Famous: Class of 2019
What got you interested in the Famous internship?
Bailey Possail: I initially heard about Fresh Produce from my professors at South Dakota State University and officially met Ted at Student Day in the fall of my sophomore year. He pulled out his deck of Mystic Truths and I remember appreciating his drive to interact with each one of us and enthusiasm for what he does. From there, I made it my collegiate goal to intern at Fresh Produce.
Brianna Schreurs: I visited Fresh Produce during my freshman year at SDSU during Super ‘Cas. I remember feeling really inspired by the work around the office and art gallery after leaving. Some friends interned there that upcoming summer and told me about how it was a hands-on experience that made them go about thinking and working in a new way. They also got a lot of freedom in their internship. I just kept learning more about Fresh Produce and appreciated how thoughtful and creative they all were.
Tom Bates: I met Ted and Kyle my first year at SDSU during an internship fair and I heard about how good the Famous internship was. After touring the space and seeing the work they do, I was hooked and wanted to be part of the team.
What did you look forward to doing/learning?
Bailey: When I was first hired, I was daunted by the fact that I hadn’t developed a process for generating ideas. It often felt like a trade secret that just wouldn’t leak. But I knew Fresh Produce valued process and I looked forward to working closely with the creative team to get a taste of what they do to generate ideas.
Brianna: Learning how to form good creative ideas. I was always impressed by Fresh Produce’s work. I was interested in learning their process, understanding what motivated those ideas and being around people who dared to think big. Also, I was so excited to work with this Famous class. Bailey and Tom are so talented, and I looked forward to seeing the work we would do for our clients.
Tom: I was looking forward to learning about Fresh Produce’s creative process after Ted and I had a 30-minute conversation about it during my internship interview.
“Good work comes from a life well-lived. Having fun, doing things you enjoy affect your professional life and help it.” — Brianna Schreurs
What skills did you strengthen during your Famous internship?
Bailey: When Mike called to tell me I was hired as the copywriter intern, I maybe had a handful of silly stories and a few dozen ideas scribbled in the back of an old journal. Being a Famous intern taught me how to use my hobby by means of developing messaging for clients. Throughout the summer, I developed an awareness of different messaging tactics and strategies, and came to understand the importance of language and brand voice when writing for numerous audiences.
Brianna: Practicing my process was huge for me this summer. Usually, my ideas didn’t form deliberately. This summer, I focused on being intentional and documenting what works to develop my ideas. I also built upon my communication skills. From talking to clients to the Fresh Produce crew and the Famous team, I had a lot of meetings. I had to learn how to be more precise with what I said!
Tom: My concept and idea generation leveled up when I started working at Fresh Produce. After going through the creative process a couple times, it became an important part in pushing and stretching ideas.
What was your big takeaway from the summer?
Bailey: My biggest takeaway from the summer was the importance of interacting with the community and engaging in networking opportunities. Being a Famous intern allows you to connect with Fresh Produce employees, Sioux Falls business owners and members of the art community, all of whom hold valuable insight and experience that will help you in the long run.
Brianna: Good work comes from a life well-lived. Having fun, doing things you enjoy affect your professional life and help it. Also, it’s OK to be stuck creatively.
Tom: Concepting ideas was the biggest takeaway. Observing what has already been done and being aware of the “hairball” is a really good lesson to learn as a creative.
Did the internship give you a better idea of what you want to do after graduation? If yes, can you elaborate.
Bailey: Absolutely! Before being hired, I was uncertain about a career path, and since running Famous, I now have the desire to continue expanding my skills in writing to turn my passion into a career.
Brianna: YES! Famous was terrific and confirmed I want to work in advertising. I especially want to work somewhere dedicated to authenticity and creativity in the same way I am.
Tom: Yes. Luckily for me, Fresh Produce is doing what I want to do and I was fortunate to have been hired on full-time. What I value most about working here is the freedom to be as creative as I want to be. The whole team creates an environment that nurtures creativity and challenges you to do your best work. It’s like what someone said in a recent meeting, “the comfort zone will kill you.” Everyday I feel uncomfortable, and in doing so I’m constantly growing and learning.
You three were on a roll with clients and projects — what project did you really enjoy working on?
Bailey: Each project had their own quirks but my favorite was helping Sioux Empire Wheels to Work build awareness of their car donation program. I think it’s safe to say that Brianna, Tom and I poured our hearts and souls into this project and were able to essentially redesign their brand identity. You can see in our work that we strived to give them the best we could because we each really wanted to see their program succeed in helping those in the community.
Brianna: Sioux Empire Wheels to Work was really fun, and it also felt necessary. We helped them form a brand and online presence. Our work with Cannonball Digital was excellent, as well. Tom and Bailey took charge and created unique branding for our client within two weeks—impressive! P&M Steel was fun because we got to think big, and we laughed a lot in the process of forming ideas to share with them to help them celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Tom: Cannonball Digital was a fun challenge. It was a brand identity project, which was right in my wheelhouse, but the challenging part of it was the short deadline. We pulled together three super strong art and messaging concepts in as little as TWO WEEKS. What I enjoyed most abut this project was the client presentation! It might be weird to say, but I enjoy presenting artwork to the client. Finishing a strong presentation and making the client inspired by the work you did is one of the most satisfying feelings.
What aspect/s of projects challenged you the most?
Bailey: Like you said, we were on a roll with clients and projects and I think the most challenging aspect of that was bringing three to four fresh ideas to the table for each client project. It challenged me to produce effective and meaningful ideas in a short amount of time and in the end strengthened my ability to think outside the box.
Brianna: Reaching out and getting new business was intimidating to me. I didn’t know exactly how to do it and thought it came down to a perfect formula to get a client to want to work with you. I had to learn to fight through nerves and enjoy just listening to potential clients!
Tom: For me, as a designer, the most challenging part of any project is the beginning. It’s scary to have a blank piece of paper looking you right in the face waiting for your brain to come up with something special. But once you get going on something good it becomes a snowball effect and you start producing great work.
What do you think of your Ipso Gallery experience? What was it like to help with an art exhibition?
Bailey: The Ipso show (White Ribbon) was one of my favorite parts of the internship and an aspect I highlight on my resume. It’s a very unique opportunity
to interact with the community and bring people into the space to celebrate art. I had a ton of fun working with staff to produce promotional materials and organize the show.
Brianna: White Ribbon was the best part of the summer. The Famous crew worked super hard to bring the county fair to the Gourley Building. Some friends let us use a cotton candy machine, and we made handmade garland to get the atmosphere right. One of my favorite moments was when the ribbons came in the mail. The whole crew stopped their day to begin to look at how cool they were. It definitely got us pumped for the show.
Tom: The Ipso Gallery experience was fun. Seeing everyone during the opening of White Ribbon was a blast. It meant a lot to me to be part of that culture and knowing that it was one of the best shows Fresh Produce has ever had.
A quick piece of advice for future applicants?
Bailey: In your application, showcase your skills but also the things that represent the type of person you are and what interests you. One of my interview questions was to talk about a unique or unusual interest I have and as an interviewee, I wasn’t prepared for questions about my personal preferences, but that’s what I appreciate about Fresh Produce’s hiring process. They’re interested in things beyond your skillset, such as your interests and experiences.
Brianna: Show who you are in ways that go beyond the application and resume.
Tom: Please get out of your comfort zone. Experiment and challenge yourself. Specific advice for a designer who is applying for the Famous internship, show how you can come up with an idea and how you solved a problem with your work.
Anything else you want to add?
Bailey: Coordinate your lunches with your outfits. And by that, I mean don’t pack spaghetti the same day you’re wearing a white shirt.
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