Oftentimes, internships are known to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience. This internship at FanDay Inc. provided me with the opportunity to step outside the classroom and experience working in a professional environment. This internship made me realize the hard work and levels of creativity that go into the pictures and content posted online. What may seem simple on the outside actually requires a lot of planning, creativity, and research. I have always been curious about working in the marketing field, and this internship felt like the right opportunity to test whether it was truly the correct path for me. Through the different experiences I gained during this internship, I was able to confirm that I genuinely enjoy working in this field, and this would not have been possible without the supportive environment provided by FanDay.
Networking and Industry Insights at the HYPP Awards
On my first day of the internship, I attended the HYPP Awards in Hiroshima with the company, and this was a great networking opportunity as many local tourism-related businesses were present in their own booths. We had the chance to interact with and contact several of them, helping us improve our connections within the local tourism community. After the event, I was also requested to share my insights on which companies stood out to me and why. This experience allowed me to observe different tourism initiatives and think from a marketing perspective about potential partnerships.
Evaluating Social Media from a Target Audience Perspective
Another one of my tasks during the internship was to analyze the company’s clients’ social media accounts on Instagram and TikTok. I was asked to review their accounts and create reports based on the first impressions from a target audience’s perspective. In these reports, I mentioned various aspects of the account that were working well, like their visual style and the kind of content being shared, while also identifying areas where improvements could be made, such as increasing engagement, improving the hashtags, and making their content more aligned with the target audience of the brand.
While conducting the analysis, I had to think carefully about who the target audience was and whether or not the content being shared currently would effectively attract or engage them. This task helped me understand the importance of a brand to maintain its social media strategy and how small changes within these strategies can have big impacts and possibly improve reach and audience interactions.
Behind the Scenes of a Content Shoot
Another interesting experience during this internship was participating in a content shoot around the city of Hiroshima. We had two models, a videographer and a photographer who visited various locations to capture a variety of shots and angles for social media content. My role was to record footage of the behind-the-scenes of this shoot to portray how the company creates content. After the shoot, I compiled the clips, editing them into a short video (Reel and TikTok), choosing an editing style and background music that fit the theme and aesthetic of the video so it could be posted on the company’s social media.
This experience improved my understanding of the process of content creation and how many different roles are involved in bringing everything together. I also thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the creative and experimental atmosphere of the shoot. Despite this being work, everyone seemed to genuinely enjoy the process, which reflected the company’s collaborative and creative work environment.
Reviewing Translated Transportation Guides
I was also tasked with reviewing materials that were created to assist tourists in navigating public transportation around Hiroshima using various options like ferries, streetcars, buses, and JR trains. I cross-checked the information that had been translated from Japanese to English to ensure that it was clear and accurate, and easy for international visitors to understand. While reviewing the materials, I also considered how a tourist unfamiliar with the transportation system might interpret the information. This helped improve my ability to analyze content from a target audience’s perspective and identify important points that could make the materials more helpful and user-friendly.
Promoting Vegan and Vegetarian Dining in Hiroshima
For the main part of my internship, I was responsible for researching as many vegan and vegetarian restaurants as possible, as FanDay Inc. is developing a platform on Instagram that highlights vegan and vegetarian dining options in Hiroshima. The goal of this platform is to increase the awareness of inclusive dining and make it easier for people with various dietary preferences to find suitable restaurants in the city.
From all the restaurants and cafes I researched, I selected a vegan café and a vegan restaurant to visit in person. During these visits, I observed and tested their vegan menu items, and after receiving the approval of the restaurant’s owners, I took photos and videos of the interior, the food, and the overall ambience of the space. These materials were used to design social media posts and content to showcase the restaurants.
Through this experience, I gained valuable insights into how to approach businesses, create engaging content, and analyze what makes certain restaurants successful. I also significantly improved my observation skills through checking the ingredients to confirm that menu items were truly vegan while also realizing key points that would make the content informative and appealing to the audience.
Personal Experience of the Internship
During my internship at Fanday, I had the opportunity to experience various aspects and roles of SNS and marketing work. Rather than doing only one task during the entire internship duration, I was actively participating in different activities like attending networking events, analyzing social media accounts, reviewing tourism materials, taking part in content shoots, and researching restaurants for inclusive dining. This allowed me to better understand how different elements of marketing and communications come together in a real working environment.
What I enjoyed the most during this internship was the creative aspect of the work. From recording the behind-the-scenes footage during shoots to designing posts for restaurants, I explored the importance of visual content going hand in hand with storytelling in order to engage the audience online.
Overall, this internship gave me key insights into the marketing field and confirmed my growing interest in pursuing it further for my future career. These experiences assisted me in growing not only as a marketing strategist but also as a person who can better understand and communicate with a diverse range of audiences. Working on such projects that emphasize on inclusivity allowed me to understand how marketing can make spaces more accessible in welcoming people from different backgrounds.
Being trusted with these responsibilities was quite exciting and motivating. I was able to realize how creativity, cultural awareness, and communication play an important role in marketing, and how these aspects improve connections between businesses and the target audience they hope to reach.
Working with FanDay Inc.
The team at FanDay was incredibly kind and supportive throughout my internship. Even though I could not always understand the language perfectly, they were always patient and willing to explain tasks until I fully understood what needed to be done. This made it much easier for me to adapt and feel comfortable in the working environment.
They were also very curious about my experiences and skills, which made me feel that my opinions and ideas were valued. I was always encouraged to share my thoughts during planning and discussions, which helped me feel more involved in the work rather than just observing it. The tasks they gave me challenged me in the right way, and I was able to learn many new things without ever feeling overwhelmed.
Their positive work culture also made me realize how important good work ethics and supportive teamwork are for both individual growth and overall performance.
Looking Back
This internship was a priceless experience that allowed me to connect my academic knowledge with real-world work. Through the various tasks and projects I was a part of, I was able to enhance my creative work, analytical thinking, and gain an understanding of real-time marketing and content creation. This experience strengthened my interest in the marketing field and gave me confidence in pursuing similar opportunities in the future.