What’s up? My name is Anna Vehslage and I am thrilled to join the team at HMG Creative as the new Marketing & Social Media intern. I am entering my senior year at the University of Texas at Austin and will graduate in May with a B.S. in Advertising Management and a Certificate in Business Foundations. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, I made my way to Austin in 2014 as a 3rd generation Longhorn. Although the football team has been disappointing, I still have high hopes they will pull it together for my final season as a student #TeamHerman. I will be sad to leave my 40-acre home in nine short months, but I know “What starts here, changes the world.” When I’m not studying or at work, you can find me at pilates just before I scarf down my weekly cheeseburger—I’m all about a balanced diet.

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Influencer marketing seems to be taking the lead as this year’s most “influential” marketing approach. Have you ever noticed someone you follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat mention different products from time to time? I hate to break it to you, but that influencer you follow was more than likely paid to mention that product on their personal feed. This approach gives companies access to thousands, if not millions, of people they would not have otherwise been able to reach.

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Hi there! My name is Kate Gothing, and I am the newest social media and marketing intern at HMG Creative. I am overly thrilled to join such an amazing team and learn from each and every one of the team members. Currently, I am entering my senior year as an advertising student at the University of Texas at Austin (wow–how time flies!). I was born and raised in a small town outside of Boston, Massachusetts, but have always dreamed of moving to Texas. Unfortunately, I have not been in Texas for my entire college career. For my freshman year of college, I attended DePaul University in Chicago, as a marketing student. After the Polar Vortex of 2014, I decided it was time to move down south, and soak up some much needed sun. Since transferring to UT Austin my sophomore year, I have not regretted it. I mean who could, in such a great city with amazing queso, tacos and BBQ?

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If you haven’t already, please take a minute to read our previous post discussing our current blog series and what all you can expect to read over the next few weeks!

Value of Social Media

Alright, to kick things off, let’s get to talking about the value of social media. Words like “follow us” and “like this” are buzzwords that virtually drive the entire online world these days. If you are redesigning your website, you should highly consider the value of integrating your social media channels with the site. Don’t have social media? While we recommend you reconsider your decision, fear not: you can utilize a blog! We can’t stress enough the importance of connecting with your audience on a personal level, and the best way to do so is through social media and blogging.

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After four months of being a spring intern for HMG, I am wrapping up my internship as I finish my last month of classes at The University of Texas at Austin before graduation. As the spring Social Media and Marketing Intern, I have been able to get my hands on a ton of projects throughout my time here. It has been an incredibly valuable experience for me – both personally and professionally.

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Having just graduated from the University of Texas (hook ‘em!) and with the final days of classes already under my belt, the past few weeks have been full of reflecting and looking back over the past semester. I can hardly believe that just a few months ago I was starting here at HMG, taking the reigns from their previous rockstar intern, Emily.  I feel like I’ve accomplished a TON and learned so much here, and I’m very grateful to have been part of the team this semester.
To wrap-up my time here, I wanted to share a few highlights from my experience as an intern and some of the projects that I’m most proud of.
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Hello! I’m Ryan Gardner – the new Social Media and Marketing Intern at HMG Creative. I’m currently a senior Advertising & Business Foundations student at The University of Texas at Austin, graduating this May.

I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and then moved outside of Dallas about ten years ago. Living in the suburbs made me very interested in living in a city, so I packed up for school in fall 2012 and headed to Austin, gravitating toward the music scene here. I can’t imagine a better city to go to college in. In my spare time, I’m frequently at concerts, still exploring the city with friends, or relaxing indoors at BookPeople or Whole Foods.

In December I wrapped up a Graphic Design Internship at It’s Time Texas, an Austin non-profit focusing on promoting health and fitness. Previously, I’ve held internships in PR, marketing, social media, and graphic design. Once the holidays ended, I wanted to switch over to the marketing agency environment, making the position at HMG a perfect fit for me.

This semester, I’m looking forward to running the social media accounts, connecting with clients and publications, and writing. It’s only day one, but I’m excited for all the upcoming opportunities here! To learn more about me, feel free to connect with me on Twitter at @RyanGardnerC or by email at [email protected].

[UT image via consultyourcommunity.org]

While it’s likely you hear all about SXSW bands, films, and interactive panels every year, most people don’t know the exact history of how the festival first started and then grew to the massive event it is today. This blog is part one of our four-part SXSW blog series that will span throughout February, with one blog going up each week.

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SXSW is easily one of the most exciting weeks of the year in Austin. However, it can also be loud and confusing, making it very important to plan ahead. If you’re well prepared, you’ll have no problem catching all – or at least most – of the sets, shows, films, and speakers you want. It will also be easier to meet up with friends or colleagues if you know where you’ll be and when you’ll be there. To help out, here are our tips for surviving SXSW 2015. This blog is part two of our four-part SXSW blog series that will span throughout February, with one blog going up each week. If you missed it, part one covered the history of the festival.

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Nowadays, it’s rare to find a company without a website. And if you do, how annoying is it to scroll through Google and Yelp just to find their contact information? Having an online presence is necessary in today’s technologically centric world – just read our previous blog post about the importance of having a good web presence to see why.

What’s becoming increasingly important as well, though, is having a blog. Blogging has become a staple for businesses both big and small. It provides companies an outlet to show off their personalities, industry knowledge, and to engage their audiences with stimulating content. Nevertheless, blogging is a time commitment, so the big question still remains:

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