. I was given billable work and gained much of my marketing and public
relations insights through osmosis. Living in Nashville pushed me outside my comfort zone, and I had the opportunity to spend my summer with some really talented professionals.

What are your career goals? This summer, I hope to obtain an internship in marketing and/or advertising. I am very interested in account management on the agency side of advertising and am determined to pursue opportunities in both Atlanta and New York.

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