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. Division Begets Division:
Don’t get sucked into taking a side.

Observation: The U.S Midterm Election illustrated again how voters of both parties no longer view elections as chances to shape the direction of government policy, but as existential battles. Voters are willing to stand by questionable candidates rather than defect to the other party. 

Due to the rigidity on the two sides, where independent voters go, so goes a midterm election. It begs the question of how brands should speak with the left, right AND middle when choosing or switching sides seems like the last thing on people’s agenda.

What brands can do: Don’t fall into the same cycle. You have a timely opportunity to recognize and celebrate shared values that remind us that, as humans, we still care about the same basic things…that everyone has some goodness in them; that we all want to do the right thing when we can. 

Sources: The Atlantic, The Economist, Cook Political Report

2. Hate Is Still Hot:
Anger is easier than love, and also less effective.

Observation: Kyrie Irving and Kanye West are the latest examples of the unhealthy state of hate, and how people are using their social platforms to spread hate and incite anger. West unleashed a myriad of antisemitic comments and Irving publicly defended a documentary laden with antisemitic views. The takeaway…further division and the clear diagnosis that hate and injustice of all kinds still remain at the forefront of society, even today. (Data shows a 128% increase in antisemitic-related internet searches in the past three months.)

What brands can do: There is a growing need to pragmatically and authentically position your brand in a place of love, inclusion and positivity. To overly address the platforms of hate, risks giving them credibility, rather embrace tactful ways to invite all people into your brand.

Sources: The New York Times, NBC News

3. Twitter Is a Mess(age):
Look between the lines.

Observation: It’s well-documented and roundly-reported that since Elon Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, the influential social network has shed staff, lost users, and seen advertisers pause their participation in the platform. 

As people see more and more institutions being influenced by strong, centralized powers they’re more likely to seek brands that guard against that power. So will other stakeholders. 

What brands can do: This is about empowering others across, up and down your organization to share responsibilities when it comes to company policies tied to culture, work environment and human resources. This allows business leaders to decentralize aspects of leadership while still owning and driving longer term business and growth strategies.

Sources: CNN, Twitter, The Guardian, Yahoo News, Buzz.ie 

4. Cash Stuffing, It’s a Thing:
As the recession arrives, so is financial discipline – even for those who had reputations for lacking it.

Observation: Cash stuffing is a method of budgeting that involves withdrawing money from your account and physically allocating it to different spending pots. Banking platforms and technology are now being used by people to plan, budget, and monitor spending in more responsible ways that give a sense of control.

Google searches for ‘cash stuffing’ have increased by 274% and the TikTok hashtag has generated over 498 million views to date.

What brands can do: Understand that financial safety is a key element within the consumer mindset. Brands should encourage improved budgeting skills to lower anxiety around finances and speak to overall value as a way to be more relevant with younger audiences.

Sources: Irish Mirror, Planning Finances, USNews

5. The Hidden Significance of Yellowstone:
We all need to escape every now and then. 

Observation: Yellowstone’s season five, ratings-breaking premier brought in 12.1 million viewers, and interestingly, viewership among 18-34 years old grew 53% from the show’s past season. 

This is an example in modern media of networks leveraging escapism, a behavioral tendency which has become increasingly prevalent and popular. This is likely due to the fact that many consumers are using media, particularly since the pandemic (and especially TV) as an outlet to escape their respective realities in search for something else. In this sense, they are using media to connect with ideals and values that they may not be as strongly represented as they’d hope in their lives and in modern society as a whole.

What brands can do: Simply being aware of the visible cues and subject matter that consumers are drawn to can provide content guidance across branded digital channels. Whether it’s discussing or making reference to a favorite show or a specific character, it’s an easy way to spark engagement with your customers.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, The Guardian, The Atlantic

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

Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, Connelly Partners Health

Groceries, Electronics and Primary Care Visits – Amazon’s Newest Entry at Your Fingertips

A few years ago, convenient care meant visits to the retail walk-in clinic in pharmacy chains, big box stores and some grocery stores. COVID-19 brought new emphasis to telehealth visits, expanding the definition of “convenient” out of necessity. Amazon, which has long been making forays into healthcare, recently announced its entry into the world of convenient care – Amazon Clinic.

