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1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………………….4

1.1 INTERSHIP OBJECTIVES………………………………………………………………………………..4

1.2 INTERSHIP ENGAGEMENT LETTER………………………………………………………………..4

1.3 PERSONAL DEVELEPOMENT TARGETS………………………………………………………….4

1.4 MY EXPECTATIONS………………………………………………………………………………………5

1.5 1.4 EXPECTATIONS………………………………………………………………………………………5

2. ORGANIZATION …………………………………………………………………………………………….4

2.1 INTERSHIP ORGANIZATION …………………………………………………………………………5 2.2 ORGANIZATION VISION & DEPARTMENTS……………………………………………...7-10

3. TASKS, PROJECTS AND ACTVITIES………………………………………………….……………….12

3.1. MEDIA ALERT ………………………………………………………………………………………11-12

3.2 MEDIA BRIEF………………………………………………………………………………………………12

3.3.1 ONLINE PRESS CLIPPING…………………………………………………………………………12

3.3.2 PRINT PRESS CLIPPING…………………………………………………………………..………12

3.3 CALENDAR LISTINGS………………………………………………………………………………….12

3.4. INDUSTRY INSIGHT & TRENDS………………………………………………………….……….12

3.5 PITCH WRITING & FOLLOW-UP………………………………………………………...….13-14

3.6 SOCIAL MEDIA- TWITTER……………………………………………………………………...14-16

4. INTERSHIP HOURS…………………………………………………………………..…………………….16

5. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………………..…16

6. RECOMMEIDATIONS…………………………………………………………………………………….16 6.1 RECOMMEDATIONS FOR TE INTERSHIP……………………………………………………....16 6.2 RECOMMEDATIONS FOR THE UNVERSITY…………………………………………..…..16-17

7. NEW PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS……………………………………………………………….17-20

Table of Contents

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Currently I am completing my last semester of my Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Strategic

Communication at Washington State University at North Puget Sound Everett. As part of the

educational program students are required to complete a minimum of 160 internship hours that will be

evaluated for academic credit. For this reason I completed my internship in three-months in a full-

service advertising agency in downtown Seattle. I purposely sought out an internship in Seattle because

I wanted to benefit from the hands-on experience of working in a well-known agency and the value of

building a stronger professional network pre-graduation.

In this report, I will describe my experiences during fall semester 2016 as a Public Relations Intern. This

report contains an overview of the clients including activities, tasks and projects that I worked on while

interning at GreenRubino. At the time of writing this report, I will also provide a list of new professional

contacts I gained from my internship.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following:

Cam Green, who is the CEO/Partner of GreenRubino. I wanted to thank him for taking the time to meet

with me and share his business experiences and welcoming me to conduct my internship at his

company. He provided me with advice, and tips about the communication industry despite his busy

schedule.

Joleen Zanuzoski, who is the PR director. I wanted to thank her for encouraging me to make the

“internship my own” and learn as much as possible. In our last meeting she said that I “know how to

communicate” and that she believed I would have a successful career in an agency environment.

Briana Marrah, who is the Brand manager. She helped me prepare for my first opportunity to monitor a

focus group for my advertising professor. She provided me with tips and suggestions about the basics of

conducting a successful focus despite her busy schedule.

Tracy Siegel, who is Senior PR manager. I wanted to thank her for always giving me complements on my

personal attitude, work ethics and trusting me with special projects.

Emma Wilson, who is the PR manager and Internship Program manager. She helped guide and coach

me during of my internship. She provided me with feedback, tips, and suggestions when approaching

tasks. She was always available if I needed any help or had questions. During my internship duration I

was able to see her get promoted from a PR coordinator to a manager.

Also I would like to thank all members in the PR Department Jonathan Cruz, Brittney Jackson, Alexis

Harrison, Hamilton McCulloh, Rachel Black, Saedah Ham, and the other intern I was paired with Della

Norton from University of Washington.

PREFACE

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1.1 INTERSHIP OBJECTIVES

The reason I choose an agency internship is because I wanted to benefit from the hands-on experience

of working in a well-known agency, experience Seattle’s downtown culture, and build a stronger

professional network pre-graduation. I wanted a new and unique challenge to learn real-world skills,

expand my deep interest in advertising/marketing, and develop a diverse network of industry

professionals.

