Meet the Interns: Virtue's Rosie D'Amato

Tell us about your internship, what are your main responsibilities?

From the get-go, my managers knew that my interests lie in writing and research, and thankfully they’ve given me several interesting background research projects on different brands. I’ve also been helping with data management and general prospecting.

Do you have a dream account or brand you’d like to work with? Which one?

I think A24, the young production company, is turning into an indie film behemoth, and I think that would be a fun company to help expand their cultural footprint.

Talk to us about the culture in your office, how has it impacted your internship?

It’s oriented in an open concept way, which engenders this sort of collaborative and supportive environment. The office population is young and bustling. It’s a pleasure to come to work and know that there’s an office full of approachable colleagues eager and excited to create, assist, and learn.

What have you learned about the advertising industry that surprised you?

Frankly, prior to my time at Virtue, advertising was a distant profession to me. I appreciated it but I had no real knowledge. Now, I’m surprised and impressed by the know-how and the process that goes into creating an ad. From prospecting to pitch to production, it’s a bustling industry that requires learned skill and creativity.  

Choose a current popular advertising trend and tell us what’s interesting about it:

I think there’s a new inclination in advertising-- it’s especially true at Virtue—to establish a sense of cultural significance in branded content. To use advertising to explore a since uncovered facet of society. I think it’s an impactful method that’s a response to the sort of trite and contrived branded influencer content that’s become so numbing and so prevalent.

Imagine your dream job, where are you, what does a day-to-day look like?

It includes lots of writing, research, and collaborating. I’d hopefully end each day with pride in that work. 

Are you considering another internship, or looking for jobs now? What are your next steps?

I have one more semester at NYU, so I do feel some need to get an internship with a path to employment after graduation, but I’m also inclined to enjoy my last quarter as a relatively carefree student.

What is your favorite ad of all time?

The 2017 New York Times campaign—“The Truth is Hard” was this poignant and evocative ad. Topically, was so simple in its execution, just copy and narrative. But, it was so effective in that it offered a simple summation of the verity of real journalism and why the Times does it so well.