This summer, Mario Vazquez (McCombs, ‘21) spent his summer as a Brand Marketing Intern at the Coca-Cola Company where in addition to learning the ins and outs of the history of the company, he worked on developing an innovation pipeline and go-to-market strategy project. In this interview, Vazquez shares what he did as a Brand Marketing Intern, and his advice to MBA students interested in Brand Management Internships.
MBASchooled: What did you do for your summer internship, and what did you work on this summer?
I was a Brand Marketing intern at The Coca-Cola Company. My project was to both create an innovation pipeline for the Gold Peak brand and develop a go-to-market strategy for an innovation of my own design.
An innovation pipeline, for the purpose of my project, was a timeline of the brand. The task required two main reservoirs of knowledge. First, I needed an understanding of the brand’s current state and its ambitions, both present and future. Second, I had to leverage my knowledge of the brand to provide recommendations on where the brand could move toward, from a product perspective.
My Go-To-Market plan was a detailed execution of how one of my innovations would launch. This component of my project required collaboration that spanned 8+ cross functional departments. Speaking to my individual efforts, I was responsible for the entire gamut of the GTM process, from the conception of the product to how we drove consumers to awareness, trial, and repurchase.
MBASchooled: What were some of the things that helped you be successful in your summer internship?
My curiosity in learning about my brand was invaluable to my success. Throughout the internship, I continuously sought out information on the brand’s past innovations, spoke with colleagues who had previously worked on the brand, and grounded myself in understanding our consumer. Leveraging these streams of knowledge allowed me to create an innovation pipeline and original innovation that was strategically aligned and endorsed throughout the brand team and company.
MBASchooled: What was it like to build relationships virtually? What helped? What was hard?
Coca-Cola’s collaborative and open culture was a boon in my efforts to build relationships. People’s openness to meet with me and talk about their journey made the internship an intimate experience despite its remote nature. We weren’t able to bond in person, through social outings, as was originally scheduled but the internship committee, my fellow interns, and my manager provided all the support and camaraderie I could ask for — they were truly only a call away.
MBASchooled: What was an important lesson that you learned from your summer internship?
The internship reiterated that honesty, curiosity, and great effort are key to my success. I spoke candidly and often with my manager, which played a key role in our strong relationship and our mutual trust. My curiosity guided my creative thinking, leading to a number of strong pathways for innovation and unearthing unmet consumer needs. My relentless pursuit of great effort is what motivated me to push through the rigor and challenges that come with complex problems. There’s a quote I recall often which states, “ Tis not in mortals to command success, but we can do better. We can deserve it.” I give my best effort knowing that I may not always get the outcome desired but I can sleep well at night knowing I did the best I possibly could.
MBASchooled: Knowing what you know now, what would you do to prepare in order to be even more successful in your internship?
I’d practice the art and science of storytelling with data. At times one can forget that while an idea makes sense in your head, you also have to be able to convince people of your vision — to help them get excited about it too. That was an invaluable skill that I refined during my internship that I would have liked to have targeted earlier.
MBASchooled: How has what you learned from your summer internship, helped you shape our goals or plans for your final year of business school?
My summer internship at The Coca-Cola Company reinforced how much I love learning about people and how to best meet and anticipate their needs. I think of myself as a people and mission oriented person — at the heart of my work as an educator and political campaign manager was an overwhelming desire to serve. But in order to serve, you have to be empathetic and understand people’s needs and how they view themselves in relation to the world around them — Coca-Cola taught me how to be even better in that skillset.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for MBA students considering internships in Brand Management?
If you’re considering Brand Management, be prepared to become a great story teller and pensive and reflective when it comes to understanding people’s needs and lives. Learn and refine how to blend data and humanity, and always be cognizant of when people are most receptive to hearing and listening about how you can help them.
The skills I mentioned are challenging to learn and can take a lifetime to perfect but that’s what serving people and helping them live better lives is all about.
Like my favorite boss Michael Scott from “The Office” once said, “Business is personal. It’s the most personal thing in the world.” I think of business as working to serve people — if you have that mentality at your core, I think Brand Management could be for you.