RAPTOR | importance-of-perspective

The Importance of Perspective - Why interns are integral to executing youth marketing

The traditional view of interns is that they are low-stakes grunt workers. Coffee grabbers, errand runners and note takers. Individuals interested in breaking into an industry who are expected to be grateful for the simple fact of being let through the doors to lay eyes on the professional workplace. But for Raptor, interns are an invaluable asset and a means of maintaining a fresh outlook on the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of youth culture.

Insight is a key component to the strategies of any brand. Knowing what makes their target demographic tick, identifying their needs, wants and preferences. For some it may seem like an unnecessary risk to give responsibility to an inexperienced, unseasoned cohort. Yet it should follow that the best way to understand youth perspective is to have input from those who experience it, so for an agency which strives to align brands with the gaze of the youth, handing over the reins to budding minds appears less of a gamble.

By giving real responsibility to interns rather than menial or meaningless tasks, it allows them the opportunity to experience genuine satisfaction in their work. With this then follows genuine motivation and the desire to contribute to a company's successes. The idea that in order for a fledgling to fly it first needs to take a leap of faith is not a new one, it is just one that is rarely exercised in the professional space due to a fear of backlash or breakdown.

Speaking to one of Raptor’s current summer interns Ben, it becomes clear that this more egalitarian approach benefits everyone involved. “Even when you're thrown in the deep end you never feel out of depth” he says, highlighting that the tight-knit office environment allows him to seek advice and learn at an increased rate. “Every day you’re hanging around with the CEO, Managing Directors and Senior account executives. If you need to ask a question or get an opinion, people in the office are always happy to chat.”

In allowing for a symbiosis between interns and more senior employees, so long as there is adequate support, courage and trust, the benefits go both ways. Not only do the interns gain valuable skills which will allow them to flourish within the industry, they provide us with priceless perspectives and outlooks which may otherwise have been overlooked.

OUR WORK