Esmé Jarvis, a former BA (Hons) Graphic Design student at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), shared insights from her 2025/26 placement year with The Walt Disney Company. Working as a graphic design and illustration intern within Disney Consumer Products EMEA, Jarvis contributed to bringing renowned franchises such as Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars to life across various consumer products.
Her role encompassed trend research, creative concept development, and graphic design for product categories including apparel, home, stationery, and beauty. Jarvis collaborated with internal teams and external partners in both regional and global markets. During her presentation, she detailed the day-to-day responsibilities of working for a major global entertainment brand, emphasising the balance between creative design and strategic commercial thinking, consumer insights, and cross-functional collaboration.
Jarvis also discussed franchise creative and visual directions, including the development of original graphics, seasonal style guides, and character art treatments. Key projects showcased included the "Riviera Blue" style guide for Luca, a "Grandma Core" Winnie-the-Pooh collection, a Christmas home range for Home Bargains, and original asset development for Marvel and Spider-Man franchises.
“"Understanding how design operates within a large creative organisation has given me immense confidence. Learning to balance commercial brand requirements with original creative thinking has provided me with a much clearer direction for my future career as a designer."
Beyond design deliverables, Jarvis offered practical advice on navigating the competitive internship application process, outlining the multi-stage timeline from research and submissions to assessments and interviews. She highlighted the value of participating in broader company initiatives, such as the Disney Intern Development Program, which helped her develop competencies in time management, personal branding, and navigating complex corporate structures. She also engaged in Disney VoluntEars initiatives and attended corporate networking events and UK film premieres.
Reflecting on her experience, Jarvis stated, "The entire year at Disney was honestly such an incredible, amazing experience. It was a real pleasure to come back and share my journey with fellow Graphic Design students. Placement years are so valuable for building confidence and industry connections, I really hope sharing my tips helps inspire other students to go for it and secure a great internship of their own!"
