Dipping my toes in agency life…

Well, I’m over the halfway point in my internship with TracyLocke. In a pitter-patter of nervous heartbeats, a rustle of sketchbook papers,  and the blink of an eye, it’s already flown by so quickly. And in just two months, I’ve had the opportunity to learn so much from my colleagues, peers, and myself. I’ll be unpackaging the experience here on the blog over the next few weeks, but I wanted to start with the big picture.

One of my primary interests in applying at TracyLocke was the opportunity to see how an agency lives and breathes in the real world. And I’ve caught a snippet of everything from the quietest whisper to the loudest roar. Let me just tell you, it’s an exciting time to be an intern at TL. TracyLocke (under the commendable guidance of CEO Hugh Boyle) is making some big strides in the ad industry, and in their own 100+ year brand history.

Incredible step forward numero uno: TracyLocke has gone global! With offices now all across the world, TL is poised to jump up to a whole new level of advertising prowess. For a “small” agency (as far as big agencies go), this is a massive step that is sure to put TracyLocke on the map (literally) all across the globe. What a crazy experience to be an intern at such a pivotal moment in TracyLocke history! Check out our “Welcome to the TracyLocke family” videos here: https://vimeo.com/131797557, and get a peek at our beautiful offices all over the world here: http://tracylockeglobal.com/.

Incredible step forward numero dos: not too long ago, Hugh called both the Dallas and Wilton offices to a mega video chat (meaning: you know something insane is going down). Via Skype, he informed us that TracyLocke won the SC Johnson account (!!!). It’s pretty amazing to be in the room when news like that is announced… for a small agency like TracyLocke to put in the talent, skill, and unbelievable hard work to win a giant like SC Johnson is truly astounding. I can’t believe I got to celebrate this win during my time with TL – and I certainly won’t forget the feeling! Read about the big news here.

Other cool happenings? Somewhere in between happy hours, bowling outings, and beer carts, TL got a really snazzy new website!

Don’t forget to check out the Buy Design video, which tells you (in a beautiful, drool-worthy animation) exactly what TracyLocke stands for. It’s been pretty amazing to watch the Buy Design philosophy in action over these past couple of months.

Of course it’s not all fun and games – just mostly. But of course, there have also been some low points. As in any agency in an industry as fluid as ours, business comes and goes. People come and go. But what an incredible opportunity for me to understand how TracyLocke handles the bumps in the road and surges onward with an ever #forwardmomentum.

I’ve gotten to see some high highs, and some low lows. Which, as a novice to the ad industry, is the best scenario for me. Even though those roller coaster peaks and valleys may not happen everyday, this industry is packed with twists and turns and an ever-changing landscape. I wanted the chance to understand the dynamism of agency life, and that’s exactly what I got.

Can you believe I only have 16 days left? It is a little odd to start juggling the ideas of class schedules, textbooks, and apartment decor. I’ve become accustomed to a totally different lifestyle… it’s going to be strange to shift gears again in the fall! More coming up on my duties as an intern (you won’t want to miss these silly selfies), learning type from Cory Say, and of course my lettering “side projects.” Thank you as always for reading!