1
SI XT Y VCU BRANDCENTER
VOL. XVIII THE BUSINESS OF BRANDING SINCE 1996
YOU ARE HERE Where are you going?
Few are chosen.
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Visit www.brandcenter.vcu.edu/admissions/ to apply.
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Let’s begin.
NOW WHAT?
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First, close your eyes, take a deep breath…let it out, slowly.
THE FOUNDATION
Where to go? What to do? How to start?
Do it 2 more times.
It’s bright, because you’ve burnished it for 2 years. It doesn’t appear as you’d imagined because it’s no longer a vague concept.
There’s only one thing left to do. Remember that you’re talented, prepared, well taught, stronger and so much more focused than when you first walked through the doors of Brandcenter sixty weeks ago.
THE WORK
So do it. Take that small step. That small, most significant step you will ever take, which will be your first move towards the long, fun, crazy journey that will be your career.
THE TRANSFORMATION
It’s more tangible than you expected because it’s not a month from now or a week from now or a moment from now. It is now.
THE LESSONS
All right, now open your eyes and take it in. There it is: Your future.
Enjoy every moment. THE FUTURE
by Helayne Spivak, Director
Vancouver, Canada Oregon
California
New York Pennsylvania D.C. Illinois Virginia Missouri Louisiana
Texas
Massachussets Rhode Island Connecticut New Jersey Maryland North Carolina South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Youngest student born in 1992. Oldest student born in 1980.
*Average age is 25.
44% Female 56% Male
52% in-state
48% out-of-state*
*5% international
72% had a year or more of prior work experience 28% joined straight from undergrad
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6
CBM - 19
AD - 24
CW - 21
ST - 21
Beijing, China
THE LESSONS
XD - 16
THE FOUNDATION
Class of 2015 Demographics
Jinan, China
THE TRANSFORMATION
Art Director (AD) Copywriter (CW) Strategist (ST) Creative Brand Manager (CBM) Experience Designer (XD)
Nigeria
THE WORK
Top Feeder Schools - UNC (7), UVA (9) and VCU (18)
Top Maajors - Advertising and Business Administration Average GPA - 3.25
brings something unique to our collaborative environment; our students learn as much from each other as they do their professors.
THE FUTURE
Our students come from a wide variety of undergraduate backgrounds- majors like Architecture, Biology, Engineering, Religious Studies, Theatre, Urban Planning, etc. Everyone
2000
1996
VCU Adcenter opened its classrooms to 51 students in three tracks – copywriting, art direction and strategy.
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL
VCU
After years of planning, founder and original managing director Diane Cook-Tench received approval from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to open Adcenter.
1995 The Beginning
1998
The first class graduated from VCU Adcenter with master’s degrees.
The school’s work became a staple on the awards circuit. In this year alone, VCU Adcenter was recognized by D&AD, ANDY’s, Clios, One Show and the Cannes Festival.
1997
1995: The Beginning - After years of planning, founder and original managing director Diane Cook-Tench received approval from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to open Adcenter. The first four board members to accept seats were Harry Jacobs and Mike Hughes of The Martin Agency and David Martin and Tim Finnegan of Arnold Finnegan Martin. Shortly thereafter Dan Wheldon of Coca-Cola, Jay Chiat and Dan Wieden also joined the board. 1996 - With ten days until the arrival of the first class of students the school moved into its space in Richmond’s Shockoe Slip. Just as the last plug was plugged and the final wall painted, VCU Adcenter opened its classrooms to 51 students in three tracks – copywriting, art direction and strategy. Along with Diane Cook-Tench, VCU Adcenter was led by Roger Lavery (strategic planning), Tim Chumley (technology), Coz Cotzias (copywriting) and Jerry Torchia (art direction). Immediately the school garnered interest from the advertising community. The Wall Street Journal, Adweek and numerous local media outlets ran coverage of VCU Adcenter. 1997 - Another 50 students began the fall semester, bringing the total student population of VCU Adcenter to 101. The school expanded its faculty to include Jelly Helm for the creative students and Peter Coughter to teach second year strategists. The school’s work became a staple on the awards circuit. In this year alone, VCU Adcenter was recognized by D&AD, ANDY’s, Clios, The One Show and the Cannes Festival. 1998 - The first class from VCU Adcenter graduated with master’s degrees. John Adams presented each student with a green beret as a symbol of the training and mission of the school. Within six months, each of the students had a job in the industry. Two new traditions began this year: the annual Adcenter Prom and Adcenter couples - as two members of the class of 1998 married prior to graduation.
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The first school softball game, pitting art directors versus writers, took place. These games became an annual affair, but shifted to rival class against class. Rick Boyko, former Chief Creative Officer North America and Co-President of Ogilvy & Mather, became VCU Adcenter’s managing director.
2003
2006
The school swept the student competition of the Athenas and received a $50,000 grant from the Newspaper Association of America to build newspaper advertising into VCU Adcenter’s curriculum.
#1
In March, VCU Adcenter was named the top advertising school by Creativity Magazine and the Creative Brand Management track was introduced.
