Dana Wantman, Senior Partner & Chief Client and Integration Officer

I missed the opportunity to study abroad in college. It was offered, I was just a bit too lazy, or maybe immature, to take advantage of it – one of my few regrets. You can’t go back in time, but when the opportunity to live and work in Ireland for a month through CP Abroad presented itself, I wasn’t going to miss out again.  

I was lucky enough to be part of creating the Abroad program and I was excited to see how it came to life. Putting the program on paper is much different than really experiencing it. The intention behind the program was a simple one. Create a program that would spark curiosity…live, learn, explore, be inspired, and bring all that back home to share with co-workers and clients.    

So off we went….

We booked short-term housing, sight unseen (for someone with control issues this was a very uncomfortable endeavor), in an area of Dublin called Sandymount, and boy did we nail it – walking distance to the CP Office, the beach, and a great little downtown area where the Pubs outnumbered the grocery stores 4-1. It truly felt like a storybook town.  

One of my favorite parts of this trip was getting to walk to work. Twenty-five minutes of calm and quiet walking through beautiful neighborhoods, with a cappuccino in one hand and an umbrella in the other. I love our office in Dublin – the location is amazing and there’s a great energy. It reminds me of the early days of the CP Boston office when we’d just yell to each other over desks. There’s still great energy in Boston, it’s just different with 80 people as opposed to 40. Getting to work with, meet and just “be” with the team was one of the key motivators behind the CP Abroad program. The team was incredibly welcoming to me and my family. We got great recommendations about what to see, where to eat, how to get around, etc…they made us feel like neighbors, not tourists.

I also had the opportunity to attend an IAPI event (Ireland’s version of the 4A’s). It was a recap of Cannes, and as a community what it would take to have a better showing next year. And rather than people lamenting that the judging was unfair, or that clients were too conservative or didn’t have big enough budgets, it was a discussion around what it would take to be better, to do better work and drive clients’ business… There truly is a close-knit and talented creative community in Ireland. I left feeling excited about what our team could do and how we can inspire the entire organization with the same focus on strategic and creative excellence.

But it wasn’t all work. We did all the touristy stuff too.

• We explored Dublin and the Irish Countryside
• Stayed at a beautiful resort with the most incredible gardens. Truth be told, visiting gardens wasn’t high on my list of priorities, but they were truly spectacular.  
• Played golf in Ireland (bucket list ✔️)
• Walked up the Arc de Triomphe. That’s a lot of steps.
• Shopped along the Champs-Élysees
• River cruised down the Seine
• Went up the Eiffel Tower (only to the second observation deck. Go ahead and judge me, that thing’s high.)
• Got lost in the neighborhoods of Paris. Breathtaking…
• Saw the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Parliament, Piccadilly Circus
• Toured Kensington and Buckingham Palace
• Took a double-decker bus tour
• Shopped in Harrods
• Toured Stamford Bridge

I can’t look back on this trip without a tremendous amount of gratitude and appreciation.  A total immersion into a different culture, the opportunity to meet countless great people and hear their stories, and work alongside some incredibly talented people…. memories for a lifetime.  

I’m excited to bring those experiences and a renewed cultural curiosity back to Boston. 

We started CP Abroad with a simple premise. Create the kind of connections, experiences and curiosity that would inspire our team and benefit our clients. Mission accomplished.

Clióna Gallagher, Client Services Intern

Dear Future CP Intern,

My name is Clióna Gallagher and I am a final-year marketing student at the Technological University of Dublin. As I approach the end of my internship, I wanted to share some advice that I’ve gathered with anyone who is considering pursuing a career in the marketing and advertising field.

Throughout the course of my degree, my professors have consistently emphasized the importance of acquiring authentic industry experience via internships. They stressed that participating would ensure I gain priceless insights and expertise, equipping me to connect my academic learning with real-world scenarios upon my graduation. Engaging in an internship within the dynamic realm of marketing would enable me to discern the specific sector I aim to pursue in the near future.

During my internship at Connelly Partners, I was fortunate to engage in a diverse array of creative activities while also gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics behind nurturing client relationships. Working between the various sectors of the business allowed me to take a hands-on approach to my internship. Whether it be making my cameo debut in a client’s campaign shoot, or conducting exploratory research for a new pitch, I am confident I maximized the opportunities that were presented to me during my tenure here. Given the fiercely competitive and saturated nature of the marketing and advertising industry, it can be daunting to enter. However, the exposure that one gains from working with agencies such as Connelly Partners instills a profound sense of confidence in both oneself and the chosen career path.

