FKM Summer Interns Gone Wild; Agency shakes up the internship experience with reel-to-real podcasts on iTunes(TM).

HOUSTON -- Summer interns at Fogarty Klein Monroe, one of the nation's top independent advertising agencies, are getting real world experience and are broadcasting it over the Internet as they take on an interactive project of their own for one of the toughest clients - the agency itself.

"We take the business of interning quite seriously," said Melissa Stevens, president of FKM. "By agreeing to take on this important task of mentorship, we are responsible for giving these students an accurate understanding of the agency work environment."

"This program is not only fun for our interns; it also helps develop their ability to perform professionally when they enter the work environment."

Understanding the work environment means these interns must learn to develop strategy, pitch creative ideas, process feedback and learn diplomacy.

What is the project that incorporates all of these skills? It isn't filing or stuffing envelopes (although interns must still perform the traditional day-to-day tasks of their chosen fields). For the first time ever, FKM interns are documenting their experiences -- every moment of blood, sweat and tears -- and sharing them with the world via a Website, a blog and a weekly video podcast (http://web.mac.com/fastlanefkm) using tools from the iLife(TM) suite of products from Apple(R).

The 15 interns are employed in the various FKM departments including creative, public relations, media, research, account management and production. The web site documenting their work requires the use of all of their academic pursuits.

Of course, creating and managing the Website also means working harder than any other previous intern group at FKM and they have the footage to prove it. They are showing the world through their own Website and through their podcasts on iTunes what it's like to be an intern at a large and very busy agency, and how a marketing campaign comes to life from concept to inception.

"The prevalence of new media in our industry is growing at lightening-quick speed and it's become increasingly important to arm our interns with the tools they need to make themselves more marketable in today's career landscape," said Tom Gates, FKM vice president and creative director.

"This dream project is making things quite exciting here at the agency this summer -- video cameras capturing every moment, podcasts of agency happenings being broadcast across the globe -- and the brutal honesty of interns blogging about the ups and downs of agency life, teamwork, late nights, tough clients, stubborn copy machines and the rewards of a successful campaign."

About Fogarty Klein Monroe

Fogarty Klein Monroe is one of the country's largest independent full-service marketing communications firms and has been for more than 26 years. With a staff of more than 200 in Houston, Dallas, Austin and Atlanta offices, FKM delivers advertising, public relations, interactive, media buying/planning, direct marketing, yellow pages and new media services. Fortune 500 companies such as Advance Auto Parts, Dell, HCA and Waste Management are among FKM's clients and contribute to $260 million in annual billings. For more information, please visit Fogarty Klein Monroe online at www.fkmagency.com.