Amazon’s latest service literally puts the power of primary care in the palm of your hand. I recently tried it out. While efficient, my experience with Amazon Clinic needed more clarity and, more importantly, humanity. 

After a quick registration process, I started a brief, text-based health questionnaire about my visit and why I sought care. I then received a text stating that the healthcare practitioner would follow up with a treatment plan within four hours. Two minutes later, I received another text message from a nurse practitioner who said she would review my visit. After an additional  five minutes, she texted again to say that she couldn’t help me and that I’d need to visit my primary care physician.

After that, I received yet another text from the nurse practitioner informing me that my visit was under review. At that point, a physician, new to the visit, let me know that their treatment protocols had picked up on the word “dizzy” and kicked me out of their treatment locus. The doctor then said it was no problem to send a prescription for motion sickness patches to my pharmacy.

In multiple news stories about Amazon Clinic, company officials tout the convenience and ability to get treatment for about 20 lifestyle and non-urgent medical conditions. The company doesn’t take insurance for the visits, instead charging a flat fee by condition or treatment.

At the recent HLTH 2022 conference in Las Vegas, speaking about Amazon Clinic, Nworah Ayogu, M.D., Amazon’s chief medical officer, said that the online retail giant is “leading with its competency” of connecting customers to the products and services they want. “We’re connecting customers to providers who provide care. We’re playing matchmaker and building a great customer experience. It’s a win-win,” Ayogu said.

While Amazon Clinic uses the term “visit” to describe the exchange, it’s essentially a transaction driven by pre-determined protocols and algorithms with minimal human intervention. Depending on your needs, that could be a flaw in the offering. It is a convenient route for some types of ordinary care; however, Amazon’s connections are superficial compared to traditional care relationships among practitioners and patients. 

Connecting people to the care, products, services and therapies they need to reach their life’s goals is critical in our approach to healthcare marketing at Connelly Partners Health. Furthermore, we lead with empathy and humanity to do so. 

Will I use it again? Probably. It’s a viable option for some routine, non-urgent care needs. But, for most things, I prefer my care with a decidedly more human touch.

Carla Doyle, Account Director, ZOO Digital 

There’s no doubt about it, the Irish do love to travel. I wonder, is it something to do with living on a tiny island on the most western, wet and windy part of Europe…hmm? In 2017 I left my job and life in London (after 10 years of living there!) and took a year off to go travelling before setting back at home in Dublin, Ireland in 2018.

I didn’t think I’d really get the chance again to spend an extended period of time in another country…..until the CP Abroad programme was announced. As soon as I heard all the details, I knew this was something I definitely wanted to get involved in. Luckily enough, I got a spot on the programme for 2 months in Boston during October and November, aka ‘Fall.’ There’s no doubt about it, ‘Fall’ is a beautiful time to visit Boston and the wider New England area.

Whilst working in Boston, I was still managing my client accounts back in Ireland – ESB Networks and MyMilkMan.ie. I have to say (and not because this blog will be public!), each of my clients were super supportive and very encouraging of me taking part in the programme. From a work perspective, I adjusted all my client meetings to AM Boston time, which would be afternoon Irish time. So there was no real disruption in my day-to-day management of the accounts. 

I got into a rhythm of always working a half a day ahead of myself. This meant any feedback or new briefs that had to be shared with our creative team in Dublin were ready to go and in their inboxes in the morning, so they could start right away. Then we’d catch up in the afternoon and chat through any questions or comments they had. In fact, at one stage, one of my clients said she felt she was just about getting 24-hour service while I was in Boston! Not bad, eh?!

It was really great to get to know colleagues in CP Boston, as ZOO were still relatively new to the CP family. I had some great conversations with people across Brand, Creative, Strategy, Media and Marketing / PR. For me the biggest benefit from a work perspective, is being able to share ideas. For example, CP colleagues in Boston shared some really interesting and successful case studies around influencer campaigns they managed in Boston. This is something I really want to introduce to some accounts I am working with in Ireland, as the power of the ‘influencer’ will only continue to grow! Putting names to faces has also been great, and takes the initial awkwardness out of contacting someone you’ve never met before. I’d have no qualms now contacting anyone in Boston for a chat, work or social!

