By Max Riegel
I’m 18 years old, live in Darmstadt, Germany and will finish school next June. One of the most important questions that I’ve asked myself in the last year has been: what do I want to achieve in my life and what possibilities do I have after high school? My main study focus is in economics and English, and therefore the opportunity to combine both of these topics in the future would be phenomenal for me. As a sports blogger, with a substantial Twitter following, I’ve developed an interest in marketing and PR, and was very excited to be given the opportunity to work at Magenta for two weeks. I also got the chance to work in both the north and south of England, getting a fuller experience of life in a different country, having to speak a different language 24/7, and gaining valuable workplace experience.
In my first week in the UK, I was part of Magenta’s team in Lancaster. I was immediately introduced into the client work and my first task was to help put together some press releases for one of Magenta’s clients which was hosting an awards event. I also put together local media lists to generate local publicity. On Wednesday, I attended the Central Lancashire Business Event in Chorley. I was delighted to be given this opportunity, especially because I’d never experienced a networking event before. It was certainly an interesting evening, including two different guest speakers and the possibility to meet many different companies. Other interesting experiences for me that week were drafting some Tweets and a blog piece.
In my second week I travelled southwards to Magenta’s head office in the seaside town of Brighton, where I stayed for the rest of my time in England. At the beginning of the week, I was asked to draft Tweets and Facebook posts to promote Magenta’s ‘How to Guides’. Taking my personal interest in social media into account, it was very interesting to see how companies make use of social media on a daily basis. In addition, I was responsible for Magenta’s internal media monitoring, which required me to do daily research on the internet for industry articles of interest to send out to the whole Magenta team. I also worked with Magenta’s creative director to create leaflets showcasing Magenta’s design services which will be handed out to existing clients and at events in the future.
I got the opportunity to get involved in the planning and organisation of Magenta’s Christmas presents, creating lists of names and addresses, as well as searching for a suitable picture to print on the Christmas cards. Be prepared for some great presents!
My last task was to contribute to a competitor report for one of Magenta’s clients, which recently expanded its business. I collected useful stats and information about all of the companies and analysed the sectors where they might compete directly against each other.
I value my time with the Magenta team in Lancaster and Brighton very highly, because they have allowed me to combine my personal interest in PR and marketing with the opportunity to stay abroad on my own. The whole team was very friendly and helpful and gave me a variety of tasks, and it was a certainly a pleasure to work with them. I’m more than thankful to Magenta for the amazing time I’ve had in England, which has provided me with lasting memories and exceptional experiences.
