The Mentorship Effect: How An Internship At PPG Asian Paints Shaped Juhi's Passion For Digital Marketing

Former sales manager Juhi Thakur strongly believes that summer internships are valuable opportunities to explore and determine whether a particular domain aligns with your interests and long-term career aspirations. 

Thakur is currently pursuing an MBA from IIM Kashipur and is a member of the college’s Diversity & Inclusion Club. She worked as a summer intern with PPG Asian Paints from April 2023 to June 2023. Here’s her story of landing the internship, learning about a new industry, meeting industry veterans, and working with the right mentor: 

Corporate Exposure & Hands-On Experience

My internship at PPG Asian Paints provided me with excellent corporate exposure in the OEM Coating Industry. I had the privilege of working with veterans in the industry, which allowed me to gain valuable insights and knowledge. 

During my internship, I worked in the digital marketing field of Automotive OEM coatings. I was involved with SEO (Search Engine Optimization), market research, and campaign planning to drive digital marketing strategies that effectively reach the target audience in the OEM Coating vertical, improve online visibility, and generate qualified leads for the business. Here’s an overview of the work I did during the internship: 

• I focused on studying the digital experience of current OEM customers such as Skoda, Volkswagen, MG Motors, Mahindra, Tata, etc. 
• Additionally, I conducted market research to identify target audiences and emerging trends for digital marketing campaigns. 
• I also performed a competition analysis to understand the OEM coating market in India and gained insights from the upcoming market of EV car makers. Based on my findings, I suggested a go-to-market strategy for this segment. 

Internships provide a hands-on opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge gained in academic settings to real-world scenarios. It was the same with me. My internship helped me understand how digital marketing strategies, such as SEO, content marketing, social media advertising, and analytics, are implemented and their impact on business outcomes. I was able to learn from industry experts, who provided me with a platform to cultivate my passion for digital marketing and pursue it as a promising career path.

The most unexpected part of the internship was getting the opportunity to visit Skoda Volkswagen's plant, where cars were painted. I also got a chance to interact directly with buying decision-makers from MG Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and others to understand their experience and expectations of digital content.

The Invaluable Support Of A Mentor

Working under a mentor can have a profound impact on one's personal and professional growth. During my internship in digital marketing, I had the privilege of working under an exceptional mentor with experience of more than 20 years in the OEM Industry. He played a significant role in shaping my understanding of the industry and nurturing my skills. 

From the beginning, his guidance and expertise left a profound mark on me, influencing my approach to work and fostering my development in numerous ways. One of the most notable aspects of his mentorship was his unwavering dedication to knowledge sharing even beyond my role - he shared his experience with how OEM Coating actually works. For example, how inflation and deflation affect the price per liter of paint and how to deal with clients for price negotiation. 

He not only provided me with the necessary resources and tools but also encouraged me to explore and learn independently. Through regular one-on-one sessions and open discussions, my mentor instilled a sense of curiosity and the desire to continually expand my understanding of the digital marketing landscape. 

There was nothing challenging in the internship, as the guidance of my mentor made my internship experience smooth. 

What sets apart PPG Asian Paints

The work culture of PPG Asian Paints is truly exceptional. Having worked at various organizations throughout my career, I can confidently say that the work culture here is outstanding and deserves recognition. The positive environment, supportive atmosphere, and emphasis on personal growth made a remarkable impact on my professional journey.

Additionally, I would like to highlight the stipend payment process. As an intern, I found it very helpful that the organization gave the stipend in a cycle of 15 days. This helped me manage everything properly.

I am immensely grateful to the entire team at PPG Asian Paints for their support and for making my internship a truly rewarding experience. They provided me with a platform to cultivate my passion for digital marketing and pursue it as a promising career path. Their wealth of knowledge and expertise has been invaluable to my growth.

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