For the Dannon spots, shot in Los Angeles over the course of three days, multiple cameras focused on in a playful mix of interview and loose banter between real Activia users from Chicago and Jamie Lee.

“I had a great time working with Jamie Lee, um, I mean Mrs. Guest … She’s Hollywood royalty you know.  I was star struck, and nobody knows how to enjoy Activia Like Jamie, she keeps eating long after I’ve said ‘cut’.  I was worried we might have to send out for more.” States Kagan

John Bollinger and Rich Goldstein were CD’s Loly McDoe Produced for Y&R.

Brian Benhoff produced for Streamline Content.

NPR talks to a food analyst to get a handle on who’s suddenly buying all this yogurt: “You know, sort of what I would envision to be the Starbucks crowd,” he says. “It’s a higher-educated, higher-income user that resides in the Northeast.” And they’re usually a member of the fairer sex, because women attracted to the purported health benefits and air of cosmopolitanism that Greek yogurt holds over plebeian regular yogurt. Or, wait—no!— says The Atlantic— it’s actually because Americans now want foods that are considered “purer, simpler, and more natural—not yogurts purporting to taste like key lime pie or strawberry cheesecake.”

Of course, the real reason that Greek yogurt is suddenly so popular has nothing to do with any of the aforementioned social or economic reasons, and everything to do with this new commercial of sexy hunk of man meat John Stamos charming the ladies with Oikos:  http://gothamist.com/2011/08/24/greek_yogurt_so_hot_right_now.php

As a member of the class of 2013 at Denison University my professors have always emphasized their goal of preparing their students for the future. Although I have the utmost regard for the education I have received during my first two years in Granville, Ohio I was pleasantly surprised to find that the past ten weeks spent at The Brand Gallery and PGM Artists provided me with beneficial life skills which I could have never acquired within the confines of a classroom. While I was timid and uncertain about the time I was going to spend at 205 Railroad Avenue my mind was also consumed with trivial fears such as  missing my train or getting on the wrong commuter bus. However, after a few days I adjusted to the commute and the life of intern.

From my first day at The Brand Gallery and PGM Artist I was aware of the great opportunity that had been presented to me. Not only did I feel fortunate to be surrounded by three other Summer Associates which I could learn from, but I was also very lucky to be under the guidance of three brand identity veterans, Phil McIntyre, CEO, Iain Greenway, CCO, and Julia Kennedy, Production Coordinator. Unlike most internships, there was a specific focus on grooming the Summer Associates, which allowed us to flourish.

Whether it was sending us to the AICP awards, allowing us to listen in on conference calls, or  introducing us to many of his influential contemporaries, Phil took it upon himself to unveil as much of the industry as he possibly could. He even took the time to take us through the presentations he had recently showcased to clients to enhance our understanding of what it takes to deliver a concept. Not only was I exposed to the development of some of the world’s most recognized brands, but I also developed various other skills. I became well versed with the New York Times, learned the ins and outs of Keynote, polished my undercover detective skills by researching some of the top people in the creative industry, learned to navigate the server as well as more basic skills such as answering the phones, trimming hedges, and using the scanner.

My time spent at The Brand Gallery was an exceptional experience. I was able to form lasting bonds with my fellow Summer Associates as well as Phil, Iain, and Julia. Overall, I believe the most important thing that this internship has provided me is the confidence to address my future career choices, and to help me explore options at Denison to better help me prepare for life after college. As a result of this internship I feel more grounded, and confident in who I am and all that I can contribute.

Eliza Dobbins

After having worked at my father’s medical practice for three summers in a row, I decided it was time for a change. I began to look into the Denison internship catalog and stumbled upon The Brand Gallery’s article. After a brief phone call and my first flight out to Connecticut for an interview, I was soon told I was being offered one of four positions that summer. What at first looked like a fun company was soon looking like an intimidating work place and a scary place to live, especially after living in a small country town my whole life. But soon this was no longer my thought process. I found a rather small but completely adorable apartment in the basement of a lifetime Stamford resident, rooming with a fellow Summer Associate, and had my first day of work. While the drive to Greenwich was slightly stressful because of my lack of comfort with city traffic, the first day of work was anything but. Phil, the CEO, Iain, the Creative Director, and Julia, the Production Coordinator, were all that made up this small but influential company. And the size of this company is something that makes it so special. Everyone was always very approachable and available to offer assistance and input. And it also allowed us to meet a fair amount of clients and friends of Phil’s. But thats not to say that there weren’t points where you were left struggling, running around trying to figure things out, multitasking between phones, uploading videos to the Ipad (my appointed task throughout the ten weeks), and booking flight times (another interns task). But through all this struggle there were also many learning points. For instance, while I am well equipped to work with Photoshop, I was fortunate to learn some video editing programs while I created a fully functional DVD with menu for a TV show created a few summers before my time.