Cheers!

Clióna Gallagher
Client Services Intern
She/Her

Anna Grace, New Business Intern

Dear Future CP Intern,

My name is Anna Grace, a recent graduate from Emerson College with a degree in marketing communications. When I was in college, I received advice from a professor about internships, stressing that they are “the cheapest way to fail successfully.” What I took from that is that you should try out an industry that interests you. After your experience, if you don’t like certain aspects of the industry you can pivot. It took me a couple of pivots to realize what skills I had to offer and how I wanted to build upon them.

Working in new business has allowed me to get a glimpse into what the advertising world looks like and how an agency runs. The pitch process is a lot like speed dating because the client meets with various agencies, who present their ideas and what they can offer. After the winning agency is selected, they work with the client to agree on a scope of work and then the team gets to work strategizing, concepting, and physically creating the campaign.  

Getting one’s foot in the door to the advertising industry is a great opportunity and accomplishment, but it can also be stressful. With Fall internship applications coming up, I wanted to write a letter of encouragement with tips for prospective interns from CP’s Summer interns.

Anna Grace
New Business Intern
She/Her

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Seek Out Human Truths

Jackson graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in English creative writing. He shares his experience of being “thrown into the deep end and working in tandem with other copywriters on projects” that challenged and excited him. As he settled into the internship, his goals and expectations were confirmed; he expresses how he “learned to abandon clichés and puns and instead passionately seek out human truths.” He urges those who are interested in copywriting to, “go online or to your local bookstore and buy old One Show annuals, and while you’re reading them, if you get a rush of dopamine that goes straight from the top of your head to the nerve endings in your fingertips, you’re heading in the right direction.”

Jackson Wald
Copywriting Intern
He/Him

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Form Relationships

Maya is a rising senior at Emerson College, studying visual marketing and design. Their passion for marketing bloomed when they took a commercial marketing class. She built a strong relationship with her professor, which turned into a mentorship. Maya acknowledges her mother’s wise words, “don’t ask, don’t get.” College is a space to grow and challenge your curiosity, “be courageous in class, make an effort to speak up and show up as your best self.” Seeking out a professor, mentor, or friend whose guidance you trust is helpful in the career journey. 

Maya Freeman
Strategy Intern
She/They

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Embrace Learning Opportunities

Emma is a rising senior at Boston University, studying Film, Television and Advertising. Prior to her current role at CP she worked in the paid social department in-house for SONY Music. She emphasizes that internships are a perfect way to learn about an industry that interests you. “Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have experience because an internship in advertising is attainable.” For those currently working in a marketing position or at an agency, there are learning opportunities everywhere. Keep an open mind and embrace every experience as an opportunity to grow. 

Emma Provost
Media Planning
She/Her

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Build A Strong Resume

Oceane is a rising senior at Suffolk University, studying Business Economics, Big Data and Business Analytics. She was most proud of presenting on the “deprecation of 3rd party cookies, which was the starting point and guide to creating a company POV on it” at CP this summer.  

Oceane affirms “having a solid resume is important and recommends working with career advisors to showcase skills that match the job description.” The advertising world intrigues her as she likes the “behind the scenes” aspect and appreciates the effort it takes to market a product or service.

Oceane Balya
Data and Analytics Intern
She/Her

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Take It All In

Jenny is a rising senior studying communications at Lasell University. She’s been drawn to production her entire life, as “it has a little bit of everything. I get to see all of the moving pieces come together to help people and collectively make something special and beneficial.” For those interested in production, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of what goes into a successful shoot, and how to edit videos and photos. Her biggest tip for incoming interns is to “take in as much as possible. You may not find your passion in advertising, but be observant and think outside the box and it just might lead you to what you love.”

Jennifer Frechette
Production Intern
She/Her

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An internship or any experience, whether it’s trying a new restaurant or traveling to a new place really is what you make of it. Remember the hardest part is showing up. Feed your inner creativity, lean on people you trust and question everything with intent.

If you’re someone who values empathy, ambition, integrity and curiosity join Connelly Partners and explore what it’s like to work in the advertising world. 

