ANOTHER SUMMER, ANOTHER AMAZING INTERN DUO


Summertime at Launch is one of the best times of the year (if you can get past the heat) because that’s when we recruit the most talented interns to join our crew. It’s always a pleasure to nurture the next generation of our industry and watch their potential flourish, but this summer we got especially lucky with two star-studded creatives. Art director/designer intern Corinne Green and copywriter intern Morgan Martinez made a great team and blew us all away with their invaluable contributions on a wide range of projects. And as summer neared its end, we had to wave goodbye to Corinne and Morgan as they turned their focus toward completing their final year as undergrads. But before they left, we asked them to reflect on their time at Launch.

How did you find out about the Launch internship?

Corinne: I found out about the Launch internship through Connext, a networking/portfolio review event for Graphic Design majors at TCU. I got to chat with Caleb and Isaac and present my portfolio to them there.

Morgan: I found out about the Launch internship through Handshake and applied through that!

Was agency life what you expected?

Corinne: I feel like no one can totally prepare you for what agency life is like unless you are living it! I expected a fast paced, creative, and collaborative environment, and I think that was pretty accurate. Every agency has different clients, different processes, and different values, so it was all new and exciting to learn how Launch does it all.

Morgan: Agency life was different than I expected in a good way. I feel like I got an excellent grasp on what agency life is like this summer!

What was your favorite project you worked on this summer?

Corinne: One of my favorite projects to work on was a poster design for The Ashford Rise School and Touchdown Club of Dallas’s Rise Cup Classic, a golf tournament benefitting education for special needs children. I was able to illustrate elements and take a bit more creative freedom with this project, which was right up my alley.

Morgan: My favorite project this summer was the August Billboard Refresh for Park Place. I’m excited to see them go up!

How would you describe your daily routine?

Corinne: No two days were exactly the same at Launch. On an average day, I would head into the office, check my schedule, and get started on my work. Some days, we would have status meetings, creative check-ins, internal reviews, or client meetings to attend. Others were spent catching up on work and preparing it for presentation. On Wednesdays (some of the best days), lunch was on Launch, and we all ate and laughed together in the conference room. Thursday happy hours on the deck (before it got over 100 degrees) also made the tail-end of the week so fun!

Morgan: There was always something new to do, but my daily routine was typically grabbing a coffee in the morning and driving to the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! After that, I would see if I had any meetings scheduled and/or tasks due, and I would research and write drafts for deadlines approaching.

What was your funniest memory?

Corinne: When Morgan and I (the two interns) both won LCR consecutively, and made it rain with all our ones.

Morgan: My funniest memory is playing Kiki or Booba/Sun or Moon on one of the Happy Hour Thursdays!

What advice would you give a future intern?

Corinne: Ask lots of questions! Questions don’t make you seem clueless, but rather interested and dedicated to learning from the people around you. Also, be very open to criticism and new ways of doing things– absorb all that you can from critiques and explanations, and don’t take anything personally!

Morgan: I would say don’t be afraid of the work and don’t be afraid to ask for help! Everyone is there to support you, and everyone believes in you.

What was the biggest takeaway from your internship?

Corinne: Being trusted to tackle bigger projects as an intern led me to an invaluable experience gaining knowledge and confidence working in an agency setting. I learned how to best collaborate with Morgan (my copywriter partner & fellow intern), ask the right questions during a creative briefing so the account manager can provide the best information, respectfully and promptly communicate with a creative team, and so much more. I feel very prepared to enter the workforce with the experience and mentorship provided by Launch.

Morgan: My biggest takeaway was that talking to others and seeing their work will expand your thinking, and you can always learn something new unexpectedly.

INTERNS SUM UP THEIR SUMMER


We believe in nurturing and inspiring the next generation of industry talent. That’s why every year, Launch seeks out the most promising advertising students and gives them a chance to put what they’re learning in the classroom into practice. So as summer draws to a close, we’re proud to recognize this year’s talented trio of interns. Art director/designer interns Bryce Johnson and Natalie Castillo and account service intern Lucy Galloway all made major contributions and came away with plenty of valuable experience. We asked them to share some of their highlights.

How did you find out about the Launch internship?

Bryce: Launch funds an art director scholarship for my school UNT. I was the winner selected, and it led to an intern position for the summer.

Lucy: I was browsing advertising agencies in Dallas and came across Launch and the internship position. I applied and, the next day, got a message that two Launchers were visiting UT for creative week. I loved talking to them, and knew that this would be a great experience and a great place to work. The rest is history.