There was also time for exploring Boston and some travel too. It wasn’t all work, work, work! I enjoyed some amazing Italian food in the North End, saw the Celtics play, visited the MFA and Isabella Stewart Gardner museums, saw the historic Head of the Charles Boat Race and of course experienced Halloween in Boston which was amazing!! I flew to Washington DC for a long weekend. So much history and so many free museums and galleries to visit! I spent a weekend up in Portland, Maine and gorged myself on delicious seafood and lobster rolls. #NoRegrets

I look forward to welcoming colleagues from CP Boston and VRX to Dublin, and showing them around our city! So….when can I apply again?!

Colin Hetherington, Managing Director, ZOO Digital
Martin Byrne, CTO, ZOO Digital
Rachel Carrigan, Head of UX/UI, ZOO Digital

It’s estimated that in 2023 we will hit peak internet – we just won’t be able to fit any more into our daily lives. With that comes a new battle for brands to gain customer attention. So what does that mean for what’s ahead this year? 

Well, at ZOO we are predicting a strengthening of the “human” online experience, even greater interactivity, increasing “subliminal digital,” continuing data visualisation and not to forget good old email marketing, which can get overlooked but still plays a key role. From a pure user experience point of view, we predict brands will realise that improving customer experience will bring new sales, that there’ll be an even greater holistic approach to CX while the “always above the fold” approach to website building will be no longer. 

Read about all the 2023 trends predicted by the ZOO team below. 

Peak Internet

2023 will be the year of peak internet. In 2022, according to GWI, the average global time spent online hit 6 hours 43 minutes per day, down from an all-time covid-induced high of 6 hours 56 minutes in 2021. Next year, we estimate global daily online usage will plateau at 6 hours 40 minutes.

Combine this with further predictions that global digital media spend will increase by 12% in 2023, meaning brands and businesses will be competing fiercely for audience attention online. 

To grab people’s attention, many brands will take a more holistic and complete approach to their digital strategy by adding new channels, focusing on their user experience and identifying the real value they can provide through content.

Even More Interactivity

According to HubSpot, 90% of marketers will increase the use of short-form video in 2023. This is despite video engagement rates decreasing across certain formats and platforms. 

A TikTok case study cited 3.33 seconds as a strong result for an average campaign video view. So, brands have 3 seconds to capture, engage and keep a person viewing a piece of short-form video – that’s not a lot of time at all.

Don’t get us wrong, short-form video is important but we predict that in 2023 we will see brands beginning to move away from video content to create even more engaging and interactive experiences – think Burger King’s classic Subservient Chicken or Red Bull Strike – that combine both creativity and technology to create something special.

Subliminal Digital

With attention hard to earn and video views being short, we will see the emergence of a new practice called Subliminal Digital. The objective will be to use every fleeting half second to create brand awareness. 

This will involve reviewing all brand elements (colour, logo usage, audio cues, opening frames, product placement) across digital channels with a view to maximising every micro opportunity for brand recognition.

Strengthening the “Human” Online Experience

The threat of recession, reduced customer spending power and the battle for attention will result in higher cost per acquisition rates in 2023. With customers becoming harder to get, there will be an even greater focus on keeping those you have happy.

According to a PwC report, what makes a good customer experience is speed, convenience, consistency and friendliness. And one big connector: the human touch. In 2023, we will see the rapid advancement of AI and its ability to replicate human interaction through the adoption of chatbots and digital assistants that offer personalised services. 

Email Marketing Still Quietly Does Its Thing

Not a trend for 2023 but something that needs to be given the credit it deserves, as it is often overlooked in these types of lists, is email marketing. With the ever-increasing importance of first-party data, email marketing should be core to creating ongoing, cost effective communications with customers. Whether a customer opens it or not, the fact they see you in their promotions folder is a micro reminder that you’re there. 

