A Crash Course in Branding

Securing an internship was an anxiety-inducing journey composed of late applications and panicked interviews, rooted in a genuine fear of the professional world. The majority of my design career consisted of illustrating t-shirt designs for bands in exchange for pizza or merchandise, so jumping headfirst into a professional agency was just as nerve-racking as it was exciting.

Thankfully, I was quick to discover that FourthIdea wasn’t a boring, uptight agency like I feared working with, and spending a couple of months here has really cleared up a lot of the anxieties I’ve felt about working in a professional environment. It has been a really inspiring experience to work in an atmosphere that not only fosters profound and creative work, but also knows how to let its hair down.

My time in the FourthIdea office has been spent petting dogs, joking around, and dancing to whatever weird pop music Nick (the art director) has picked out for the day’s playlist — all while somehow getting the work done. The ambiance in the 500 Seneca office is a far cry from the white-walled cubicle zoos of my nightmares, and it only gets better once we step out and wander to Larkin Square for lunch. On the right days, the surrounding air smells of Cheerios or Lucky Charms courtesy of our beloved General Mills factory less than a mile away.

The most exciting experience at FourthIdea was the grand unveiling of the new Niagara Falls USA brand identity. I joined the team as an intern on the hectic tail end of the NUSA development, so watching this grand event come to fruition was especially inspiring as a young designer who had never been involved with anything nearly as ambitious as branding an entire world wonder. Seeing all the hard work surrounding the NUSA reveal, as well as all the effort that continues to go on after the big event, provides a wonderful insight into all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into such a visionary project.

While I’m unsure where my path will lead after graduation, I know that I will cherish my experience at FourthIdea. From the lessons learned through the NUSA brand reveal to just walking to the Lloyd’s truck for burritos on a warm spring day, this exposure has been incredibly valuable for me looking forward. More than anything, I know that the insight I’ve gained from the team at FourthIdea will stay with me, wherever I go and whatever I do.