Working as a PR Intern for three months, I performed duties and activities in PR strategy and executing,

research, market analysis, and social media content creation. During my internship, I wanted a chance to

contribute to the company’s overall objectives by using my education such as PR, media, written

communications, research, branding, and content promotions.

1.2 INTERSHIP ENGAGEMENT LETTER

1. INTRODUCTION

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1.3 PERSONAL DEVELEPOMENT TARGETS

During my internship, I wanted to gain media and communication industry knowledge by working with

my colleagues and improve client communications in a three month timeframe. I also wanted to apply

practices and skills I developed during my studies such as:

Observation and Industry insights

Preparing communication strategies

Researching media and target groups

Planning and organizing communication activities

1.4 EXPECTATIONS

Prior to starting my internship my optimism and expectations were high, because it involved a

downtown Seattle-based internship. This was my first internship experience in general.

Before my internship began, Emma spoke with me and described that type of internship it will be. The

name of the company is GreenRubino (or GR) and is a full service, integrated marketing agency that

specializes in digital, media, advertising, branding, public relation and social media. It’s one of the top

awarding -winning digital agencies in Seattle. My everyday work activities and assignments included

creating and updating content, research, observation, pitch writing, event marketing, developing social

media strategies and blogs.

With this internship I wanted to learn as much as possible and the hopes of connecting with influential

people to grow my professional network. I wanted an internship that specialized in a creative and fun

agency experience; because I have always had a strong interest in working in a creative environment in

an urban setting. This is why I choose a company in Seattle as my internship. Also having the

opportunity to start my job search before graduation is what attracted me to complete my internship in

my final semester.

I wanted to not only learn, but challenge myself to improve my journalism skills and gain a better

understanding of how PR experts manage brand promotion and reputation through media.

One my first day, I had a warm welcome by the GRPR department and staff. The company was located

on the second floor of a three story building in east Seattle. Upon arrival, I was given a desk, and

internship binder with the company’s history and internship objectives. That same day, the

administrative assistant gave me an informative tour of the entire office including pointing out

important members of the organization. From the beginning I was attracted to company’s interior

design choices, numerous awards in the lobby, and Washington lake viewpoints, but more so the great

people. After a while I was treated more like an employee, instead of an intern.

2. INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY

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All the colleagues I worked with were friendly and helpful. GRPR department consists of the PR director,

two interns, two coordinators, two managers, and one senior manager. The other intern is a University

of Washington student who is also pursuing a communication degree. It was useful having another

intern to work with because we shared knowledge and experiences with each other.

The projects and assignments that were giving to me were interesting. Early on, I noticed that

communication work in PR is done quickly and professionally. I also noticed that a majority of their

industry insights and trends come from local print and online publication, including national recognized

magazines.

Overall my introduction with this company was positive. The work fits with education and career

interest.

2.1 INTERSHIP ORGANIZATION

GreenRubino is a fully integrated agency that specializes in branding, advertising, media, digital, public

relations, and social media. Offering branding, marketing strategies, and research through creative

storytelling solutions that meet and exceed client objectives.

Departments are divided into specialized areas. They service clients in food, travel, wine/beer, lifestyle,

and consumer product industries. Established in 1997, GreenRubino has created well-crafted stories for

multiple clients including:

Source: http://www.greenrubino.com/about/

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2.2 ORGANIZATION VISION & DEPARTMENTS

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BRANDING

A brand is a pinky promise. A promise that runs deeper than what you say or show. And creating a

memorable brand means starting with a strategy that can drive everything from campaigns to new

products and new-hire training to Shakespeare-in-the-parking-lot-food-truck executions.

GreenRubino’s approach to brand strategy is big and broad, but it’s not hype. Hype dies down; swag

wears out. The brand promise we work with you to create will be rooted in reality—the intersection of

what you do well, what your customers value and what’s ownable in your market. And whatever we

come up with will endure copy cats, disruptors and 800 lb gorillas—although bananas also help.

