Roll Call | 2024 Ad Camp Interns

By Rose Hoogers
  • 08.28.24
  • 5 Min Read

Sure, some may call the time between spring and fall “summer.” But here at L&S, we call it “camping season.” Ad Camp is here for another year, and with it are the 2024 Ad Camp interns – me being one of them. Since May, we’ve been learning survival skills to equip us for the wild world of advertising. One thing my fellow campers never forget to pack? Their personalities. Pull up a lawn chair and join us around the campfire as I get to know my bunkmates.

Carly Kunkel

ACCOUNT SERVICE INTERN

 

WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL, AND WHAT DID YOU MAJOR IN?
I’m freshly graduated from the University of South Dakota. (Go Yotes!) I majored in Media & Journalism with a specialization in Strategic Communications.

HOW’D YOU HEAR ABOUT AD CAMP?
My professors at college were always raving about L&S and how they’re one of the best agencies around. After some L&S website deep dives, I kept my eye out for applications and deemed L&S my official internship crush.

WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT BEING AN INTERN THAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT?
How much L&S trusts their interns. We’re assigned real tasks and responsibilities that we get to see reflected in the real world.

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN YOUR INTERNSHIP?
I think every day I look forward to the constant learning opportunities. I learn something just about every minute – whether it’s watching the pros do their thing, learning another advertising acronym, or finding out where the front desk keeps the extra L&S pens. I’m learning constantly.

A HUNGRY BEAR WANDERS ONTO YOUR CAMPSITE. WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?
Sharing is caring. I’m offering that guy a s’more and hoping he just needed a sweet treat (me too, hungry bear).

Jack Derickson

DESIGN INTERN

 

WHERE DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND WHAT DID YOU MAJOR IN?
I’m finishing up my time at South Dakota State in the fall. I’m majoring in Graphic Design with a minor in Studio Arts and certificates in Ceramics, Printmaking and Art History.

HOW’D YOU HEAR ABOUT AD CAMP?
L&S has a great presence in the Sioux Falls advertising community, so I’ve had my eye on them for a while. My first time hearing about Ad Camp specifically was at American Advertising Federation (AAF) South Dakota Student Day in 2022. When the opportunity came along, I just knew I had to apply!

WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-TO-DAY AS AN INTERN LOOK LIKE?
This is a difficult question to answer, because every day is different. One day I’ll hunker down and work on a couple sets of display banners, but the next I’ll work on logo iterations and play four square (not at the same time).

IS YOUR INTERNSHIP WHAT YOU EXPECTED?
My job at school prepared me for an agency-esqe setting, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of fun I’ve had! Picnics, cornhole tournaments, and conversations about Pirates of the Caribbean are sprinkled throughout my day more than I could’ve expected. I never would’ve thought a 40-hour work week could just fly by like this!

A GREAT GUST OF WIND BLOWS YOUR TENT AWAY. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR SHELTER?
I’d reframe the situation. The stars will make for a beautiful, yet drafty, cover for me.

Sally Lokolong

CONSUMER INSIGHTS INTERN

 

WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND WHAT’S YOUR DEGREE IN?
I graduated from the University of South Dakota with a major in Strategic Communications and a minor in Business Administration.

HOW’D YOU HEAR ABOUT AD CAMP?
I went to the AAF Student Day last fall where there were representatives from different agencies in Sioux Falls. I stopped by the L&S table where Sara Tvedt was really selling Ad Camp. I thought it sounded like a great opportunity.

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED IN YOUR TIME AT AD CAMP?
I’ve learned that team work really makes the dream work, and you’re never really on your own.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY FOR YOU LOOK LIKE?
A typical day for me is meeting with the C.I. team to discuss who, what, when, where and why we need to pull information for different client projects and then going out and actually researching.

YOU’VE BEEN HIKING IN THE WOODS FOR HOURS WHEN AN EAGLE SWOOPS DOWN AND TAKES YOUR MAP. HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WAY BACK TO CAMP?
There’s no way I wouldn’t have my phone with me so I’m pulling out Apple Maps to direct me back.

Zach Simon

ACCOUNT SERVICE INTERN

 

WHERE DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING?
I attend South Dakota State University and I am majoring in Advertising.

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT AD CAMP?
While I had heard about L&S in passing, I wasn’t familiar with the company until fall semester last year, when I took two classes taught by Mark Glissendorf, L&S partner. I was struck not only by Mark’s expertise, humbleness and helpfulness, but also by how glowingly he spoke of the L&S staff. He mentioned Ad Camp, and I knew it was the best internship opportunity I could find.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO FROM YOUR AD CAMP EXPERIENCE?
Continuing to build relationships with the amazing team members here and doing real work for real clients.

WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT BEING AN INTERN YOU DIDN’T EXPECT?
Before starting my internship, I knew L&S had some of the friendliest people in the business, but I didn’t expect just how friendly everyone was. Every person I’ve gotten to work with has been incredibly helpful and supportive.

YOU HAVE NO MATCHES OR A LIGHTER. HOW ARE YOU STARTING A CAMPFIRE?
I’d be helpless. I’m great at keeping campfires going, but starting them is well out of my wheelhouse. I would probably try hitting two rocks together, but when that inevitably fails, I would need to call for backup.

Rose Hoogers

COPYWRITING INTERN

 

Before we get into the Q&A, a disclaimer: I interviewed myself, which can be odd and lonely. Ways to curb these feelings include:

  1. Talking to yourself in the mirror. The eye contact is nice.
  2. Recording yourself asking the questions. Be sure to pause and nod, as if past you is listening to present you answer. She really makes you feel heard.
  3. Typing your questions into a text to speech website. It is absolutely more effective if you set the accent to Scottish.

On to the interview.

WHERE DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL & WHAT’S YOUR MAJOR?
I go to Northwestern College in Iowa – not the Northwestern in Illinois or Minnesota. My major is called Writing and Publication. It’s basically English and Communications smushed together.

HOW’D YOU HEAR ABOUT AD CAMP?
I saw a Pizza Ranch commercial that really spoke to me. I did a little research on who wrote it and Lawrence & Schiller popped up. When surfing their website, I saw they had Ad Camp applications for a position called copywriting, and I thought I should give it a shot.

WAS YOUR INTERNSHIP WHAT YOU WERE EXPECTING?
It’s different in the best way possible. I’m amazed at how much I learn every day and by the variety of projects I get to join. Also unexpected – how fun it is. Silly convos, tournaments, games, and memes in the chat abound.

WHAT OTHER POSITION IN THE AGENCY WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY?
Video seems pretty cool, but I’m not the most tech-savvy. So probably best to watch the pros do their thing and leave my 3DS music video directing career in the past.

YOU RUN OUT OF FIREWOOD AND THE AX YOU BROUGHT IS DULL. HOW DO YOU KEEP THE FIRE GOING?
My first move would be to bribe a beaver to chew down a tree for me and gnaw it into logs. I think a fair swap would be some whitening toothpaste. He gets vanity, I get warmth and cooked food.

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