Alessia Scappaticci (Media & Communication Studies, class of 2018) is passionate about building community. And through the University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) alum’s career as an influencer marketing specialist at Sundae Creative Agency (she was also recently promoted to a senior level influencer marketing specialist), Alessia helps content creators foster their very own online communities. The Media program opens a variety of professional doors to graduates, and Alessia has walked through the door, focusing on the business side of media.
Her role is dynamic – and she loves the challenge that comes with it. We sat down with Alessia to hear about her job, lessons she has learned along the way, and about her time as a Guelph-Humber student. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: What does “a day in the life” look like for you in your role at Sundae Creative Agency?
A: My priorities throughout the day typically involve strategizing campaign ideas, casting, reaching out to influencers, negotiating rates, campaign execution, admin, and reporting. However, each day looks a bit different. Some days are more admin-heavy than others, but sometimes I attend events and spend a lot of time in person with creators.
My favourite aspects of my job are casting and influencer outreach, especially when I know that what I’m about to propose is on a creator’s brand campaign or experience wishlist!
Q: How do you feel the Media & Communication Studies program prepared you for your career as a marketer who works with influencers and creative partnerships?
A: What I learned during the first two years of the program was well-rounded. A lot of the coursework interested me enough to continue building skills in the areas outside of my specialization. For example, I fell in love with graphic design because of the mandatory digital design courses in the first two years of the program (Adobe InDesign and I haven’t parted ways since). I now apply that skillset when creating briefs for influencers or digital assets for team members and clients.
My specialization placed a strong focus on marketing, advertising and project management. The marketing courses that focused on brand strategy and my experience leading the project management team for Emerge were not only highlights for me, but delivered an education in efficient workflow, adaptability, and team management. I tap into these skills daily during campaign execution while balancing talent communication and organizing project logistics.
Q: What interested you in this marketing and social media niche of media?
A: I became interested for a few reasons.
Community is a core value for me personally, and influencer marketing offers so many opportunities for creators to build community across their platforms. Whether an influencer is advertising a product, sharing an experience, or offering advice, they’re providing an open forum for connection between them and their audience. I love watching that unfold in the comment section when a campaign goes live or casting an influencer for an exciting project or experience, knowing that their audience is going to be just as excited for them as they’ll be.
I also love the idea that anyone can become an influencer. If you have access to a phone or computer, there’s no additional barrier to entry.
Finally, I’ve always been drawn to how marketing and advertising impacts brand experience. Over time, my love of brand experience transcended into a desire to be a part of the process. From brand identity to strategy and positioning, to the customer experience, I love every part of it.
Q: Congratulations on your recent promotion to senior influencer marketing specialist! What sorts of skills and achievements did you tap into to get to this milestone?
A: I first prioritized building relationships with my peers. I’m a talker by nature, so I leveraged my curiosity and passion for people to build a strong rapport with clients, talent, and my team. I wholeheartedly believe that empathy and strong social skills in the workplace are as valuable as any hard skill.
My most notable area of growth was in data analysis. If I had any downtime throughout the day, I would read past wrap reports from my colleagues. I learned to pick up on what made their analyses so strong, and that helped develop my attention to detail.
I also honed my ability to negotiate strategically, prepare solutions before addressing conflict, and showcase my creativity at every opportunity – from designing creative briefs to suggesting event details that aligned with a brand story. Most importantly, I vocalized my interest in elevating my role early on. When I started my new role in 2024, I had a “this is what I want to accomplish; how can I get there?” conversation with my manager, and that served as a catalyst for a year of growth.
Q: What’s one aspect of your job that might surprise people to know?
A: People are always surprised to learn about how much due diligence is involved in casting processes for campaigns.
A creator’s platform size is only one piece of their entire profile. And since influencer marketing is an oversaturated industry, we deeply value how you show up online. From a more quantitative approach, we also review an influencer’s analytics in depth while casting. I think this has also surprised some influencers before, but it always serves as a learning opportunity.
Q: What advice would you offer to current Media & Communication Studies students about pursuing a career in social media?
A: Build connections earlier than you think you need to. There’s no rush to start your career immediately after graduating, and you should take time to explore if you need it – I did! Introducing yourself to people in roles that interest you while you’re figuring out what you want offers exposure to different sides of the industry. Those connections may actually help you discover what you like or where you want to end up.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Whether it’s a coffee chat or a job opportunity, there’s never a downside to simply asking. My dad always told me that it’s free to ask. You may get a “not right now”, a no, or you might get ghosted, but there’s always the potential to get a yes.
Finally, comparing yourself to your peers does nothing productive for you. You’re all on different paths. During my time at U of GH, many of my peers started their careers immediately after graduating, and I didn’t. And now, I’m in a role that I love in an industry that I feel a vocation towards. Let yourself enjoy the process!
In an evolving media landscape, the University of Guelph-Humber’s Media & Communication Studies program will prepare you for success as it has for alum Alessia. Click here to learn more.