It’s all about leveraging your assets to create a consistent and compelling experience. We’re not putting

on a new coat of paint. We’re going to help you turn your unique strengths into delicious, strategic soft

serve for mass consumption. With sprinkles.

The Brand Strategy Platform is at the heart of what we do, but brand building is a full-body workout. To

cement your unique role in the market you’ll need to apply your brand to your business strategy, internal

work, retail and in-person experiences, digital environment and entire marketing plan—all of which we

have plenty of experience doing. Regardless of where you are in this journey, we can help you keep your

brand promise. Pinky swear.

DIGITAL

It’s a brave new digital world. It’s also an indelible and exponentially growing part of how people

discover and interact with the world around them. It enables us to connect with the people who matter

to us and tell our story in ways that engage and inspire and trend and stuff. And, it allows us to share it

all with others around the globe with a simple click, touch or swipe.

We start by looking at digital through the looking glass of your customer’s soul, in a totally non-creepy

way. Then, we figure out the best way to reach them, engage them and move them—based on their

digital comings and goings.

Whether it’s a website redesign or a geo-targeted mobile ad that drives visitors to your store or event—

because you know those promotional butter sculptures aren’t going to last long—we leverage the

strength of our creative ideas and our deep understanding of your customers to create captivating

“everywhere” experiences. Laying the digital path for your audience to engage, learn and consume

creates a user-centric experience where the conversation is two-sided, and the future is bright.

And, of course, we apply the principles of user experience strategy and user interface design to surprise

and delight. But we don’t stop there. We build it, we measure it and we optimize it, to make sure the

work works. And then we high-five.

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MEDIA

For most, buying media is a science. For us, it’s more of an arty science love affair. Yes, there is a science

to it, but that’s just the tip of the media iceberg. There’s so much more than meets the eye when it comes

to creating, implementing, supporting and maintaining successful media campaigns.

GreenRubino has carefully crafted a team of true experts and perfectly seasoned veterans that openly

share best practices, new approaches and, above all, candy smart ideas—connecting and integrating all

marketing disciplines to deliver stronger, vibrant and more effective campaigns.

It is truly an acquired art and it works beautifully. The proof is in our long-tenured-client-and-employee

pudding. Our clients are a very diverse group, representing a wide range of dramatically different

businesses and industries. Yet they all have one thing in common: They rely on our team to help them

stand out and get ahead by constantly finding new, creative ways to leverage media—and that’s exactly

what we do.

When planning and negotiating media is part of an integrated process, the results are exponentially

stronger. Connections set GreenRubino apart and serve as a shining example of why and how our

integrated process works.

ADVERTISING

Advertising is influence and insight. Or influential insight. Insightful influence? The point is, we have

exercised our influence—our influence is in the best shape of its life. And in this age of viral upvotes and

insta-ttention spans, the idea remains the lifeblood of advertising. Observing isn’t enough. Projecting

isn’t effective. Creating living, breathing advertising turns an idea into a connection—and like someone’s

mother probably always said, you can’t put a price on a genuine connection.

But we’re not done yet. We take pride in shaping, folding and elbow-greasing an idea into every

application imaginable. We have �the skills, the disciplines, and the stubborns to make sure your idea

becomes a connection that becomes a living extension of your brand and a calling card for future mental

handshakes with your �target audience.

At GreenRubino, our creative philosophy is based on the immortal words of Winnie T. Pooh: “Think, think,

think.” So whether you’re looking for a fresh start, a new message, or a bigger audience, we �can tell

your story, and we have some brains that would love to shake your hand.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

We are your storytellers with a variety of megaphones at our disposal.

An integrated public relations campaign reinforces your brand’s messages to targeted audiences through

the added credibility of independent endorsements. Looking for thought leadership, reputation

management or good old-fashioned publicity to improve your business? We’ve got a plan for that.

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We work behind the scenes to help content managers fill columns and airtime. The consumer

understands there is a gatekeeper that objectively thinks the story is worth bringing to their attention.

Editors, reporters and assignment managers take our calls because we’ve established productive

relationships with them. And everyone lives happily ever after.

We are proven experts at helping you identify compelling stories and the specific media that will provide

the greatest impact for you. The key is repetition and consistency.