Data Visualisation Is Still Key

Another area set to continue to play a major part in 2023 is data visualisation. The fact is that marketers continue to be overloaded with data, which too often forms a meaningless mass of numbers. However, there’s gold in that data. Through clever curation and interpretation, UX teams can derive better evidence-based insights to act upon. A great example of bringing data to life was released just recently – Spotify’s creative visualisation with Instafest let you create your own festival lineup from Spotify playlists and 2022 Wrapped – Story of your year with Spotify. We predict more of that from brands in 2023.

More CX, More Sales

The thing is, customer expectations are now pretty high when it comes to a lovely, positive experience on websites and apps. And it’s that experience that makes them increasingly return and spend. 

We’re going to see the continued realisation by businesses that their customer experience should be front and centre in their acquisition, sales and retention strategies. That’s going to mean some investment, particularly in a test-and-fix cycle in how they improve their online offering. 

There is a growing appreciation that fixing the online user experience (UX) is only a part of the puzzle. Customer experience (CX) will begin to encompass all customer touchpoints so that they all work in concert, using the same language, intent and purpose. Your digital, OOH, DM and everyone speaking to your customers will need to use the same language and synchronise their efforts – especially sales. 

RIP “The Fold”

The ongoing chat about “below the fold” will finally be put to rest and nobody will come to the service. Analysts will finally convince sales VPs that customers scroll and that the top of the page isn’t the only show in town. 

We’ve known for years from heatmaps and eye tracking that users scan for words they recognise and have been trained to ignore the hero banner (well, mostly). Journey mapping, AB testing and easy-to-interpret measurements will all help convince the CEO that there’s more to the store than the front window. 

The CP Data & Analytics Team

Procrastinators Play Catch Up on Google Analytics 4 (GA4) 

It’s impossible to talk about data and analytics in 2023 without acknowledging the official sunsetting of Universal Analytics (UA) on July 1, 2023, a date set by Google back in early 2021 after the release of GA4. As of mid-year, there is no more sitting on the fence – GA4 will be the only option for Google Analytics. And while many organizations have prepared for this moment, there will undoubtedly be ample last minute scrambling among the stragglers who have failed to adequately plan for the UA to GA4 transition.

Cookieless Future Fuels Innovation 

While Google has officially delayed the depreciation of third-party cookies in Chrome until the second half of 2024, the inevitability of a cookieless future will stoke innovation during 2023 as organizations search for new tracking and measurement solutions that are not dependent upon cookie-based identifiers. Google’s decision to delay is, in part, allowing them to further test their Privacy Sandbox solutions that are scheduled to be made generally available in Q3 2023. On parallel paths, however, there are a plethora of organizations racing to develop their own proprietary solutions ranging from clean rooms to universal IDs, from digital fingerprinting to ID graphs.

Acceleration Toward First-Party Data 

In light of cookie depreciation, the trend toward more actively collecting, integrating, and leveraging first-party customer data will accelerate in 2023. And while some organizations have never lost sight of the value of first-party data, many others will have to jump-start their efforts by first navigating a shift toward first-party, data-based customer strategies. On a parallel path, they will have to contend with the tactical and operational realities of the underlying technical and analytical investments that will be required to support the transformation of data to insights in order to generate a positive return.

Data Visualization Shifts From Being Production-Focused to Consumption-Focused 

Where data exists, it can always be turned into colorful charts, graphs, and diagrams. That makes it visually interesting. To be sure, the many tools and platforms used in this space are arming analysts with an endless stream of new options for producing visualizations that are more dynamic, mobile-friendly, shareable, etc. But the real shift in 2023 will be toward making visualizations more user-centered and story-based as meaning is increasingly prioritized over metrics.

Evolving Consumer Privacy Landscape  

GDPR-type regulations are fast coming to the United States. California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) back in 2018, but has new regulations, as part of California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), going into effect on January 1, 2023. Because of the large number of consumers represented in CA, the California legislation tends to get a disproportionate amount of attention, but it’s worth noting that a number of other states have passed similar consumer privacy laws in the past couple of years and we expect 2023 to see the rollout of new state-level laws that are currently at various stages of legislative consideration. See IAPP tracker here. 