At the end of my ten weeks here I have a lot to look back on. My first trip to New York city for instance, which lead to most of my weekends being spent there. A few trips to the Long Island Sound beaches, another first for me. But most of all I can look back on how lucky I have been to shadow a couple of very prominent figures in the brand development empire.  Its going to be very interesting in my future to see the differences in the business’ that I work at, but I know now that I really appreciate the way The Brand Gallery conducts business. I am going to really miss the days working and the experiences The Brand Gallery gave me.

Stephanie Fois

The start to my Brand Gallery experience should have been my first clue to what kind of summer I was in for. It was the height of the spring rain storms and low and behold the tornado siren was blaring again. This one wasn’t one to shrug off though; a tornado had been sighted in Granville, a small, sleepy, town in the heart of Ohio. As I shuffled down a staircase to the lower level of Denison’s student union, my phone buzzes. In the middle of a tornado, I’m receiving an email scheduling me for my second interview for the summer internship at The Brand Gallery. Through all the commotion, the rain, and the high winds, I raced back to my room to quickly clean up and sit down for my interview. It was true TBG style: in the midst of chaos I was able to collect myself and deliver a winning interview.

I soon learned that being a Brand Gallery Summer Associate didn’t mean being squirreled away in a corner and not be expected to every be heard from. Being a Summer Associate meant that I had responsibilities, that I had an opinion that was welcomed and encouraged, and, at times, it was a lot like being in the middle of tornado. There seemed to be a flurry of things going on at one time. While at first it was stressful, I learned that there is a certain work ethic that allows The Brand Gallery to get the job done.

What I enjoyed most about this internship was the camaraderie among the interns. We were quick to bond and played to our strengths; I had a Final Cut editing background while others had backgrounds with Photoshop, some where better at drafting press releases and business emails. Whatever the case may be, I knew what intern I could lean on for help on a particular task. There was also a willingness to teach one another. One day I had Eliza show me some Photoshop basics, another day I had Amélie, who had no production experience, help me light our studio’s green screen for a shoot.

I can leave The Brand Gallery knowing I played a key role in things that I know will be around long after I’m gone. I was put in charge of creating and maintaining The Brand Gallery and PGM Artists’ social media platforms. I can go onto PGM’s news feed and see press releases I wrote and uploaded. I can go to SlayterBox1748 and watch the intern videos I directed, wrote, filmed, and edited. Having the ability to point to specific projects I have done makes this experience worthwhile.

Phil is passionate about his company, his interns, and is generous with his time and advice. He isn’t the kind of boss who hides in his office all day or a boss you don’t feel comfortable approaching. He is more than willing to pull up a chair at my desk and go over my work or crack a joke to lighten the mood. You can also count on Phil for restaurant recommendations– he’s like a built in Zagats– or updates on local happenings– Alive @ 5 in Stamford should hire this guy to promote their summer concert series. As much as this is a serious minded work environment it’s atmosphere is warm and inviting.

When I first got to The Brand Gallery, everything was new and different. I felt challenge from the moment I got here. But after ten weeks I’m not easily intimidated. Now answering phones on the other hand, give me another ten weeks and even that will seem like second nature.

Caitlin Hodson

When you’re studying abroad, especially in a place as amazing (and therefore distracting) as Prague, it is easy to forget that life continues post- Europe. But I also didn’t want to waste my summer, so I started researching film and marketing opportunities. In March, I paused my baguette-eating and beer-swigging to apply for three internships back in the States. Unlike the other two companies, I interviewed with the CEO of the Brand Gallery over the phone, instead of some assistant. Already, I could tell that Phil was a different sort of boss. When he offered me the job, I was unsure, as I was still waiting to hear back from the other two potential internships. Phil told me to think it over for 24 hours. I panicked; how could I know which internship was best for me without knowing what it would be like to work there?

I turned to the past Summer Associate narratives. Reading the experiences of other Denison students, some of which I knew, was the answer I had been looking for. All narratives agreed; Phil was not the kind of boss who you would only see when fetching him coffee or, even worse, never at all. I couldn’t believe it– a CEO who actually cared about the college students who worked for him. I didn’t need 24 hours to decide.

I came back from Prague May 20th and started the following Tuesday at the Brand Gallery. Because the other interns had already been there a week, I felt out of the loop, that is, until Phil took us all out for drinks on Greenwich Avenue. Every day, I learned more about the company and the people who work here. The production coordinator Julia Kennedy looked out for us, helping us with tasks and making jokes whenever we were stressed.  Philip McIntyre kept us in the know about all of the on-going projects, showing us all of the hard work that goes into every pitch they put together. Iain Greenway….well, Iain’s still a mystery. A British enigma.

If this is your 24 hours to “think it over,” I would highly recommend interning at the Brand Gallery. Come prepared to be consulted on your opinions and be responsible for projects that matter. If you’re not up to it, I’m sure you can find one that merely requires skills in coffee-making and paper-scanning. There are plenty to go around.

This summer all the Summer Associates teamed up and made a video that we hope brings together our Brand Gallery and PGM Artists experience in hopes that future intern hopefuls will get a little taste for what their summer might be like. Here is what we came up with: