What I didn’t expect to learn during my internship at MARNIX and ALLY

Hi there! My name is Elien and I’m studying Music Management at PXL. Today, I’m going to tell you about a few things I didn’t expect to learn during my internship at MARNIX and ALLY. As a music student, PR may not seem like the obvious choice for me. However, I really wanted to do an internship that relates to my thesis: I’m writing about influencer marketing in the music industry. Influencer marketing is very new in the music scene and not a lot of record labels are using it.

Therefore, I started looking for experience in different industries that I’d love to learn more about, like the fashion and beauty market. During my search for my right internship I came across PR and brand building agency MARNIX and ALLY. Curious about what I’ve discovered during my first weeks on the job? Then keep on reading to find out more.

The showroom

Before I started my internship, the idea of a showroom was quite unclear to me. At first, I thought it was similar to a fashion store. My first day here, I realized my mistake and learned what the showroom is actually used for. Basically, a showroom is a place where stylists and journalists discover the newest collections and get inspired and select styles for editorial shoots, (music) videos, articles and shopping pages.

Press Dates

In the music industry, press launches are very different as they aren’t only focused on journalists. When an artist releases a new album they organize a release show where they invite artist managers, A&R’s (new talent recruiters), publishers and (music) press.

One thing both industries have in common is their main goal to be featured in the right media and the notion that a great network gets you very far. During the M and A Press Dates I’ve discovered that close relationships with relevant journalists are key. It was very nice to see that they too really appreciated this personal approach. The one-on-one appointments gave the M and A team the possibility to have a real conversation, with all precautionary measures taken into account. I got the opportunity to observe several fashion, beauty and lifestyle Press Dates. At the end, I even gave the tour myself (under supervision of course)!

Content creation

One of my projects at MARNIX and ALLY is creating content for their showroom on Instagram. I didn’t expect to learn this so soon, but I’m very happy I did. I really enjoy the creative process of content creation, planning an Instagram feed, getting creative with stories and doing my research on how to grow your audience on the app. At first, it was rather hard to really capture the style and colors, but once I got to know the look and feel, it became a lot easier.

A tip from me to you

At MARNIX and ALLY, they’re always looking for enthusiastic interns. So let me give you a few tips! Your resume and cover letter matter A LOT. Get creative with it and make it personal! Tell something about your volunteer work, accomplishments you’re proud of and a few of your interests or hobbies that match the position you’re applying for. You want the person who reads it to be excited about you, your skills and your motivation to join the M and A team. Personalizing a cover letter for the company you’re sending it to, is really important. It shows that you’ve done your research. This way the receiver knows you’ve put a lot of effort into writing your cover letter.

Also don’t forget to save your resume and cover letter as a pdf-file, it makes all the difference ;)

Good luck,
Elien
@elienpeeters98

Are you interested in an inspiring internship @MARNIX and ALLY? Take your chance and send an email to margot@marnixandally.com.