Olson Agency Tour Follow Up

By Molly Rasmussen

Last week, members of the University of Minnesota's PRSSA chapter took a tour of Olson Agency in Downtown Minneapolis. We walked out of the agency feeling inspired, motivated, and in awe! As mentioned in last week’s blog post, Olson is one of the most well known and advanced advertising agencies in the Twin Cities. On our tour, we also learned about Olson’s 14-person PR department who works alongside the rest of the agency.

The atmosphere of Olson was astonishing. We were impressed by the creative and contemporary workspace. With the help of our tour guide, we worked our way through the large building with several unique floors. We even saw Olson’s in-house workout facility. In the end, we walked away from the tour wishing we were those employees in front of the computers.

Luckily, we were promptly informed about Olson’s O-tern program that could give any of us the opportunity to intern for the summer at this vibrant and successful agency. We were given the following instructions about applying for this exclusive program:

OLSON’s O-tern Program

Join the next-generation brand builders through a comprehensive, educational, paid internship at OLSON. As an O-tern you will become part of something innovative, enriching and collaborative--an effort that goes beyond selling products and builds communities. You will spend the best summer of your life working in a creative, passion-driven agency working on brands like BAUER Hockey, Target, General Mills and Minnesota Wild. Together with smart professionals in the areas of public relations, account services, media, design, interactive and 1 to 1 loyalty marketing, you will experience the next generation of marketing communications. And, you’ll get the opportunity to start your career at one of the country’s fastest-growing agencies. OLSON was also recently named one of Advertising Age magazine’s “Agencies to Watch,” Inc. magazine’s fastest-growing private companies and a “Best Places to Work” by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. 

Successful candidates will provide support to team members on multiple accounts. O-terns will possess a diligent work ethic, attention to detail and impeccable communication skills. You must be able to work autonomously and take initiative on a consistent basis. You will be given the chance to learn from the best in your field and will be assigned to a mentor in your area who will provide special assignments designed to help you develop essential skills in that area.  

Internship opportunities are in media, public relations, interactive, project management, account services, brand strategy, and 1 to 1 loyalty marketing.

We’re looking for smart, energetic, curious people who are passionate about gaining real experience in the business - people who are ready to work hard to get what they want. If you are a recent college graduate and are interested in joining this elite social circle, submit the following materials by March 11, 2011. 

• Resume
• Cover letter

An email indicating the next steps will follow your submission.  Internship begins Monday, June 6th, 2011.

Thank you for your interest in OLSON and the O-tern program.

For more information about the program, visit http://tbe.taleo.net/NA1/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=OCO&cws=5&rid=510

HURRY! You only have until March 11, 2011 to apply!

Olson Agency Tour is this Wednesday

by Kelsey Darnall

So, what is Olson?

Next Wednesday PRSSA members will have the opportunity to visit one of the great advertising agencies in Minneapolis, Olson Advertising. Olson is one of the most well-known and advanced advertising agencies in the Twin Cities. It has quite the list of impressive clients, including Target, General Mills, the University of Minnesota, Subway, 3M, and Capitol One to name a few. Olson success continues to grow, and they have recently been named one of the “10 Agencies to Watch” by Advertising Age. Olson takes a creative, holistic approach with its cliental and believes in broad community engagement while maintaining a one-to-one relationship with clients. 

Olson has recently acquired MyThum, which is now under the name Olson Mobile. Olson Mobile is a mobile marketing device that will create websites for their clients that are specifically built for mobile phones, Smart phones, PDAs, etc. Olson recognizes that mobile phones are mainstream media for business and by acquiring MyThum Olson is one step ahead in mobile communication.

When is the agency tour, and how can I get there?

PRSSA members will be touring Olson Advertising on Wednesday, February 16. The tour will begin at 4:00 pm and will last approximately one hour. Please arrive 15 minutes early so PRSSA can get everyone together before starting the tour. Transportation to agency tours is usually arranged by PRSSA, but transportation to Olson is the responsibility of whoever wishes to go. Olson is located at 1625 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis, MN. Please dress in business professional attire and come prepared with questions, your resume, and your portfolio. Always be ready for networking opportunities! If you have any questions the day of the tour please contact Clark Rahman at (612) 309-4664 or Kelsey Darnall at (480) 440-3353.

