As I come to the end of my 10-week placement at DPR&Co, I have been reflecting on the questions that were running through my mind at the beginning of this journey: Would I feel out of my depth? How much of what I had learned at university would apply in agency life? And what new insights would I walk away with?
Now, with my time here drawing to a close, I can say my perspective on marketing, and on myself, has shifted in ways I couldn’t have imagined back in week one.
Back in my first week, I wrote about how surprised I was by the “human factor.”
Ten weeks later, that observation has only deepened. Marketing theory teaches frameworks, funnels and processes, but none of that matters unless we understand the people behind the businesses and the people we work with everyday. At DPR&Co I’ve seen first-hand how interpersonal dynamics drive outcomes, how the refining of ideas through vibrant discussions can snowball into something brilliant and how a mix of diverse, motivated individuals can craft solutions no one person could come up with alone. The culture here encourages freedom of thought, ideation and perspective and in that environment creativity thrives.
I have also had the opportunity to contribute to projects that helped improve the way the agency itself runs. From working on ways to centralise information and make files more accessible, I’ve learned that value isn’t just created in shiny final campaigns, it is also built in the everyday operations that keep an agency strong. Understanding this balance of creativity and organisation has been one of the most eye-opening parts of my time here at the agency. Experiencing the end-to-end process of an agency-client relationship was another unique and valuable experience. Meeting new, potential clients at trade shows, through referrals or even bold outreach, watching how those relationships evolve over time, I have seen the behind the scenes process of how one brand lines up with another and an agency like DPR&Co handpicks each client as an opportunity for growth, both for expanding the agency brand and also for growing and developing the client brand to become more dynamic, innovating and successful. Not every connection becomes a long term partnership, but when it does, it grows from mutual trust, collaboration and delivering on promises. Observing how the team navigates these relationships, keeping both trust and creativity alive, has been invaluable.
Looking back, I can confidently answer the questions I asked myself in week one. Yes, there were moments when I felt out of my depth, but they quickly became opportunities to learn. Yes, what I studied at university helped me understand marketing, but what I’ve learned here is how to actually do it, how to move from theory into practice in a living, breathing environment. And perhaps most importantly, I’ve discovered how much I value working in a space that embraces individuality, collaboration and bold thinking.
As I finish up at DPR&Co, I feel incredibly grateful for the people I’ve worked alongside, the insights I’ve gained and the confidence I’ve built in myself through being given the opportunity to create value, take on responsibility and work on things that contribute to a larger picture. I have valued the chances to shadow and work alongside multiple teams in the agency: accounts, business development, digital and creative. Each person I spent time with gave me not only an understanding of their role, but also a glimpse into their mindset and approach to work. My favourite part has been getting to know the people behind the titles and seeing what makes them tick: the questions they ask, the priorities they hold, the values that filter the way they see the world. I have realised that being good at your role isn’t just about skills.
It’s about bringing your whole perspective and whole unique person to the table. This experience has not only shaped how I see marketing but has given me a clearer view of the kind of professional I want to become. I can’t wait to take these lessons with me into my career and I will always look back on this internship as a defining step in my journey from student to real-world marketer.
Written by Isabella Mellado – Monash University