Sophie Osella '10
Sophie Osella '10 was recently interviewed for Adweek magazine as a part of their story on "creative think tank" organization GumboLive (read the article here). Sophie took some time to explain to us more about her role there and what she plans for the future.
How did you find out about GumboLive and what got you interested to work for them?
I had worked at an internship for a start up accelerator in Memphis after I graduated and developed an interest in promoting other people's lives and passions, which is basically marketing. Indeed.com is actually how I found the job. I wanted to move to New Orleans and they had a really funky and creative interview process which was actually way more fun than work.
What is your role and what sort of projects have you been working on this year?
Myself and my co-workers are all Idea Generators. We all hold the same title and same position in our office. We ideate for large brands that want to advertise in ways other than traditional media. Since March we've worked on about 180 briefs, so we average about a 38 hr. turn around on projects--very fast paced. We work on a large variety of social campaigns and experiential campaigns, as well as produce video and photo content. As idea generators, we all collaborate and brainstorm together, basically giving our affiliates pages full of "thought starters" to get their presentations for their clients going.
Do you intend to pursue this as a career?
Ideally I want to do something in the market research or strategy section of the industry. I want a way to join my love of philosophy and culture to marketing.
How has St. Andrew's prepared you for the challenges you face in work/life now?
St. Andrews taught me to think critically and creatively. So many of my classes, especially in high school, challenged me to look at issues in new ways and formulate creative solutions to problems. The film program and Dr. Eclarinal introduced me to videography, which honestly kickstarted me to where I am today. In college I never took a film class, but was equipped with enough skills to be selected as a documentary fellow in a summer program as well as produce a concert series my senior year. Now I'm producing video content at GumboLive.
What advice would you give current SAS students interested in your line of work?
Many people are going to warn you to do something practical over something you love. You can make what you're passionate about into something that's practical. I studied Philosophy in college because I loved it, but also saw that it could teach me the critical thinking skills that companies are looking for these days. Many industries are looking for people who are creative thinkers as well as good team players. Also, social media is king, and the generation of kids in HS right now are naturally good at it. Start a band, a brand, or a business and practice your marketing skills through an "official" Instagram or Twitter account. Try to see how many likes and followers you can earn in a month.
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I had worked at an internship for a start up accelerator in Memphis after I graduated and developed an interest in promoting other people's lives and passions, which is basically marketing. Indeed.com is actually how I found the job. I wanted to move to New Orleans and they had a really funky and creative interview process which was actually way more fun than work.
What is your role and what sort of projects have you been working on this year?
Myself and my co-workers are all Idea Generators. We all hold the same title and same position in our office. We ideate for large brands that want to advertise in ways other than traditional media. Since March we've worked on about 180 briefs, so we average about a 38 hr. turn around on projects--very fast paced. We work on a large variety of social campaigns and experiential campaigns, as well as produce video and photo content. As idea generators, we all collaborate and brainstorm together, basically giving our affiliates pages full of "thought starters" to get their presentations for their clients going.
Do you intend to pursue this as a career?
Ideally I want to do something in the market research or strategy section of the industry. I want a way to join my love of philosophy and culture to marketing.
How has St. Andrew's prepared you for the challenges you face in work/life now?
St. Andrews taught me to think critically and creatively. So many of my classes, especially in high school, challenged me to look at issues in new ways and formulate creative solutions to problems. The film program and Dr. Eclarinal introduced me to videography, which honestly kickstarted me to where I am today. In college I never took a film class, but was equipped with enough skills to be selected as a documentary fellow in a summer program as well as produce a concert series my senior year. Now I'm producing video content at GumboLive.
What advice would you give current SAS students interested in your line of work?
Many people are going to warn you to do something practical over something you love. You can make what you're passionate about into something that's practical. I studied Philosophy in college because I loved it, but also saw that it could teach me the critical thinking skills that companies are looking for these days. Many industries are looking for people who are creative thinkers as well as good team players. Also, social media is king, and the generation of kids in HS right now are naturally good at it. Start a band, a brand, or a business and practice your marketing skills through an "official" Instagram or Twitter account. Try to see how many likes and followers you can earn in a month.
