My Internship at Adidas - IUM

Marina Leal: From Internship To Full Time Role At Adidas

Marina Leal a third-year Bachelor student at the International University of Monaco specializing in Sport Business Management completed a six-month internship in Media Planning Activation at Adidas. Working on the company’s largest client account, Zalando, she gained valuable experience in advertising, paid social media campaigns, stakeholder management, and brand activation.

This internship gave Marina the opportunity to combine classroom knowledge with real industry experience while developing a strong professional network within an international company. Her successful experience also led to a full-time opportunity, and she now works as a Brand Activation Assistant Manager at Adidas.

Marina’s journey highlights the wide range of career opportunities available to IUM students and the importance of internships as a gateway to the professional world.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Doing An Internship?

The networking opportunities and the hands-on experience you gain are the main benefits of doing an internship. Seeing what we have learned in class in real life is rewarding. Big companies like Adidas have many employees with many different backgrounds and connections. The best way to reach out is by being an intern in their company and meeting them for a coffee chat. It is also a huge advantage when considering staying at the company after it. Twelve out of twenty interns at Adidas headquarters got hired after the internship; everything is more accessible when you are an internal employee.

What Are You Doing With Adidas Group?

During my internship, I was a media planning activation intern for Adidas’ most extensive account, Zalando. After six months of training, they hire me, and I’m currently working as an assistant brand activation manager.

What Have You Learned During Your Internship?

During my internship, I learned a lot about advertising, paid social media, marketing agencies, management of different stakeholders, and brand campaigns. However, I think the most valuable aspect of this period was learning what I like and don’t like and discovering what I believe I can be the best at.

Any Tips For Students Who Are Looking For An Internship?

I would say to constantly look for it and tailor your resume each time you apply. It doesn’t hurt to use it for many different positions, you should always have a plan B, C, and D. I paid LinkedIn Premium and set up alerts for all the companies I was interested in. I applied for more than 20 internship postings and only succeeded in receiving a yes from Adidas. You will usually receive a big no, but it just takes one yes to start your career. That was not my first option, but I don’t think I would have had a better outcome elsewhere.

For more information, you can consult our website: www.monaco.edu. Feel free to also contact the Admissions Team directly at admissions@monaco.edu

Last update on 10/16/2026