Best,

Anna

Connelly Partners is the sixth-largest advertising agency in Massachusetts, according to the Boston Business Journal. To accompany the annual list of the state’s 25 largest ad agencies, BBJ also shared an interview with Connelly Partners’ Michelle Capasso, Partner and Director of Media Services, and Alyssa Stevens, Director of Public Relations, Social Media and Influencer Marketing. In their discussion with the publication, they reflect on the consumer shift from traditional media sources, like TV and radio, to newer mediums like TikTok and Instagram. They explain the importance of understanding your audience in this new climate and reaching them in an authentic and relatable human voice. 

Read more here.

Check out the complete Largest Advertising Agencies list.

Connelly Partners has reeled in a spot on the AdAge Small Agency Awards list! Our campaign for Gorton’s Seafood has won in the Best Use of TikTok category. We couldn’t be more stoked to be on the list of trailblazing agencies who are leading the way to advertising’s future. 

Check out the full list of winning agencies here. 

From the deep sea to your TikTok stream! We couldn’t be more thrilled to be recognized by AdAge and TikTok for bringing client Gorton’s Seafood’s personality to life on the platform. The winning campaign harnesses the power of a creator-first approach and taps into the viral nature of TikTok to reach a new, younger audience. 

We’d like to give a special thanks to the Gorton’s team for their partnership and for allowing us to bring them into the world of TikTok.

See here for more details about the campaign.

 

 

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

Nearly all institutions, and definitely the ones I have worked at or worked with, are deeply committed to providing equitable access to higher education. While the recent Supreme Court decision on affirmative action will have major effects on many admission offices’ operational practices, higher education marketers need to double down on their efforts to promote their places of higher learning as an inclusive destination for diverse audiences and ensure more BIPOC prospective students enter the top of the admission funnel.

Honestly, all institutions should be undertaking these strategies already but this moment provides us all an opportunity to reassess how we are doing. Here are five actions that are essential to not only deepen your institutional commitment to recruiting diverse audiences, but will also help underrepresented students and students of color, and their families, see that your college/university is, and continuously aspires to be, an inclusive environment:

Showcase Real Representation

Representation matters. And not in a “three and a tree” kind of way where each student is of a different race and they are sitting under a tree on the campus quad working on laptops together. Authentic representation matters. This is a time to be realistic and authentic, not overly aspirational in a way that you are drastically misrepresenting your community and your resources. Show a range of cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and abilities but do not wholly misrepresent your community to set false expectations for matriculating students. If you have not conducted a recent content audit of your materials and stories, review those completed in your past fiscal year to ensure your representation is racially diverse, yet realistically representative. And do not only audit if students of color are represented, but how they are represented.

Partner With Current Students

Word-of-mouth marketing has been the most effective marketing tactic since the creation of humans so why not leverage the advocates that exist within your community? Social media is obviously a tremendous platform to amplify diverse voices and share stories of students from different backgrounds. Whether it’s Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok, encourage student takeovers that allow individuals to share their personal experiences and perspectives. This could certainly include individual students of color but also explore partnering with diverse student organizations on campus. Student organization collaborations showcase authenticity and representation to prospective audiences and provide insight into groups they may feel a connection to and hopefully intend to join.

Target Your Outreach More Intentionally

Public institutions in states such as California and Michigan have incorporated data such as zip codes, districts and other environmental data into their targeting to try and identify populations that tend to be more diverse. I imagine all institutions will further pursue this imperfect practice. Alternatively, there are a variety of community-based organizations (CBOs) and associations that focus on college access and represent diverse student audiences. You should be building relationships and collaborations with these organizations to promote your institution. Discussing and showcasing access and affordability even earlier in the college search journey will be more crucial than ever, especially considering the additional Supreme Court ruling on student loan forgiveness coming directly on the heels of the affirmative action decision. And whether it’s community events, community college partnerships, student conferences or college fairs, focus more attention on attending those prioritizing underrepresented groups. Advertise with those partners and in channels dedicated to engaging diverse communities. Developing new relationships and partnerships, early and often, will lead to more sustainable pathways for BIPOC audiences.

Shine a light on diversity initiatives and resources

Institutions have long supported inclusive environments but their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion has been amplified over the past few years. Most have developed DEI and Anti-Racism action plans in response to increased activism and more attention paid to institutional policies, processes, systems and community response. And don’t share these plans, goals and progress with only your community. Be sure they are available publicly. By showcasing initiatives, programs, student organizations, centers, events, resources and staff dedicated to DEI, you are providing a lens to prospective students and their families into seeing what support they can expect if coming to your institution.