Was agency life what you expected?

Natalie: Working at a smaller agency, I feel like things are a bit more personal. Whether it’s happy hour on Thursdays or hearing jokes randomly through the week, I don’t think I would have had quite the same experience at a bigger agency.

Lucy: Launch was ten times better than what I had expected out of agency life and what I have experienced in the past. It is such a creative and collaborative environment and I think that’s a main factor in producing great work.

What was your favorite project you worked on this summer?

Natalie: I really enjoyed the Rise School Round-Up poster and the agency social templates project.

Bryce: The Dallas Cowboys activation for Baylor Scott & White Health was a fun project where I was waaaaay out of my element.

How would you describe your daily routine?

Natalie: Since things were always changing or different assignments were coming up, I don’t think I had the exact same day twice, but I preferred it like that. There was always something new to do, so I was never bored.

Lucy: Wake up, walk to work (I live two blocks away), attend a few client calls in the morning, eat lunch, participate in internal reviews, work on our social platforms, update statuses, look for Wolfie (a wolf man action figure everyone takes turns hiding somewhere in the agency) and walk home!

What was your funniest memory?

Bryce: When I was spitballing with my partner in crime, Nat. I refuse to give our account director, Jason, any credit because his jokes are terrible, but our copywriter, Isaac, coming in with the rimshots always got a laugh out of me.

Lucy: There is always so much fun to be had in this office: Hawaiian shirt Thursdays, happy hours in the office on the balcony, going to Electric Shuffle, doing headstands for no reason, repotting the office plant. But I think my favorite is when they let me think (only for a few minutes) that I was being fired from being an intern. It was all in good fun and, needless to say, it ended happily with me being over the moon to become a full-time Launcher!

What advice would you give a future intern?

Natalie: Don’t beat yourself up. Being able to witness people’s out-of-the-box ideas would kind of discourage me, but I would remind myself that one day I could be on their level. It just takes experience to learn the ropes on how to come up with great ideas.

Lucy: If you are open to working and learning, Launch will give you all the tools you need to be a part of the team and work with clients on actual projects. I think this sets Launch’s internship apart from a lot of others. They understand that busy-work/made-up projects and assignments don’t really help anyone grow.

What was the biggest takeaway from your internship?

Natalie: One, go out to see work and expand your thinking. Two, enjoy your time. The people here are nice with great ideas, so LEARN from them.

Bryce: Great vibes, free food and too many dad jokes.

Diane’s latest pet project


When Diane Seimetz Duncan isn’t writing strategic briefs or chasing the latest consumer trends, you can find her running after her furry little sidekicks. All of which inspired her latest entrepreneurial venture, Dogtor Doolittle, an all-natural solution designed to keep your pup’s paws and fur looking anything but ruff. If you’re wondering how this ad girl, soap maker, wife, mother and grandmother could possibly add one more thing to her ever-growing to-do list, read on. We think we uncovered all the answers!

Rupert and Snyder helping Diane sniff out the competition.

How many pets do you have? Names and ages, please!

Three dogs – Francine Felicia, mini doxie, 18 (recently passed, but furever in our hearts); Rupert Joseph, terrorist chihuahua, 12; Snyder, Russian Toy Terrier toddler, 2 1/2.  Pebbles and Bam-Bam are our 12-year-old feral cats with a hairball problem.

Find all of Diane’s Dogtor Doolittle products on Chewy.com

What motivated you to create Dogtor Doolittle, your own line of pet care products?

I’ve been an animal lover and advocate as long as I can remember (probably would have been a vet if I were smarter). With so many furkids, we were always buying a spritz for this issue or a salve for that condition.  As I expanded my line of bath and body products (for humans) I started taking notice of ingredients used in commercial pet products as well.  I was dismayed – and a little alarmed – at the number of toxins they contained.  The experience prompted me to research safer alternatives.  I quickly discovered there weren’t many that were widely available, so I began formulating my own little litter of clean-label pet pampering.

Launching a new product in the middle of a pandemic is pretty ballsy. Why now?

No time is ever the right time, at least in my life! So when opportunity knocked, I squeezed through the dog door and bounded forward. Chewy.com asked to carry all three of my products – Mane Tamer leave-in conditioner, Happy Pads organic paw balm and Poochie ‘Poo solid dog shampoo. They all contain natural, organic and Ecocert ingredients, and come in sustainable or zero-waste packaging, both of which are growing in demand. Turns out with more people spending more time at home (and on e-commerce) than ever before, they have the time for more DIY pet grooming, too. So launching Dogtor Doolittle now was probably more lucky than ballsy.

