My placement year at Spin Master

Business Management student, Caitlin, reflects on an exciting placement year with Spin Master, working with brands such as Monster Jam, Tech Deck, and Rubik's. She also got to work on experiential marketing campaigns, which saw her attend a world premiere for a big blockbuster film.

How did you find your placement with Spin Master?

I found my placement at Spin Master by searching for marketing internships on LinkedIn. To apply, I needed to submit a CV and Cover Letter, so I contacted the BCU Careers+ Team to book an appointment to help tailor my skills and experience to the job description.  

Initially, I was invited to an informal meeting with previous interns to learn more about the placement and ask questions about the company culture. Then, I had a final interview with my line manager and UK marketing director, where I was asked how I would benefit from the internship.

What did you do on your first day?

On my first day, I was introduced to each brand manager within the marketing team and learnt about the different toy brands. I was also introduced to colleagues within sales, finance and HR. 

I had a tour of the office and each showroom used for retailer previews and meetings. Then, I met with my line manager to discuss my internship expectations and set personal goals on what I wanted to gain from the placement - such as learning about influencer marketing, supporting experiential events and getting involved with philanthropy. 

The rest of the day was spent working with the previous intern I would be training for my first two weeks - learning about my day-to-day tasks and connecting with the PR and media agency. 

I was excited to gain marketing experience and learn from a global toy company. Everyone was super friendly and welcoming, which made me feel at ease and comfortable quickly.

What was your best highlight of the experience? 

My favourite highlight from placement would be attending the Fantastic Beasts 3: Secrets of Dumbledore World Premiere in London. Spin Master licenses Wizarding World toys in which the characters are based on the Harry Potter movies. It was super cool to attend, as the toys we were marketing were directly related to the film, and it was great to see how we built PR and media campaigns around this. Lots of bloggers, influencers and familiar celebrities attended, and it was super exciting to represent the company at an experiential event.

What was the biggest challenge you faced? 

The biggest challenge I faced was my self-confidence. Before joining Spin Master, I was super shy. My second year of studies was mainly online due to the pandemic, so I was used to working from home and had to relocate for the role. However, as soon as I started, I was encouraged by the brand managers to get involved and to take on additional projects, such as working with the sales team attending trade shows and leading community PR projects for Tech Deck.

A final reflection...

Deciding to do a one-year placement at Spin Master was one of my best decisions whilst at uni. It allowed me to take my knowledge from studying Business Management and build practical skills and work experience. The placement has helped me build my confidence and develop professionally, giving me an idea of what it is like working in the marketing industry. I recommend to any students considering a placement to just go for it - it's a fantastic opportunity to get out of your comfort zone, meet new people and have fun!

Caitlin's Placement Highlights:

• Represented Spin Master at experiential events such as the Redbull Rubiks World Cup, Monster Jam Live Event in the Olympic Stadium, BlogOn Influencer event and Skateboarding GB Women's Park Event for Tech Deck 

• Social Media Management of the Spin Master UK Twitter page using software such as DAM, Salsify, Canva and Adobe Photoshop

• Provided catalogue copy and images for e-commerce, trade print ads, catalogues and media. (e.g. Smyths Christmas Catalogue, Argos product pages)