Use Inclusive Language and Messaging

Ensure your marketing messages use inclusive language and resonate with diverse audiences. One example includes using inclusive and neutral emojis in digital communications, or using they/them language when you don’t know an individual’s gender. You want to avoid assumptions and stereotypes and instead focus on the unique strengths and experiences that different backgrounds, groups and perspectives bring to campus.

While the affirmative action ban has put restrictions on race-conscious admission policies, it will hopefully encourage ALL institutions to explore holistic marketing strategies to reach underrepresented audiences. While there are many institutions where the recent Supreme Court decision may not impact their admission process as much as others, there is still no better time than now to audit your marketing plans and reassess how you are reaching diverse audiences. It is a moment to be more critical of how you represent your community and aspire to be a model of inclusive marketing.

Learn more about Connelly Partners Education.

At CP, we are always asking “why?” We’re fascinated and ever curious about customer mood and mindset. Here’s a few observations and constructive fodder for discussion from our anthropology and strategic planning teams from this past quarter.

1. Make It Real
A little experience can make all the difference.

Observation: Digitally native consumers understand & expect technology to be seamlessly integrated in their interactions with brands. New digital tech has enabled more immersive and personalized customer experiences.

What brands can do: Brands need to create more immersive experiences across more points in the customer journey to meet growing expectations.

Sources: AdWeek, Magna Global & CNBC

2. An Entertaining & Reflective Outlet
Validation from knowing what we have is pretty good.

Observation: As humans, we often idolize the world and lifestyle of the affluent. On the back of a time in history where the rich get richer and the masses felt left behind, Succession provided a window into the private club of the elite which left the “have nots” feeling a bit less jealous of the “haves.” 

What brands can do: Brands should help us keep reaching, but also remind us to recognize and celebrate the simplest things that are right in front of us.

Sources: Harper’s Bazaar, Holywood Reporter, Collider & Elle

3. The Impact of Listening
Increasing influence and connection through the airwaves.

Observation: Three out of every four consumers cite podcast hosts as the most influential figures shaping their actions, beliefs and life decisions. Two-thirds of consumers report feeling a “deep connection” to the hosts narrating their preferred podcasts.

What brands can do: Shifting media consumption habits reinforce this channel should be in a brand’s media mix moving forward as another way to satisfy our desire for authentic content and brand voices.

Sources: AdAge & SXM Media

4. A Return to the American Dream?
We are moving on and demanding more.

Observation: “Threat of recession” burnout is making people act in defiance of the economy.

No one knows what to make of our economy’s trajectory. In the past, uncertainty and recessionary anxieties typically resulted in more of a conservative outlook; today consumers are pushing ahead.

What brands can do: People feel deserving of all they can get. Isn’t that what the American Dream is all about? Brands should fulfill those dreams. They can have our back and also still tell us to go for it.

Sources: CNN, The Chicago Tribune & Marketplace

5. Keep the Lights On
Consistency of presence is vital to growth today.

Observation: Recent research has reaffirmed the significant market share & brand awareness loss that comes with a major scale back in ad presence. This isn’t surprising given that consumers today are seeing over 10,000 ads a day and engagement increasingly challenging.

What brands can do: Maintain a steady presence with intentional content across the right channels to prevent brand switching, reinforce loyalty and drive growth when others scale back.

Sources: LinkedIn & WARC

All good things expire. Look out for more reports coming soon.

AdAge recently featured our work for Boston Pride for the People. The campaign, which raised awareness and excitement for the Pride Parade & Festival, was brought to life by artist Kris Andrew Small through an infusion of colors, patterns, and typography, to create a pride parade on paper. The festivities, which took place in June, marked the post-pandemic return of the Pride celebrations in Boston. 

Check out all the work from the campaign. 

The LA Times recently sat with Steve Connelly to talk about the student loan repayment program offered at Connelly Partners. Over the course of nearly a decade, CP has contributed close to $338,000 to support this initiative. Today, three-quarters of eligible CP employees partake in the program, helping them pay off their student debt so they can focus on saving for their retirement. 

Check out the full article here. 

Read more about CP’s Student Loan Paydown Program.