Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Esmé Jarvis recently returned to campus to deliver an inspiring presentation to current undergraduates, offering a detailed look into her 2025/26 placement year at The Walt Disney Company.
Working as a graphic design and illustration intern within Disney Consumer Products EMEA, Esmé spent her placement year helping bring world-renowned franchises – including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars – to life across consumer products.
Her role spanned trend research, creative concept development, and graphic design across product categories such as apparel, home, stationery, and beauty, collaborating with internal teams and external partners across regional and global markets.
During her presentation, Esmé provided students with a comprehensive breakdown of the day-to-day responsibilities involved in working for a major global entertainment brand.
She highlighted how her work balanced creative design with strategic commercial thinking, including consumer insights and trend research, events and exhibitions and cross-functional collaboration.
She also discussed franchise creative and visual directions, including developing original graphics, seasonal style guides and character art treatments. Her presentation showcased key projects including the "Riviera Blue" style guide for Luca, a "Grandma Core" Winnie-the-Pooh collection featuring "Silly Old Bear" floral and gingham motifs, a Christmas home range for Home Bargains, and original asset development across Marvel and Spider-Man franchises.
Beyond design deliverables, Esmé shared practical advice on how students can navigate the competitive internship application process.
She outlined the multi-stage application timeline which progresses from research, CV, cover letter and portfolio submissions through to online assessments and interviews, and highlighted key tips for standing out.
“Understanding how design operates within a large creative organisation has given me immense confidence,” Esmé noted during her talk. “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."
Reflecting on her placement experience, Esmé highlighted how participating in broader company initiatives enriched her professional development. Through the Disney Intern Development Program, she developed key workplace competencies in time management, personal branding, and navigating complex corporate matrix organisations.
She also actively participated in Disney VoluntEars initiatives supporting organisations such as MediCinema and Make-A-Wish, as well as attending corporate networking events and UK film premieres.
“The entire year at Disney was honestly such an incredible, amazing experience,” Esmé reflects. “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!”
