Marisa Mokodean - Starcom

Marisa Mokodean '08

Media is a word I had frequently thrown around since the start of my college career. When people asked what I hoped to do with my major in Communications, media was my answer. And when I began to decide where I wanted to pursue my Media Fellows internship, media was at the forefront of my thoughts. However, once my internship at Starcom Worldwide was confirmed, I was forced to abandon my acceptance of "media" as a mystery and make it a reality.

After spending nearly four months in the Windy City, I now have a thorough grasp on media and its relationship to the advertising industry through. Starcom Worldwide, a full-service communications agency in Chicago, IL.  As an intern in Starcoms Magazine Investment Group, my experience dealt mostly with placing ads in magazines and newspapers. I witnessed, and participated in, the print planning and buying process, which involves negotiating rates and positioning with publications and creating an effective print plan within a clients budget. As part of this process, I conducted research in order to see which publications best met the clients target audience. I also helped analyze how well the ads performed in the magazines and newspapers in which they were placed.

Although I was utilized as an intern throughout the entire semester, I was given more responsibility within the last month, creating a presentation for a client and sending out a recommendation for a marketing program to the entire group. Looking back, I can truly say my internship at Starcom was invaluable, both in introducing me to the media industry and inspiring me to continue to pursue my interest in the field.

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