Why do you think it’s important to use chemical-free products on dogs and pets in general?

Animals have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than we do, which means they process chemicals at a faster rate and breathe them in more rapidly.  This makes it harder for them to safely eliminate toxic ingredients. Pets also have a keen sense of smell, so even a fragrance that’s “light” to us can be overwhelming to a dog or cat whose fur is embedded with it.  These chemicals can also cause serious eye or skin irritation.  Unfortunately, the rate of cancer and other life-threatening disease are increasing among domestic pets; industry advocates point to exposure from pesticides, home cleaning products, contaminated food and chew toys/treats embedded with PVC and phthalates as potential causes. 

How did Dogtor Doolittle find its home on Chewy.com?

In October 2019, I received an email from a category analyst at Chewy asking if I would like to add my pet line to their roster.  I knew from years working with retailers like Sam’s Club as well as a variety of product manufacturers how difficult it was to even get a meeting with a merchandise buyer, let alone get your product on the shelf.  Every now and then, I’d receive a solicitation from a broker or rep promising to get you in front of these folks – for a very large fee.  So, when I was contacted directly, I did a bit of a mental double-take, wondering if the request was for real.  I decided to forge forward as if it were, and responded with an enthusiastic, “Heck yeah!”

What do starting an ad agency and launching a brand have in common?

At least for me, they both required an idea, the desire, one eye on the prize and the other looking for really good people to help.  As a creative person, I’ve always known that achieving success is not a solo pursuit. I’ve been fortunate to have great partners at Launch, with complementary skill sets that make it work.  In launching pet products, I benefited from the talents of an amazing graphic designer – Amy Holcomb – who created really engaging branding and helped my packaging stand out.  I also received sage advice from friends in the formulating and soap-making community who’d sold their products at retail.  They gave me the knowledge and confidence to keep chugging, even when I was far outside my comfort zone.

Have you started other businesses before?

Much to my husband’s chagrin, I’m kind of a serial micro-preneur.  I’ve knitted baby sweaters, baked cakes, trafficked in Limoges porcelain boxes. Handmade soap just seemed to be the obvious next opportunity.

To get a whiff of Diane’s soap business, head over to A Joy Forever

What are your future plans for Dogtor Doolittle?

Still at the excitable puppy stage, I’m trying to get my arms around big e-commerce, studying category trends, testing new ingredients and formulations, and seeing what sells.  I’m weirdly comfortable in the deep end of the pool, so once I have these well in hand, I’ll throw myself a great big wrench to keep myself on my toes.

Do you ever sleep?

I started thinking I might have a problem when a friend recently texted me at 3 a.m. and said, “I figured you were up…”

Meet Launch’s Busiest Bee


As the mother of two girls, three dogs, one cat and two fish, Megan Lucy Neal has plenty of people and pets to look after. But when it came to adding a few thousand more members to the family, she welcomed them with open arms (wearing gloves, of course)! Being a beekeeper takes a lot of work, but comes with many rewards. Keep reading to get all the buzz straight from Megan Lucy.

What made you catch the beekeeping buzz?

During Elementary school, I have a vivid memory of watching a bee documentary. The video showcased the infamous Bee Waggle Dance. When a scout bee finds a new source of food, she returns to the hive to perform her special dance to show the foragers where to go. After watching that documentary, I’ve always loved bees. Such interesting creatures with an amazing life span. Each bee plays an integral role in keeping the hive alive, thriving and in harmony. They really are one of God’s most amazing creatures.

While I was researching beekeeping, I loved learning about how different cultures have cherished, or even worshiped, the honeybee for thousands of years. I appreciate the relationship that has evolved between humans and bees. My relationship with my hive makes me feel connected to nature, God and also our ancestors.

How do you fit beekeeping into your busy schedule?

Beekeeping does take a lot of research. Before I purchased the hive, I started reading books and articles to educate myself and prepare for the hive. I did my reading research at night after the kids were asleep for my “me-time” in the evenings. There are also tons of helpful YouTube videos online from professional beekeepers. My kids and I love watching them together.

Actually, owning one or two hives isn’t that much of a time constraint. During the summer I check on them every other week to ensure they are healthy and functioning properly. The less you disturb the hive, the better. During the winter, I will only open the top lid once a month or less to place in pollen patties to supplement their food source during the cold weather.

