Anna Allen, German key to copywriter career

Anna Allen was passionate about the German language when she arrived at KU. It connected her to her family history, and she was inspired to master the language. But she was also drawn to journalism, and wanted to pursue a career that allowed her to write on a daily basis. With one eye on life beyond KU, she decided to pursue both interests, balancing her passions with her career aspirations by completing a B.S. in journalism and a B.A. in German. It turns out that both degrees proved pivotal as she embarked on her career path. Selfie of Anna in a busy market. Anna's wearing a red fedora hat, glasses and a white shirt Since graduating in 2012, Anna has put both degrees to great use, forging a career she loves. Eager to live abroad, Anna's language skills landed her a consulting job at Airbus in Munich and she has flourished in Germany ever since. "Being able to add that to my resume has been a game changer." From Munich, she moved to Hamburg to take up a position as a copywriter for TBWA/Global Shopper, an international marketing agency. Each day she draws on the skills developed at KU to write and create ad campaigns, while living in one of Germany's most vibrant cities. “Knowledge of German has given me opportunities in positions I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I have lived and worked in two of Germany’s biggest cities and have met people from all over the world in my field by the age of 25. And this is just the beginning.” Which goes to show that languages are the key to international careers! Anna took over our Instagram account in February 2017, showing us how she puts her liberal arts & sciences degree to work as a copywriter, and we've collected her posts for you in the picture story book and video below. The Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures is part of the School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures at KU.

A day in the life of a College alum in pictures ... Anna Allen, Copywriter

Getting started

Life in Hamburg

Three pictures: first a buffet of donuts and pastries with a quote saying "Time for work, but first Breakfast"; second a picture of stone statue in a park, a heart emoji and a quote saying "Quick walk" and a location of the Bismark monument; third a picture of a small fridge, a winking emoji, and quote reading "Fun Fact: most apartments have refrigerators no bigger than most dorm fridges"

Copywriter must haves

Three pictures: first, a book titled 'Words of Clarity' and a quote reading "Writer must-haves"; second, a picture of a desk with KU pens, an action figure and a pot of peanut butter and a quote reading "Writer must-haves"; third, a picture of woman listening to music on large white headphones and working on her laptop with a quote reading "Team partner getting inspired"

Signing off

Three pictures: first a night sky and a quote reading "Feierabend! It's 18:19 & not completely dark!"; second, a picture of Anna's feet in socks on a stool and a quote reading "Thanks for following along on my Hamburger adventures! 18:45"; third, a framed quote reading "Life is an adventure"

Here's Anna's takeover in full (it's worth watching for the creative director's Rock Chalk Chant ... you'll see)