Brand Strategy Intern [Summer]

GDP is a creative marketing agency that combines the best of strategy, design, and journalism to help brands clarify complexity. We are looking for a Brand Strategy Intern to join our team of journalists and nonfiction storytellers this summer. You’ll learn how we cast a wide research net, distill what matters, and translate insight into strategy that creatives can build from.

The candidates most likely to thrive are self-starters who prefer trying to solve a challenge their own way first before collaborating with others. They are comfortable receiving an assignment or directions and then running with the project, taking responsibility for communications with their team when they want assistance or guidance.

This is a paid hybrid role (in office Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays) in San Francisco.

What you’ll do:

• Research & insight: Track cultural shifts, category dynamics, and audience behavior; find signals in the noise across qualitative and quantitative sources

• Synthesis: Turn research into clear points of view: frameworks, narratives, and recommendations that help teams make decisions

• Support Brand Strategy: Author creative briefs, competitive analyses, audience profiles, trend reports, and workshop materials

• Client + Market Understanding: Interrogate what’s already believed about a client and their audience, then strengthen (or challenge) it with evidence

• Collaboration: Work closely with strategy, account, editorial, and creative teams to keep work aligned, resonant, and on track

• Learn to move quickly without cutting corners: focused research, logical thinking, strong documentation, and early drafts

• Intern Pitch Project: Partner with interns across disciplines to build a proposal and pitch from the ground up, with coaching along the way

Qualifications include:

A commitment of up to 40 hours a week from June through August

• Possesses a hungry, strategic mind that is happiest when learning something new, and sees difficult problems as an opportunity for creativity

• Deeply curious about understanding consumer psychology, cultures, and the forces that shape them

• Strong analytical and research skills to assess market trends and consumer insights

• Write clearly and can explain your thinking, whether in a document, a slide, or a conversation

• Ability to work independently, communicate proactively, and collaborate generously

• Comfortable with handling multiple projects and meeting deadlines

How to apply

In addition to your resume, submit a short note (3–5 bullets) on a topic you’re obsessed with learning right now, and one example of work that shows off your strategic thinking (research/synthesis work, a paper, deck, article, thesis, zine, or portfolio link).

About GDP

The rise of AI. Turbulent financial markets. Climate emergency. We are living in deeply complex times—and our marketing agency is purpose-built for this moment. Organizations need to know who they are, what they stand for, and what they’re here to do. They need to communicate their ideas and ideals in clear and compelling ways... That’s where GDP comes in. We bring together the best of strategy, design, and journalism to help brands clarify complexity.

Hourly Rate: $20.00