As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, advertising educators must help students develop stronger skills, prepare for career positions and become more attractive to employers. Internships are a way for students to acquire critical real-world proficiencies and stand out in a job search. At the same time, employers benefit from and rely on internship programs, from learning new communication platforms to filling full-time positions. Using data from a field survey, this study provides a new understanding of the key elements and proposes a model for successful advertising internship programs. The investigation is unique, as the analysis pairs data from both interns and their employers. Findings show that a student’s major and supervisor support contribute to overall satisfaction with the internship, leading to higher employer motivation ratings that correlate with higher work performance evaluations and intention to hire scores. Practical implications for advertising internship managers and future research directions are discussed.