Exponential Data Growth Increases the Need for Data Security

With the average cost of a data breach during 2022 totalling nearly $10M (Statista, IBM), organizations are going to be pushed to make more significant investments in the security of their exponentially growing volumes of data. As organizations work to secure their environments with firewalls, IP protocols, etc., one of the best countermeasures to a security breach is to build awareness across an organization’s workforce and provide training for identifying potential cyber security threats. In 2023, we expect to see this kind of training increasingly prioritized.

 

#holidayshutdown 

The last few years showed us all that working from home is possible, but it also taught us that being in-person is invaluable. What happens when you believe in both? The boundaries between work and home blur more than ever. 

Working is no longer limited to the office and home isn’t the safe space it used to be. Work has crept into our bedrooms, kitchens, kid’s rooms, cafés, and commutes. With constant email, Slack, WhatsApp, Zoom, and other notifications, it’s hard to create separation. Which is our new reality. 

And that’s ok. Except for the holidays. We believe the holidays are our time to reset the boundaries, even if for a short period of time. Which gives new meaning to “home for the holidays.”

Happy Holidays from Connelly Partners!

 

Alyssa Stevens, Director of PR & Social Media

TikTok’s Popularity Will Continue to Grow

We’ll see even more brands capitalize on the platform’s viral nature from both a creator collaboration and owned channel standpoint. With Instagram trying to keep up by prioritizing Reels (and as a result, turning off the influencer community with its algorithm changes) and Twitter ending Q4 in a period of unrest, TikTok will be the platform of choice for both creators and brands. The platform’s captive audience, paired with its increased efforts to support its creator community, foster the perfect environment for brands looking to gain brand awareness through engaging, short-form video content.

The Roles of Creators vs. Influencers 

We expect to see brands’ investment towards influencer marketing increase. Creators and Influencers are the editorial and advertising mediums of the future, and we will continue to see brands leverage their creativity, content creation skills, and audience. While the terms “influencer” and “creator” have become somewhat interchangeable, we’ll begin to see clearer delineations between the two, especially in terms of how brands use them. Brands will tap into creators as a content vehicle, utilizing that content to power their social media, website, paid social, and the like. Separately, brands will look to influencers to rent their audience as a way to bring greater awareness to their brand and that content. Both creators and influencers are equally important to the social equation and brands that “win” will know how to capitalize on the strengths of both. 

Shift in Attitude Towards Social Media Usage

We’ll see a shift to more interest-focused rather than social-focused social media usage. With the mass adoption of TikTok and the amount of time that people spend on the app, we’re seeing a major shift in how people are utilizing social media. Users head to TikTok to view and engage with content around their interests — which is typically not created by people that they actually know in real life. Creator content, which the “For You Page” prioritizes based on user behavior on the app, allows for connection around common interests, forming online communities around those topics. With users spending upwards of 95 minutes a day on TikTok, we will begin to watch more brands join the movement of curating interest-based content to ensure that they are better integrated into the future of social media. We’ll also see creators narrow in on more specific niches for their own content as a way to reach audiences who align with their subject matter. 

Influencers Expand Outside of Social Platforms  

More and more, brands will leverage their influencer partners for creative campaigns, in-person appearances and events, product collaborations and capsule collections. Influencers have become celebrities in their own right and that star power can benefit a brand well beyond a social media post. Additionally, influencer-generated content will find itself playing a bigger role on brands’ websites as a more authentic way to illustrate products and offerings. 

Short Videos Will Outperform Long-Form Content

Short-form video is here to stay and brands who want to continue to make an impact on social media need to incorporate more of it into their social strategy. While time spent on social media continues to increase, consumer attention spans dwindle. Users now want to be entertained and engaged within the first few moments of their social experience with your brand. Videos tend to get stronger engagements and views and social media platforms, like Instagram, are prioritizing video content over static images. We expect to see more and more brands collaborate with creators who are comfortable shooting and editing short-form video content to help them win in this new content landscape. 

PM360 sat down with experts in the health and life sciences industry to share their healthcare marketing predictions for the new year. CP’s Managing Director of CP Health, Michele Hart-Henry, shares her thoughts on precision marketing and how marketers should adjust to a hyper-focused model. 

Read Michele’s thoughts on what to expect next year here. 