We scour editorial calendars, pitch our contacts directly and frequently, and keep an eye out for trends

and opportunities. We employ a rigorous process to ensure we achieve the desired results as a team.

Group high fives are important to us.

GreenRubino’s team has delivered powerful and measurable results for clients in a variety of industries—

from healthcare to hospitality and many more.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is moving so fast, it’s not even called social media anymore. The digital trailblazers are

calling it content marketing, and it’s all about getting strategic with your hello’s and howyadoin’s. These

days having a robust content marketing strategy is essential for brand awareness, positive sentiment

and trust building with your customers and early-adopting-teenage-stepchildren of potential customers.

It allows you to genuinely share your knowledge, expertise and passions without being too salesy. Middle

schoolers are great at it, but we have to try harder.

A well-managed content strategy is confusing. You need an idea, a plan, a voice, a tone, a style. Then you

need a good mix of well-created, purposeful content: blog posts, white papers, microsites, visuals, videos,

bylines, infographics, presentations, and that is just so many things. Once the content is developed, it

then needs to be set free to be found by the right audience.

It gets published on your blog, sent in your monthly email and posted on your Facebook page. It gets

disseminated to your team, and then your team gets weirded out because you said disseminated, and

then the content gets circulated on LinkedIn and pitched to journalists. Which nuggets of content do you

pay to promote and how much do you invest? What does success look like? How do you measure and

optimize? Are you my mother?

Our content marketing approach is truly brandidextrous. Yes, we have a full-service social media team

and we had a PR department before Twitter was a company, though we take it beyond just that. We

bring in the right team members from strategy, brand, PR, creative and digital to ensure you are getting

the right mix of expertise across disciplines. They work under one direction and with one goal: to ensure

that your audience not only sees your content, but interacts with your brand in a purposeful, meaningful

way. Muuuch more meaningful than a like. Much more.

Source: http://www.greenrubino.com/about/

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3.1. Media Alert

*** MEDIA ALERT ***

CALIBURGER SEATTLE HOSTS GLOBAL GAMES TOURNAMENT

Grand Prize up to $10,000 and iPad Pros for Winners

WHAT: CaliBurger Seattle sponsors GemJump Global Games Tournament

Caliburger Seattle, the burger joint that is run by a bunch of techy, California-based

entrepreneurs that love gaming and cheeseburgers, is hosting a multiplayer global

tournament featuring the thrilling new mobile game, GenJump.

GenJump is a visually striking endless jumping game featuring a 360-degree spire where

players jump from gemstone to gemstone. The higher you climb, the greater the number

of points you accumulate.

The global champion will be the player with the highest number of FanWall points

accumulated across the entire period of the tournament. The ultimate tournament winner

will receive a grand prize of USD $10,000. The four runners up will receive the latest

Apple iPad Pros.

The tournament will start on Monday, September 26 and conclude on Sunday, October 9,

2016. The tournament will run in ten countries. Gamers from all over the world can

compete in real-time gaming experience with others players that will run on the FunWall

social gaming platform.

WHERE: CaliBurger Seattle

4509 University Way NE

Seattle, WA 98105

WHEN: Monday, September 26 - Sunday, October 9, 2016

DETAILS: All items from full menu will be available during tournament.

Download GenJump now from the CaliBurger App store and play during restaurant hours.

Check your local CaliBurger for tournament times. For more information,

visit www.caliburger.com/seattle andFollow CaliBurger Seattle on Facebook.

3. TASKS, PROJECTS AND ACTVITIES

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ABOUT CALIBURGER USA CaliBurger is a 21st century revival of the classic California burger joint, bringing the best of

California culture, technology, imagery and food to markets that have long craved the famous

California-style burger. CaliBurger provides a premium-quality burger experience at an accessible

price point. CaliBurger’s products feature the highest-quality beef, buns baked fresh, top-grade

chicken, hand-selected vegetables, zero trans-fat oils, sauces made in-house and hand-mixed

shakes. Our made-to-order meals are always prepared in open kitchens, and our restaurants

incorporate advanced technologies to create a unique dining experience. CaliBurger customers can

enjoy a taste of California in an environment that looks, smells and feels like California. For more

information, please visit www.caliburger.com.

