Week 7: Team Work

Addison Whitney has several departments that provide different services to clients, yet they still collaborate together. These departments are verbal branding, visual branding, brand strategy, and research and analysis. Above these four branches, there is the project management team which works more closely with clients and arranges schedules. Within each department, everyone works individually on projects and then comes together as a team. This is an ideal set up for creative work. In the verbal branding department, when we have a creative project for a client, the project lead (the verbal branding associate heading the project) sends out a naming strategy brief to the rest of the verbal team. Each team member then creates a list of names that they then send to the project lead. The lead then compiles the names together. The lead and a project manager then select the names that will be presented to the client.

I personally love this office dynamic. I enjoy being able to work independently and as a team. It makes each day different and exciting.

This past week I presented a speech to the office in a public speaking series that’s been running on a weekly basis. I was slightly nervous since I was the first intern to deliver a speech. However, I had just taken a public speaking course this past semester, so I was feeling pretty confident. My speech was focused on the process of creating blank canvas names. A blank canvas name is one that has no overt references to the product of service. Even though it’s a ‘random’ name, it still has to follow the same screens as other names and meet the client’s expectations.

After my speech, I received positive feedback from people both in and outside of my department. It was a great feeling to know that I did well on a speech I put together outside of work. It was also great practice for presenting in an office environment which I had never done before. I’m excited to begin yet another week of learning and experience!