The most time intensive project will be harvesting honey, which is so much fun! After I extract the frames from the hive, we make it a family affair to remove the honey from the combs.    

Being a mom of two small ones, I try to keep them as involved as I can. When the bees are in a good humor, I allow for them to wear protective gear and be my assistants. I really enjoy teaching them about nature and the harmony of the hive.

Megan Lucy proudly displaying a harvest of honey

How does beekeeping help you as an ad person?

When I am in the beehive, it is a very peaceful time for me. I am able to re-center my aura and enjoy my connection with nature, earth and God. The bees can sense that I am not a threat, but a peaceful presence just moving things around. Using this time to clear my head, helps me become a better mom, wife and co-worker. I am able to reprioritize my tasks and ready to tackle new challenges in the day. 

Are there any other hobbies or side hustles you dream about trying in the future?

When I have four or five strong hives, I plan to start creating Nucs and queens. Nucs are small honeybee colonies created from larger colonies. The term refers both to the smaller size box and the colony of honeybees within it.

Are there any people or brands or business owners that inspire you?

I have enjoyed meeting the local beekeepers in my area. Before COVID, they would meet once a month to discuss beekeeping, provide educational speakers and training classes for beekeepers of all experiences. However, social distancing hasn’t stopped them from providing information to the local beekeepers. Once a month, they send out educational videos along with articles and resources for the group. It is so nice to have this group as a resource—even during challenging times. These individuals are true entrepreneurs. There is a lot of hard work to make a successful career out of beekeeping. I admire their resourcefulness, dedication and caring hearts. My interactions with them are quite humbling, and often remind me of challenges small business owners face. When the kids are a bit older, I would like to become more involved in the chapter.

What do you love most about being a beekeeper?

My hive is part of our family. It may sound strange, but I definitely have a relationship and emotional connection with my bees. They are living creatures that need care and maintenance to thrive. I’ve only been stung once, so I feel like they appreciate me as much as I appreciate them.

What’s your end goal?

Short term, this is a fun hobby for me. Long term, I would like to have several hives and sell honey, wax, queens and nucs (starter beehives) when my husband and I retire.

Screen Time with a Launcher


Ad agencies can be quite the production. Good thing our office manager knows what it’s like to star in a play.

Alicia Douglas is the Clark Kent of Launch Agency. By day, she keeps our office in check as our office manager. After work hours, she co-owns a production company with her sister specializing in photography and film. A true quadruple threat, she’s an actress, producer, director and Launcher.

How did a musical theater major find herself in the ad industry? We asked Alicia to share some of her story.

What inspired you and your sister to start Paris Marie Productions?

What inspired us to start Paris Marie Productions was storytelling. We wanted to help uplift voices of women of color and those stories that needed to be heard about not just their struggles but also their victories. Unfortunately, there aren’t many black women in the industry that are behind the cameras, so placing myself and my sister there, we are pushing to be the change we want to see. Representation is important!

Alicia (right) and her sister Jessica (left), owners of Paris Marie Productions.
Photo by Erica Marie Photography

What drew you to advertising?

I was drawn to the creativity and influence it could have on people’s lives in a very positive way. Advertising to me is looking at people and understanding how art as a medium can reach out to them and use it to promote our client’s products to the best of our abilities. It is a blending of art and business that I find that unique and amazing!

How do you think your creative role outside of work influences your job at Launch?

I think it helps me appreciate this company more as a creative outlet itself for others and myself. Not many people get the opportunity to work for a job that lets you creatively express yourself in meaningful ways, and having my own production company has let me express myself how I want to, and so I know that Launch Agency is allowing me the same freedom, even in my role as office manager.

Alternatively, how has working at Launch influenced your work with Paris Marie?

I have been able to see the brilliant minds of my coworkers and how they demonstrate their styles and creativity, allowing me to evolve my own style and pick up on techniques and skills I would have otherwise not been able to learn. It truly is wonderful that I can coalesce with the art and design of my colleagues to elevate ourselves and our creative minds!

Where can we find your work?

You can find us on Instagram and Facebook with our name Paris Marie Productions. We also have our website, www.parismarieproductions.com.

What’s next for Paris Marie? Anything exciting on the horizon that we should keep an eye out for?