###

3.2 Media Brief

“What She Said “event at W Seattle:

file:///T:/User/Downloads/GR_WSeattle_MediaBriefing_WhatSheSaid_110116.pdf

3.3 Press Clippings

This is how GreenRubino PR measure’s client’s media coverage. This agency does not offer paid

advertisements and monitoring client press coverage is how they measure success.

3.3.1. Online:

Band in Seattle media post for Living Room Live event at W Seattle:

file:///T:/User/Downloads/Band%20In%20Seattle%20(online)_October%2018,%202016.pdf

3.3.2 Print:

W Seattle Hotel article in Seattle Magazine, a monthly news, culture and lifestyle magazine

file:///T:/User/Documents/Seattle%20Magazine_September%202016.pdf

3.3 Calendar Listings

Live Room Live is a monthly music series held in W Seattle Hotel

file:///T:/User/Downloads/Eventful%20(online)_October%2017,%202016.pdf

3.4. Industry Insight & Trends

christina.marie [10:31 AM]

The November 2016 issue of Inc. mag featured mobile-gaming studio and creative company Dots based

in NYC. (P.64-69). Not only do they create and design games they also support creative projects that

embodies their “Play Beautifully" philosophy. Perhaps this could be a potential partner for

current/future projects for our gaming and tech clients.

The November issue of Real Simple magazine introduced the Hello Vino app, which provides the

ultimate wine lover with the ability to gain taste details and wine pairings by snapping a wine label (page

41). This could be beneficial to Woodinville Wine Country (or others) to gain insight on how

professionals and peers rate their wines. It's free to download, $5 for unlimited label scans. Perhaps this

could be a pitch idea – “Technology for the Winos” or “Technology for the ultimate Wine Lover.

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The Feminist punk band, Boyfriends is featured in City Arts May 2016 issue, as

pioneers of Seattle’s femme- punk scene. This group could potentially be great

entertainment for any upcoming LGBT events.

JettSpacemagazine.com is an online publication featuring news, reviews,

interviews, and more from the queer perspective.

New Managing editor Adrian Ryan

https://twitter.com/theadrianryan

http://jetspacemagazine.com/

3.5 Pitch Writing & Follow-up

From: Christina Marie Cooper Sent: Friday, October 07, 2016 9:29 AM To: 'caryn@rockinmama.net' Subject: Unique Kitchen Gadgets - Oil & Vinegar

Hi Caryn,

I hope my email finds you well!

Looking ahead to the winter, I wanted to send some product ideas your way, for any holiday gift guides you may have planned.

Oil & Vinegar is your culinary destination for cool cooking gadgets for the ultimate at-home chef. Below are 3 must-have kitchen tools that you can find at your local Oil & Vinegar, located in Torrance, or online at www.oilvinegar.com.

Black Tagine

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This sleek ceramic casserole dish features a unique cone shape that allows for the juiciest meats, fish and vegetables steamed to perfection. This Moroccan-inspired dishware brings exotic elegance to any dinner party table. ($79.95)

Pasta Machine

Oil & Vinegar’s stainless steel pasta maker is designed to make fresh, tasty pasta. If you prefer thick or thin noodles there are two die settings, as well as adjustable rollers and table clamp, making it perfect for creating a variety of pasta dishes. ($54.95)

Glass Pipet Set

Impress your guests with a set of 2 handmade glass carafes with pipettes for dispensing olive oil and vinegar, according to their personal preference. The pipettes also serve as a lid, so that the contents remain fresh. Both carafes are microwaveable, oven, and dishwasher safe. ($24.95)

Happy to provide you with samples, high resolution photos, etc. upon request. Best, Christina Marie

GreenRubino, PR for Oil &Vinegar

From: Christina Marie Cooper

Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 11:40 AM

To: 'caryn@rockinmama.net'

Subject: Unique Oil & Vinegar Gift Ideas

Hi Caryn, Have you checked out Oil & Vinegar’s “Black Tagine?” Check out the product: Black Tagine From my last email, this product including, the Pasta Machine and our Glass Pipet Set looks to fit perfectly with your target prospects. We would love for you to share these unique gift ideas with your audience. I am more than happy to provide you with samples or high resolution photos upon request your request. Best, Christina Marie GreenRubino, PR for Oil &Vinegar

