The Sydney Harbour Bridge was one of the first places I visited after arriving in Australia. Like most tourists, I took a photo. At the time, it was simply an iconic and Instagrammable landmark.
A year and a half later, I no longer stop to take photos of it. Passing it on my regular commute, I’ve begun to see it as more than a backdrop for selfies. Instead, it feels like an integral part of the city’s rhythm, carrying people towards their endeavours, their work, and the opportunities that shape their lives.
My internship at Havas Red has felt much the same. It has positioned me between two worlds, one I’ve spent much of my career in, and another I’ve only recently begun to explore.
For six years, I worked in the Philippine government in policy communications. That path eventually brought me to Sydney to pursue a Master’s in Public Relations, and from there, into an agency internship.
Gradually, I came to understand how closely these seemingly different worlds align.
In government, much of my work centred on translating complex policies into something people could understand. A major part of this was tax reform, policies aimed at making the system fairer, yet often met with mixed reception.
I saw this in our campaigns to raise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol to fund health care and curb consumption. The challenge was not just to explain the policy, but to reframe it, showing how it improves health outcomes and expands access to care.
At HAVAS Red, I support tech and finance clients in positioning AI-led data collaboration and work management tools. The work similarly involves distilling complexity into clear, actionable messages, helping audiences understand what these technologies are and why they matter. I also drafted agentic AI bylines, making the case for investing in industry foundations before scaling, highlighting the value of often unseen technical groundwork.
The insight was immediate. Communicating tax reform and AI tools is not so different. Both demand turning complex ideas into something people can understand and eventually care about.
In government, every action carries weight. Public trust, policy acceptance, and institutional credibility depend on getting communication right and building strong stakeholder relationships.
This became clear through nationwide stakeholder consultations we organised, where participants helped shape policy by proposing and discussing reforms. Their top recommendations were endorsed for implementation and monitored for progress. The process was complex but necessary, as trust had to be built through meaningful involvement.
I’ve seen the same discipline at HAVAS Red. Every detail is deliberate: media lists are carefully curated, risks anticipated through environmental scanning, messages grounded in credible data, and relationships strengthened through consistent engagement with clients and journalists.
Whether in public policy or agency work, credibility develops over time through small, deliberate, and consistent actions that foster understanding and connection.
This internship has reshaped how I think about communication. Two areas that once felt like separate worlds now reflect the same principles in practice.
That realisation is increasingly relevant. As governments and industries intersect, especially in AI and digital transformation, the ability to communicate across these spaces is critical.
I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the team at HAVAS Red and to carry those lessons forward. What began as unfamiliar now feels instinctive, the discipline of articulating value, the work of building trust, and the importance of meaningful relationships.
Those worlds, once distant, have become second nature to navigate, much like crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Robin Renz Salvador is a post-graduate student studying a Master of Strategic Public Relations at the University of Sydney. He is currently completing his capstone course with the Corporate team of HAVAS Red Australia.
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