180days @ KickStrat by Ayushi Jha
“Did you just say that we’ve completed 180 days? Wow! The realisation is a bit surreal — it’s been 180 days of the internship and we haven’t once met the team in person (credits to the pandemic), and no one has asked us to make a coffee run (clichés drive the movie after all)!”
Ayushi Jha, Kickstrater @Isobar #180days@KickStratbyIsobarKickStrat by Isobar is a 6 months internship program for budding strategists
Describe yourself in one line.
Sunshine, fuelled on curiosity and whiskey, with the vantage of wildflowers.
How has been your 180 days journey at Isobar?
Did you just say that we’ve completed 180 days? Wow! The realisation is a bit surreal — it’s been 180 days of the internship and we haven’t once met the team in person (credits to the pandemic), and no one has asked us to make a coffee run (clichés drive the movie after all)!
Kickstrat kick started with a lot of industry introductory sessions and interactive meetings, which gave us a peak into the overall working of an agency — from strategy to client servicing, we covered it all. Gradually we started helping out with live projects and learned the nuances of the daily working at Isobar, handling an array of brands and their unique business problems — ‘cracking a brief’ is a thing BTW. The days are lined with team calls and brainstorming hours, it’s like a power rush, and the day just goes by. In a way, that’s part and parcel of doing what you like.
What kind of skills do you need to be effective in a strategy role?
I would say it’s the ability to leave out all predispositions before starting a project and working a new perspective, at the same time being able to critique your own ideas. Additionally, a respect for the process is essential — you can’t jump to ideation, there’s a streamlined research, thought, insight, and structure that goes behind the idea.
How is Kickstrat different from any other internship in the industry?Honestly, I was sceptical while entering the program thinking that it’s going to be solely advertising and I being a marketer might restrict myself. To my very pleasant surprise it has been very inclusive of various types of marketing processes and frameworks, making it a holistic learning process. Team participation by Isobar execs at all levels has been amazing! It’s a supportive and encouraging culture, assisting one unleash their true potential.
Why will you recommend Kickstrat to anyone who is keen in kickstarting a career in the industry?
Regardless of your educational and professional background, if you want an integrated outlook of the industry — Kickstrat is for you! Kickstrat recognises your individuality and helps you sharpen those unique traits, making you a dynamic resource.
