Two weeks, one PR agency, and a whole lot of learning

Joshua Leeper

Two weeks at Viva. That’s fourteen days, two client visits, tons of meetings, one food festival, hundreds of drafts and more hands-on experience than I could’ve asked for. Here’s how it went.

As soon as I arrived at the office, I was met with a friendly and enthusiastic team, excited for me to get stuck into agency life at Viva. There was no “sit here and read the company handbook” energy.

My first task was going through influencer lists for a client running a food festival, updating their follower counts on Excel, and researching those attending. On the face of it a small task but vital to the planning process and the perfect way to start my internship.

I quickly learnt on how to navigate Excel, a skill many of us aren’t taught throughout our years in education. I learnt how to select influencers, and the numbers that mattered. I didn’t realise how much prep goes into making an event look effortless. By the end of the first day, I already felt like I’d learnt and understood a lot more than if I’d been taught it in a lecture at uni. It was a side of PR that you have to do to understand how it fits into a plan.

Early in my first week, I had a 1:1 session with one of the Account Directors at Viva on press releases. It was something we’ve covered in my course at uni but this felt different. The structure, finding a good angle, and how to hook a journalist was all clearly explained. Then I got to write one myself. I was feeling the nerves. I was given positive and constructive feedback and knowing what you did right and what needed to improve on is exactly how you get better at something. I now feel much more confident when it comes to writing and receiving feedback.

The influencer preparation I’d done earlier in the week paid off when the festival came around. I helped build the attendee list and then collected content data from the influencers who attended, tracking what they produced. Seeing all the data together really allowed me to appreciate just how much work goes into clients and events not just before but after and how professionally and thoroughly Viva operates.

I also got to visit other clients, sitting in on meetings where real decisions are being made. I wasn’t just shadowing or sat in a corner observing. I was part of the room, part of the team. That’s rare for most internships and especially rare for a two-week placement and I didn’t take it for granted.

Over the course of my time spent at Viva, I helped the team with set up of their podcast, mics, lights and furniture. Something else you can’t learn from a lecture and a valuable experience.

On the creative side, I had the opportunity to make social media graphics for clients. It was a great way to learn and understand about brand guidelines, consistency, matching colours, keeping the tone right and making sure that every post looked like it belongs to that client. Designing content, was a great way to express any creative skills I had and develop even more.

Everyone at Viva was keen in helping me to learn and develop new skills. They allowed and actively encouraged me to take part in all aspects of agency life – explaining the context of the task, and I wasn’t afraid to ask questions or help. It was a really friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere from day one, and I could see that they cared about the work they were producing because they understood and cared about the clients. It truly increased my excitement and passion about the kind of career I want to pursue.

I came to Viva, not knowing what to expect or what I’d be doing, but I’ve left with a much clearer view of what a career In PR involves. I know what kind of PR I’m interested in, what my strengths are, and I know the best way to learn in this industry is to be in the room. I now have a whole new page to add to my CV of the skills I’ve learnt and attained while being at Viva.

If you’re thinking of applying for the NextGen programme, honestly do it. Bring your curiosity, be ready to be pulled from task to task, and do not be afraid to ask questions – lots of questions, no question is a daft one. They’ll meet you where you are.

I’m saddened that my time at Viva has ended, it’s been an experience I will not forget. Thank you, Viva!