3.6 Social Media - Twitter Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes on San Juan Islands

Monday, 11/21

3PM: 3 Night Stay in an elegant lakefront cabin on San Juan Island with wine @LakedaleResorts

#wintergetaway #holidaygift http://www.lakedale.com/specials/

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5PM: Check out our favorite#nobake cabin# cookie #recipe- Double Peanut Butter Bars

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AZRP996EvN1ZC6_aw0QfGm-VFzwHU6paM7szNQJwlTVSGzYCzyyuVlM/

Tuesday, 11/22

7AM: Lakedale Resorts Wardrobe Tips for Travelers #traveltips #lakedale #resorts #pnw

#tiptuesdayhttps://www.pinterest.com/LakedaleResort/travel-wardrobe/

Wednesday, 11/23

9AM: Checkout #Lakedale #Resorts themed #weddings in San Juan Island. #visitsji @mmageepho

http://mmageephotography.com/san-juan-island-resort-wedding/

5PM: Where will you be this Winter Season? #LakedaleResorts #Sanjuan #sji

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Thursday, 11/24 (Thanksgiving)

3PM:- It’s never too early to make reservations for the #camping season! Spots fill up fast! #gateways

#camping http://www.lakedale.com/

4. INTERSHIP HOURS (SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER)

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The past three months of my internship I have grown, both personally and professionally. Working as a

PR intern at GreenRubio offered me the opportunity to expand my knowledge and connect with experts

in the communications field. I’ve gained a lot of experience and valuable knowledge, especially in event

marketing and industry research. Oftentimes the assignments given to me during my internship were a

reflection of my education. I did work in areas that were different then my education, including

informational sessions with other members outside my department. Having this opportunity gave me

real world knowledge about what type of work I wanted to purse after graduation. I found researching

industry trends and insights were the most interesting areas to me. By monitoring publications PR

professionals stay in the “know” and the happenings in the career field.

This internship provided hands-on experience in public relations and communication practices in the

digital age. I realized there is a big difference from school projects and activities compared to actual

work in the field. School project-based learning provides the development of 21st century skills to

succeed in the workplace, where in work projects become a reality. Working in a business environment

is not new to me and I was able to apply my previous work experience into practice.

Emma Wison, was my mentor during my internship and I learned a lot from her expertise. As a former

GRPR intern and new hire trainer for the PR department, she knew a lot about the company and the PR

industry in general. She was extremely helpful and always available to answer my questions, gave

advice, feedback, and I appreciate her support. I was eager to learn as much as I could from her, my

fellow intern, and colleagues.

Overall I appreciate the experience, advice, knowledge, and connections I received during my internship.

6.1 RECOMMEDATIONS FOR TE INTERSHIP

GreenRubino PR offers interns with an opportunity to gain real-world experience in public relations and

communication positions in a 21st century agency setting. GreenRubino is recognized as an awarding

agency and helps interns develop and improve their employable skills. I would recommend that

GreenRubino continue hiring interns not only in PR, but other departments in the company, to help

build and maintain a stronger company with a great corporate culture with their relevant knowledge

gained from their degree or work experiences.

6.2 RECOMMEDATIONS FOR THE UNVERSITY

The most important assignments during my internship were writing pitches and media alerts. The

Integrated Strategic Communication program offers students with knowledge in how to communicate in

multiple media platforms with some journalism courses. Even when drafting articles or blog posts in our

course work, we only submit writings to our professors instead of pitching them to media outlets.

Working for GreenRubino in the PR department has opened my eyes to the importance of creative

5. CONCLUSION

6. RECOMMEIDATIONS

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writing and no response follow up. At GreenRubino I learned how to pitch between print and online

mediums.

For this reason I am recommending my university offer a course in pitch writing where students can

learn how to draft a pitch and how to approach journalists and bloggers essential in modern PR

practices.

Below is a list of professional contacts I received during my internship.

7. NEW PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS

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