CP’s Global Leadership Team

Looking towards 2023, CP’s leadership team shared their predictions below on what brands can expect to see in the upcoming year. From TikTok to Google Analytics and beyond, see what’s in store… 

Shift in Attitude Towards Social Media Usage

We’ll see a shift to more interest-focused rather than social-focused social media usage. With the mass adoption of TikTok and the amount of time that people spend on the app, we’re seeing a major shift in how people are utilizing social media. Users head to TikTok to view and engage with content around their interests — which is typically not created by people that they actually know in real life. Creator content, which the “For You Page” prioritizes based on user behavior on the app, allows for connection around common interests, forming online communities around those topics. With users spending upwards of 95 minutes a day on TikTok, we will begin to watch more brands join the movement of curating interest-based content to ensure that they are better integrated into the future of social media. We’ll also see creators narrow in on more specific niches for their own content as a way to reach audiences who align with their subject matter. 

Data Visualization Shifts From Being Production-Focused to Consumption-Focused 

Where data exists, it can always be turned into colorful charts, graphs, and diagrams. That makes it visually interesting. To be sure, the many tools and platforms used in this space are arming analysts with an endless stream of new options for producing visualizations that are more dynamic, mobile-friendly, shareable, etc. But the real shift in 2023 will be toward making visualizations more user-centered and story-based as meaning is increasingly prioritized over metrics.

The Great Search Engine Shake-up

For more than a decade, Google has enjoyed a dominant position as the default engine for the masses. That’s about to change. Gen Z’ers already conduct more than 40% of their search queries on TikTok and other alternate platforms. Millennials are right behind them. Both generational audiences cite less sponsored results and all-video results that TikTok and other social platforms provide as the lure. In 2023, we predict to see older generations begin a similar and significant shift in search engine default behavior. We believe Google’s search engine dominance (accounting for well north 50% of all search queries online) will be a thing of the past within 24 months.  

Peak Internet Will Cause a More Holistic Approach for Digital Attention

2023 will be the year of peak internet. Next year, we estimate global daily online usage will plateau at 6 hours 40 minutes after the COVID-induced high of 6 hours 56 minutes in 2021. With global digital media spend increasing by 12% in 2023, brands and businesses will be competing fiercely for audience attention online. 

To grab people’s attention, many brands will take a more holistic and complete approach to their digital strategy adding new channels, focusing on their user experience and identifying the real value they can provide through content. Specifically, this means even greater interactivity, an increasingly subliminal approach to infusing a brand in all communications, continuing data visualisation and not to forget good old email marketing, which is overlooked but still plays a key role. From a pure user experience point of view, we predict brands will realise that improving customer experience will bring new sales, that there’ll be an even greater holistic approach to CX while the “always above the fold” approach to website building will be no longer. 

Video Content Is King 

The need for content will not change, and having a mix will be more important than ever. There will be a greater need for more niche pieces of content that fall under a brand’s mix including product videos, how-to’s and info-torials. How does a product work? Quick cooking instructions? How to open an account Consumers aren’t looking for the PDF with the instructions, they are looking for a step-by-step walkthrough. Is it big brand storytelling, maybe not, but it is literally how people are using your client’s products.  

Shopper Growth – and Expansion

The massive e-comm shift post-COVID resulted in significant budget shifts to the channel, and shows no signs of stopping. Retail media’s unique value of being able to close the attribution loop will continue to become more valuable as companies brace for more economic volatility in 2023. Look for increased players in the space as more retailers expand and monetize the value of their consumer connections.

This Is the Year That AI Will Help Everyone Look Perfect – And That Might Not Be So Perfect

As user interfaces become more accommodating to most of our nonprofessional abilities – our collective photo-editing skills will rise. Our phone lenses allow high-quality images, but now AI editing apps are giving novice shooters a bridge to making their photos and the people in them look model-quality.  

Lensa AI iOS app’s intuitive macOS design and capabilities bring a brand new way of making your selfies magazine-cover-ready. The ultrasimple app leaves conventional filters and photo editing tools in the dust. Their new magic avatar feature promises that your skin will look smooth, your eyes perfect, and your life as glamorous as your most hated pop-celeb or most adored super hero. Facing a widely debated concern that it promotes unrealistic standards of beauty, the app has still managed to attract 17 million downloads since the new feature was introduced. It’s hard not to see the irony that one of society’s ugliest qualities is being amplified by a beautification app.