We have a lot of projects coming down the pipeline! We not only have photoshoots and films scheduled to be shot for our clients, but we are also ramping up production on a project centered around telling our own stories and the stories of those that have had similar issues. We will also be producing another photo series that will focus on the beauty of black men along with some short films coming your way. So please keep an eye out for those!

Paris Marie’s next showcase is this Friday, June 26th

Which Launcher’s got game?


It’s no surprise our Launch crew works hard and plays hard. See how Launch Principal and Account Director Michael Boone is taking that philosophy to the court. We recently asked him if joining a competitive tennis league has helped up his ad game. Read his answers below.

How did you get interested in playing tennis?

I’ve always enjoyed playing, recreationally, off and on my whole life. But I never made it a habit until last year when a friend asked if I wanted to be a substitute in a weekly league he was in with “a lot of guys older than we are.”

How do you think your love of tennis helps your ad game?

I never really played doubles. Learning the strategy and angles has been a fun learning experience. Actually, I think my advertising experience has probably helped me in tennis more than the other way around: handling stress, shifting between leading and following, depending on the partner and/or the opponents, and keeping emotions at an even keel are well-earned agency traits.

How do you fit it into your busy “ad man” schedule?

First, a compromise. I told them I could only play at 8 pm. Then I planned my Mondays to make sure I’d be able to play Monday nights. After one week, they invited me to be a regular and I was hooked.

How do you stay motivated to improve your game?

Failure and embarrassment are good motivators. It’s more fun to play well, and even win, than the opposite. But improvement mostly comes, for me, from playing regularly, with people better than I.

Are there any tennis pros past or present that inspire you?

Right now we are blessed to see four who are considered to be the best ever to play: Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. All have had sustained greatness for many years and are considered “old” in usual tennis terms. Seeing them constantly improve, innovate and play at exceedingly high levels is inspiring; I don’t know how they do it.

Have you received any awards for your tennis skillz?

About 20 years ago I took home a trophy (2nd place, perhaps) from a Temerlin McClain “intramurals” tournament. There weren’t many who played, though. More recently I was fortunate enough to be added to a USTA Men’s Doubles Team. I’m a 2.5 (the lowest rating) in a 6.0 league. Our team just represented the great state of Texas at the National Championships. We placed 7th overall, but were this close to advancing to the Final Four. Not that my playing had much to do with that…

Alex Slotkin

A Writer Unblocked


Writer’s block was just the excuse Launcher Alex Slotkin needed to join National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). For Alex, this month-long experiment to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days turned into an eight-year project. We recently asked him to tell us about the novel he’s been working on for the past several years and elaborate on what inspires his writing in and outside of work.

What inspired you to start writing your novel?

I’ve always enjoyed creative writing, and have tried to pen the Great American Novel several times, only to give up after a few chapters. Several years ago, I heard about NaNoWriMo and the idea of writing 50,000 words in 30 days as a way to get unstuck. I thought it was the perfect excuse to give it another go.

How do you fit writing outside of work into your schedule?

I’m not going to lie, it’s tough to fit writing in outside of work. I usually just steal whatever time I can, whether that’s at a coffee shop before heading into the office in the morning or holed up at home in the guest room after my kids go to bed.

What keeps you going?

I love to write. It’s one of the few things I’m actually pretty good at, and when it’s going well, it brings me a lot of joy. There’s nothing quite like being so deeply engrossed in a writing project that time seems to stop and everything else just drops away. It’s like a runner’s high, but without all that inconvenient exercise.

How do you think writing outside of work influences your job at Launch?

It sounds like a cliché, but I view the act of writing as akin to flexing a muscle. It gets stronger and more versatile the more you work it, and employing different modes of writing can only strengthen everything you do.

What does the future of your creative writing look like?

Right now, I am deep into the revision process on my novel—which is taking considerably more than a month to complete! I’ve learned that writing a first draft isn’t nearly as challenging as shaping it into something truly satisfying. I hope to get this novel finished and out into the world soon. In the meantime, I have had a short piece published in a zine and also produced a series of roleplaying game supplements. I have a few other projects in the works as well.

Which writers/authors inspire you?

My reading tastes tend toward the fantastical side of the spectrum. I’m a huge fan of Tolkien, Poe and Lovecraft, as well as more “literary” writers, like Steven Millhauser, George Saunders, Vladimir Nabokov and Italo Calvino.

What does NaNoWriMo mean to you?

NaNoWriMo is all about imposing a rigid constraint on your time in order to silence your inner critic and free yourself up to create. As Gustave Flaubert put it: “Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.”

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