(This month, we feature a guest blogger for CMOco, Avery. While so many use AI, Artificial Intelligence, we’re using IA…Intern Avery. She is a spring 2025 semester CMOco intern. We asked her to share, in this month’s blog, her impressions of what it’s like behind the scenes of an ad agency from her personal point of view. Enjoy!)
From the Eyes of an Intern
My name is Avery. I’m a 21-year-old originally from Delaware, but I’ve found a second home in Tennessee for college. I’m currently in my third year at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, studying advertising. When I first began my college journey, I knew I wanted to study something creative and ever evolving. That’s what drew me to advertising. I’ve always found it fascinating that so many companies in one industry can offer nearly identical products or services—yet somehow, some brands stand out while others fade into the background. What sets them apart? Advertising. It’s not just about selling a product or service—it’s about telling a story, building a brand identity, and forming emotional connections with consumers. That challenge, that constant evolution, is what hooked me from the start.
As I took more advertising and marketing courses in college, I learned a lot—creating mock campaigns, understanding brand strategy, analyzing markets. But I also knew that to truly understand the world of advertising, I needed real-world experience. While I have held internships before that helped me grow professionally, I was still searching for something more major specific: a hands-on internship within an advertising agency. I wanted to experience agency life in comparison to an in-house marketing environment.
That’s when I stumbled upon CMOco—completely by chance—while scrolling through social media. (I found out THIS is why having an organic social media presence is so important!) I reached out to CEO Lori Asbury and she could not have been more welcoming and supportive. She helped me get my foot in the door and gave me exactly the kind of opportunity I was hoping for. From day one, it was clear that this was going to be a valuable and eye-opening experience.
First Impressions: Expectations vs. Reality
Walking into the office on my first day, I was nervous. I wasn’t sure what to expect—would everyone be laser-focused, serious, uptight, and silent all day? Would I feel out of place? But my nervousness was quickly replaced with excitement. That Monday morning, I joined their weekly team meeting where they review every client, discussed what needed to be done, and shared updates across departments. It was clear right away: this wasn’t a cold, corporate environment. It is a collaborative, creative, and highly communicative team that genuinely cares about the work they are doing.
What surprised me most was how deeply committed the team is—not just to completing tasks, but to getting it right. Everyone has their distinct roles, sure, but nothing happens in isolation. Strategy is developed with input from multiple perspectives. The amount of collaboration and thoughtful discussion that goes into each project is something I didn’t fully expect. There’s a deep sense of ownership and pride in their work, and that energy is contagious.
The Creative Process: What I Thought vs. What I Learned
Before starting this internship, I had a pretty simplified view of how creative work came together. I assumed the creative team would come up with an idea, build it out, work their magic, and move on to the next project. But it’s so much more layered than that.
I quickly learned that every piece of creative work—whether it’s a social media post, a campaign idea, or a video concept—goes through multiple rounds of discussion, strategy, research, and review. Trends are analyzed, client histories are considered, performance metrics are reviewed. Everything is purposeful. Every choice is strategic. The team double and triple-checks their work, not because they have to, but because they want to deliver the best possible product for their clients. That kind of thoroughness and dedication is something I deeply admire.
The People Behind the Work
One of the best parts of this internship has been the people. Every member of the team has gone out of their way to help me learn. They’ve taken time to sit down with me one-on-one, answer my questions, show me their workflow, and offer advice. I didn’t feel like “just an intern”—I felt like part of the team. Their willingness to share their knowledge and experiences helped me grow not only professionally but personally.
So… Where Do I Go From Here?
This internship has given me so much more than just another line on my resume—it gave me insight, perspective, and clarity. I didn’t just shadow one person or one department. I got to see the inner workings of an entire agency, and that gave me a much deeper understanding of how everything connects—from creative and copy to strategy and execution.
While I’m still narrowing down the exact path I want to pursue in marketing and advertising, this experience confirmed that I’m in the right industry and headed in the right direction. Before this internship, I sometimes wondered if I had chosen the right major. But now, I have no more doubts. I’m more passionate and confident than ever that this is the career path I want to pursue. I’ve discovered how much I enjoy the strategic and behind-the-scenes elements—the planning, the copywriting, and the thoughtful decisions that happen long before anything goes live. Social media planning and brand strategy, in particular, have really sparked my interest.
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity Lori and the team at CMOco gave me. It has been everything I hoped for and more—a place to learn, to be challenged, and to be inspired. Whatever comes next, I’ll carry this experience with me, and I’ll always look back on it as a major turning point in my professional journey.
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