Directions from University of Minnesota campus:

• Take 94 West
• Exit 231B for Hennepin Avenue toward Lyndale Avenue
• Keep right at the fork and follow signs for Lyndale Ave N/Hennepin Ave N/Lyndale Ave South
• Continue straight
• Turn right at South Lyndale Ave 
• Slight right at North 17^th Street 
• Right onto Dunwoody Blvd
• Right onto Maple Street
• Right onto Harmon Place
• First right onto Hennepin Avenue
• End at Olson Advertising 

Networking Advice from Ryan May

by Hilary Baril

It was a delight to have our professional advisor, Ryan May, come to meeting last night and give us some networking advice. If you weren't able to make it to meeting or need a recap, here are the main points he talked about:

Great follow up
After you have a conversation with a professional, ask for their business card, and then follow up with he or she right away. Start following them on Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, and shoot them an email. Tell the person why you enjoyed the conversation or let them know you would like to meet for an informational interview. Always send handwritten thank you notes after an informational or formal interview.

Take advantage of on-campus opportunities
There are countless networking opportunities not only in the Twin Cities, but also on campus. Take advantage of PRSSA networking events and agency tours as well as the College of Liberal Arts Career Center events.

Lunch on me
Offer to take a professional out to lunch to get to know them better and build your relationship. Inviting a professional out to lunch and offering to pay shows that you appreciate their time.

Be the head of the class
Take advantage of any networking opportunity you see. Be the first person to go up and talk to a speaker after class. Exchange business cards with professionals at PRSSA and other student group events. Do not be afraid to ask questions and get to know people.

Engage online
There are many online tools that can help you build your network. Social media is becoming a huge part of public relations so it is essential to have a Twitter account and LinkedIn profile, and use the tools to your advantage. It is equally important to manage your reputation online (i.e. Don't re-tweet Justin Bieber and tweet about the party last Friday night if you are being followed by professionals).

Business cards
Don't assume that just because you are a student, you don't deserve your very own business cards! It is an easy way to give someone your contact information and help them remember you. Be sure to include: name, school, email address, cell phone number, Twitter handle, and the URL of your website or blog if you have one. You can order cheap business cards online at Vistaprint.

Follow Ryan's blog at http://www.mnprblog.com/ and on twitter at @mnpr.

Internship: Ameriprise Financial

by Angela Infusino-Braun

Ameriprise Financial is looking for a public communications intern. The specific assignments will be based on the company’s needs and the intern’s background, skills, and interests. Examples of possible assignments are creating and updating media lists, writing content for the Ameriprise newsroom (feature stories, commentary, story ideas), developing target media pitches for priority markets and consumer segments, reviewing and editing press releases and other communications, conducting research on current trends, and assisting with media outreach in local markets.

Ameriprise Financial is seeking interns who are pursuing a major in journalism, public relations, or communications. In addition applicants should have excellent writing and communication skills, experience or a strong interest in interacting with media, demonstrated leadership ability, strong academic performance, and an interest in pursuing a career in media relations or communications. Apply through the online jobs portal.

 

Ameriprise Financial is a FORTUNE 500 company who has 115 years of history in helping clients achieve their financial goals. They serve more than 2 million individual, business, and institutional clients. Ameriprise believes in fostering a culture where all employees are recognized for their individual merits. They provide the right level of resources and accessible leadership to help build your future.

Rock for REACH

by Carrie Krueger


REACH for Resources is a non-profit organization here in the Twin Cities that provides a support system to individuals suffering from cognitive disabilities and their families. As funding for institutions for adults with cognitive disabilities has been decreasing, more families search for support in dealing with issues. REACH for Resources provides mental health counseling, training for self-sufficiency, therapeutic recreation, and many other services. REACH for Resources is also one of the many clients that the PRSSA’s student firm, Fusion, represents pro bono. Fusion aids non-profits like REACH for Resources with their public relations campaigns such as promoting their benefit concert Rock for REACH.


Events such as Rock for REACH are vital to the upkeep of the organization so it can continue to change so many lives. This year’s Rock for REACH benefit concert is being held on Friday, February 18^th from 5:30pm to 1:00am at The Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis. The first part of the night consists of a Rock Band video-game competition. Anybody can get a group together to compete, so start rehearsing.  The winning Rock Band team will win a $200 cash prize!  After the competition, the benefit concert begins with great local bands Kicked in the Jimmy and Kip Mexico.


Mark the date on your calendars and get ready to rock and roll for a terrific cause and listen to some great music.  For additional information about the Rock for REACH benefit and ticket prices check out their website http://www.reachforresources.org/rockforreach.html.