This summer, I have had the incredible opportunity to join the Japanese Casual Dining Sector of Maxim’s Group in Hong Kong as a Marketing Intern, and support the two ramen brands, IPPUDO HK and GOGYO HK with their marketing campaigns. As a lover of food, this was a dream-come-true to me – an opportunity to work at a large corporation in a city that I adore, in an industry that I’m interested in, and about one of the things that I love the most: ramen!
I decided to do my internship abroad because I wanted to dive into a completely different marketing landscape and, well, who doesn’t like traveling? As one of the marketing services capitals of Asia, the marketing industry in Hong Kong is dynamic, competitive and vibrant; and so was our office. Each day brought something different, whether it’s typing out a proposal for a prospective partner, researching menu designs on Pinterest, creating social media plans or preparing for an overnight shoot.
It’s true when they say the choice of your first boss sets your career goals. My boss and my team were extremely supportive, always ensuring that I had a well-rounded internship experience. I wasn’t asked to go on coffee runs or file paperwork, instead they showed me the many aspects of marketing, from developing content for online & printed communications to coordinating large-scale PR events; and more importantly, they made me feel like an important part of the team.
My internship truly opened my eyes to how fascinating branding, social media and digital marketing are and through it, I discovered my passion for marketing. Going into this internship, I was confused about the future and unsure of myself, and now I have left with more experience, knowledge and insight than I could have asked for. It has given me a better understanding of what I’m capable of and where my career may take me. While I don’t have a strong academic foundation in marketing, my knowledge in design, my tech savviness, and my ability to communicate across cultural boundaries set myself apart from others!
As cliché as it sounds, internship really is a great opportunity for people like us, who are still figuring life out, to connect with mentors in the line of business you’re interested in – someone who you look up to and can go to for advice. During these past few months, I have made connections with industry professionals and built strong, lasting relationships with colleagues who I am proud to call my friends. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making me the happiest intern in the world.
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One of my favorite parts of the job was researching photo inspirations, organizing photoshoots and writing captions that align with our branding! Here are some examples of our work:
Samantha Tsui 