CP’s 2022 Fall Interns  

Catching a glimpse into the world of advertising proved to be an exciting and challenging experience for all eight of CP’s fall interns. From 3D modeling to Influencer campaigns, our interns experienced all CP has to offer. Before we send them off for winter break, we asked some hard-hitting (and some not-so-hard-hitting) questions about their time at CP. 

Andrew Pinard, Finance 
Bridgewater State University

Right off the bat, CP was one of the coolest offices I’d ever been in. The employees and general atmosphere of the company was my favorite part, making me excited to go to work everyday.

Although I worked in finance, I was able to shadow the production team for a shoot in Boston. It was great to experience advertising from another department and sparked my curiosity about what else the advertising industry has to offer. I was surprised at how many clients CP has for being relatively smaller compared to other ad agencies.

Jane Amendolara, PR & Social Media
Boston University 

I knew right off the bat that CP was special! I loved the unique, homey atmosphere at the office. Everyone was professional, yet friendly and approachable. It especially helps that I have such an amazing team to work with. 

The fast-paced nature of the advertising world is probably one of the biggest things that has surprised me, but it keeps things exciting and I have never been bored! My most memorable experience was singing karaoke in front of everyone at CP’s Thanksgiving celebration.

Jared Smith, Media 
Bentley University 

Something about the advertising world that surprised me was just how fast everything moves. Since joining CP in the summer, I had a lot more experience and was more involved than ever before, so I got to see how fast projects and different campaigns move. 

The most interesting thing that I’ve done is learn about the planning process. Using the information and data at our disposal to make informed decisions is very interesting to me. I also loved working so closely on everything with the MFA! 

Jayde Zainc, New Business & CP Marketing 
Emmanuel College 

Going into my first internship, I had no idea how many moving parts there were to create a successful advertising campaign. It was so interesting to not only work with New Business but work with other departments to see how everyone’s work meshes together to create something great. I enjoyed listening to all the pitch opportunities coming into New Business, especially brands I recognized.

I was surprised at how inviting and comfortable the office space was. It makes the day go by a lot faster when there’s a ton of different places to sit and work, away from your desk. 

Lily Ward, Brand Leadership 
Trinity College

CP created a warm and welcoming environment that made the office a great place to work. I was surprised by the open layout. I’ve found that this helped cultivate a more laid-back environment which made it much easier to ask questions and learn more about the agency. 

The most exciting part of my internship was seeing my different research projects and analysis being shared with and appreciated by clients. I loved helping brainstorm the Quarterly Catch presentation for Gorton’s, which focused on drawing parallels between brand loyalty and religion. 

Sophie Jurion, Creative
Boston University 

I worked a lot with CP’s social content, like designing our CP Abroad social posts. I loved using the new branding for CP to create engaging content for our social platforms. Not only did I love the work environment, but everyone was so nice and helpful! You couldn’t go anywhere without being greeted by smiling faces.  

I was surprised by the level of communication needed to stay on top of time management, revision, feedback, and staying on the same page on a project. My biggest takeaway is the importance of communication for everything to run smoothly. 

Toni Baraga, Creative
Boston University 

Being in such an amazing environment here at CP encourages you to be your best self. When you’re not having a good day, your coworkers (and the cold brew!) are there to help pick you back up.

The one aspect of CP that sticks out to me is the scope of ideas that are produced during the concepting stage. I loved how big, blue-sky ideas were encouraged rather than stifled. I learned to not put a lid on yourself before you even start and to let the ideas flow. The practical considerations will come later.

Travis Earp, Creative 
Purdue University 

CP instantly felt like a place I wanted to be. I loved the company atmosphere and energy, it comes from every employee naturally, making the office such a fun place to work. I felt so lucky to have the opportunity to work at such an amazing place. 

Coming from an industrial design background, I didn’t realize how involved ad agencies are with their clients. There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes compared to what people see. I look at every commercial and billboard differently now.