Dog Parties, Vodka, and a Mischievous Gemsbock

Megan Kamitsuka is a senior at the Missouri School of Journalism majoring in strategic communication and has been interning at Curator PR this summer.

As the intern for Curator PR, I am doing things I honestly never imagined. No one told me I’d get to plan dog parties and bottle premium vodka all in a week’s time. Here’s a snapshot of intern life at Curator HQ.

In one project, I assisted with a client’s picnic at Washington Arboretum, dedicated to the importance of pollinators, where I mingled with a variety of food and healthy living bloggers. I enjoyed meeting the faces behind the blogs I had been perusing for recipes and tricks of the trade, and the chance to take a trip and interact with some of the influencers in that sphere.

Then, for another client, I orchestrated the planning process for large-scale dog parties across the nation, no holds barred: dog trampolines, canine cakes, and Fido Olympics were all definitely in question.  I called iconic parks around the US and discussed how to make the idea tangible. It was like piecing together a puzzle, and I am excited for the outcome of this initiative. I also got tapped for help on the same client’s Pinterest account. Pinning cute dog pictures? Yeah, I think I can handle that. Since our first two weeks of the account’s launch, we have more than tripled our followers.

In another loyalty program project for a different client, I learned to get more in touch with an industry that has emerged seemingly overnight and has kept itself relevant largely through their big personalities and social media—Seattle’s food trucks. From menacing steel pig-shaped vans slinging pulled pork sliders, (@somepigseattle) to a myriad of gourmet flavor combinations on a paper plate (@curb_cuisine), the trucks tweet their locations and give shout-outs to customers, a simple method that has evidently worked wonders.

Then, I helped bottle limited edition cases of artisan vodka at our client’s distillery—a handy skill to have. The following night was the elegant Gatsby-themed launch party, which was filled with extravagance and surprises (read: a fire-spouting, balancing tuba act to cap off the night). I have been tracking coverage of the new product and the distillery ever since and it is exciting to witness the speed at which the brand is taking off.

At the core of it all, the glue that bonds Curator together is our unique office culture. We have our mascot Gem, the unassuming yet mischievous gemsbok wall adornment who wears a neck full of Mardi Gras beads; Friday happy hours in our kitchen bar; and morning coffee huddles where we talk shop and poke fun at one another about anything and everything. I have come to the conclusion that the team knows how to balance work with play—that’s what keeps our inspiration and motivation going.

The aforementioned projects are just a taste of what I’ve done here (I also assembled my own office furniture on my first day with some kind-hearted helpers). Along the way, I’m learning what it's really like to work in this industry, something invaluable for a senior before college graduation. I am quickly gaining the know-how to navigate the complex waters of social media and branding, to effectively promote events across the spectrum, to garner coverage and to assemble in-depth media lists, and to better connect brands with consumers. I love being surrounded by so many creative minds.