Internships in Amsterdam?

I*ll be spending the spring *05 semester in Amsterdam and I*m wondering a) what agencies are there (I already know of W+K Amsterdam) and b) is it possible for me to get an internship with one of them? Would they have any use for a native English speaker? I don*t speak Dutch but plan on learning at least enough to function on a day-to-day basis.

Daag Wasabe, hoe gaat het?



my years in amsterdam I found that many agencies are brave enough to hire talent regardles of their dutch language skills (they*ll love the fact that you are learning dutch though and that helps a lot in day-to-day buisiness, so go ahed and start practising now)



BBDO, S-W-H, Publicis and of course Kesselskramer hire foreign talent, w+k hire "anybody who is not dutch" which pisses dutch creatives off to no end, and 180 hire talent from anywhere (again, not many dutch creatives there). My current copywriter, born and bred Dutch complains that there is very little work in Amsterdam at the moment, but it might be very different on a more junior level as places like BBDO still have "the pool" and such (a jr corner if you will, I was in the pool once). I*d have a look through your latest archives and see which agencies are doing the work you like, and what the team behind is named, as you*ll be running into these people often, it*s a very small ad-town.



Oh, and when you go out boozing the Marnixstraat is the best place (Lux). wink

oh, internships are a little different in Europe - you can*t do one "for college credit" here so you*ll be looking at a small-pay-placement thing instead. smile Which aint bad except the pay is usually waaay too small.

Prima, bedankt.



I wouldn*t mind unpaid/small paying work, especially given the experience I could gain.



Is the Amsterdam agency that did the Onitsuka Hero Breath promotion called Blueberryfrog or Strawberryfrog? Or does it go by either?

strawberry is above the line, blueberry is below it (internet, interactive design and such as well), therein lies the teeny difference. wink

Here is the info I received from Esther Belderok at W+ K Amsterdam



<!-- BBCode Start -->Wieden + Kennedy has only 1 intern place and 1 graduation place available in our “Strategic Planning” department. This is the only department where it is likely for you to have a good intern period or graduation project to finish. To structure the numerous information requests we have received in the past months we would like to ask you to read the procedure carefully and apply again when you still want to do your internship at W+K.



Procedure



We work with a three month period for interns/graduation projects. At this moment our intern place comes available mid April 2004 and our graduation project spot comes available mid July 2004. You can only apply for an internship if the internship is a part of your education on a school or university program. We need a school/university statement to proof that.



Early March 2004 we start the procedure for our internship place for the period April - July 2004. Early July we will start the procedure for the graduation projects.



Between April – July 2004 we are not able to answer or reply your intern or graduation requests. So if you wish to apply for an internship for the period mid- April – mid July 2004 please contact me Esther. <!-- BBcode auto-mailto start -->Belderok@wk.com<!-- BBCode auto-mailto end --> early to mid March 2004. Requests received later than 15 March will not be taken into consideration.



For the next period, which will be July-September 2004 you are free to contact me at the beginning of July.



Same goes for the graduations projects.



Intern fee/housing



The intern fee we pay is fixed. We pay Interns who are coming from abroad Euro 650 a month net.<!-- BBCode End -->



My questions What do they mean by graduation project? Like a senior thesis project? I assume this will not be something I would do, since I will me in Amsterdam my junior year.

And does strategic planning have the same meaning as in the US (brand positioning, research, media usage planning...)?

Would that information apply to the internships at the american offices (i.e portland)? I*m applying for an AD position there, but for work experience more than college credit.