2005
2000 - Mark Fenske, formerly of Wieden + Kennedy and The Bomb Factory, began teaching at VCU Adcenter. He brought his unique perspective on the business as well as a wicked curveball. The first school softball game, pitting art directors versus writers, took place. These games became an annual affair, but shifted to rival class against class. The school also welcomed a new managing director, Patty Alvey, to lead the program. The work coming out of VCU Adcenter continued to impress, and helped to bolster the school’s industry credibility. 2003 - Rick Boyko, former Chief Creative Officer North America and Co-President of Ogilvy & Mather, became VCU Adcenter’s managing director. Drawing on his agency experience and industry involvement, Boyko began directing the school toward a truer reflection of the current and ever-changing advertising business. The curriculum began to focus on more holistic problem-solving and incorporated media planning in campaign development. Planning for the Creative Brand Management track began. Along with Boyko, Cabell Harris (TBWA/Chiat/Day, The Martin Agency and WORKLabs) became a professor. VCU Adcenter held a roast of Joe Pytka in New York to raise funds for scholarships. The chicken was reported to be delicious. 2005 - In March, VCU Adcenter was named the top advertising school by Creativity Magazine based on surveys of creative directors and hiring managers of the industry’s leading agencies. In the fall, the Creative Brand Management track was introduced. The goal of the track was to train brand managers how to think creatively and better work with agencies. Adweek and Fast Company both featured the track and the school. Wayne Gibson (longtime creative director and commercial director), Don Just (former CEO of The Martin Agency) and Donna Spurrier (Spurrier Media Group) joined the faculty, further solidi-
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2010
VCU Adcenter became VCU Brandcenter. The school launched it’s Creative Technology track and welcomed the first class of CT students.
The building was formally named Mike Hughes Hall, after the President and Co-Chief Creative Officer of The Martin Agency and Chairman of the VCU Brandcenter board of directors.
MIKE HUGHES HALL
Construction of the school’s new building began. The Interpublic Group (IPG) generously donated a million dollars to the VCU Adcenter, making the agency holding company a lead donor.
2012
Rick Boyko retired as director of the Brandcenter, and Helayne Spivak became the new director.
The Creative Technology track evolved into Experience Design to better reflect the needs of our industry.
2013
2015
THE WORK THE FUTURE
in every facet of the business. That’s consistent with our stated goals of developing our talent base to meet the increasingly complex needs of clients in today’s marketing environment. We also share with our new partners a commitment to the importance of increasing diversity for the long-term good of our industry.” 2008 - VCU Adcenter became VCU Brandcenter and moved into a new building at 103 South Jefferson Street which was originally the carriage house for The Jefferson Hotel. The building was designed by world-renowned architect Clive Wilkinson. The school launched the Creative Technology track and welcomed the first class of CT students. 2010 - The building was formally named Mike Hughes Hall, after the President and Co-Chief Creative Officer of The Martin Agency and Chairman of the VCU Brandcenter board of directors. 2012 - A group of first year students won the Innovation Challenge a global competition for graduate business schools, beating teams from Harvard, Darden, and Wharton. Not only did they win the title of “World’s Most Innovative Team,” they also won $20,000 in prizes and got to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Rick Boyko retired as director of the Brandcenter, and Helayne Spivak became the new director. 2013 - The VCU Brandcenter moved from the College of Humanities and Sciences to become part of VCU’s School of Business. Brandcenter students now earn a Master of Science degree in Business/Branding. 2014 - Andrew LeVasseur transitioned from adjunct professor to full-time professor leading the Creative Technology track. 2015 - The Creative Technology track evolved into Experience Design to better reflect the needs of our industry. The Super Bowl was extra fun to watch this year. Twelve alumni had spots during the big game.
THE TRANSFORMATION
fying the creative and business facets of VCU Adcenter. Another toast to benefit the school’s scholarship program was held in New York. This year the partnerships of Lee Clow/Steve Hayden, Andy Berlin/Jeff Goodby, and David Kennedy/Dan Wieden were honored. The chicken was a little dry. 2006 - In the fall, two teams placed in the top ten at the Innovation Challenge hosted by University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, besting 440 MBA teams representing such schools as Yale, Harvard, University of Chicago, Duke and Georgetown. The school swept the student competition of the Athenas and received a $50,000 grant from the Newspaper Association of America to build newspaper advertising into VCU Adcenter’s curriculum. VCU Adcenter held its first Executive Education series for creative directors and faculty members journeyed to Japan to teach agency professionals at Dentsu. 2007 - The number of full-time faculty tripled. In the spring semester Charles Hall (creative; Wieden + Kennedy, NY and TBWA/Chiat/Day, NY), Caley Cantrell (strategy; The Martin Agency), and Scott Witthaus (film/technology; Greybox) joined the faculty. More instructors were necessary because student enrollment increased from 110 to 178 over the past five years. Kelly O’Keefe (O’Keefe Brands) was hired as the Executive Education Director and managed three series for creative brand managers, strategic planners and creative directors. Construction of the school’s new building began. The Interpublic Group (IPG) generously donated a million dollars to the VCU Adcenter, making the agency holding company a lead donor. “The VCU Adcenter is one of the leading advertising schools in the country,” said Michael I. Roth, Chairman and CEO of Interpublic. “We commend the school on its ambition of bringing into our industry young people that are prepared to raise the standards of performance
XD
THE LESSONS
The VCU Brandcenter moved from the College of Humanities and Sciences to become part of VCU’s School of Business.
2007
THE FOUNDATION
2008
2nd Floor
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BRANDCENTER DIRECTORY Faculty
Restroom
Staff 15 06 14 03
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Drinking Fountain
Classroom Lab Conference Room
Elevator
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1st Floor
Ground Floor Lockers 29
26
Student Area
Lobby 21
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Cocoon
32 27
Student Work Area
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Lecture Hall
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Student Lounge
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FACULTY CALEY CANTRELL
Professor - Strategy
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DON JUST
Professor - Creative Brand Management
05 PETER COUGHTER
02 ANDREW LEVASSEUR
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Professor - Culture
MARK FENSKE
Professor - Creative
Professor - Creative
KELLY O’KEEFE
Professor - Creative Brand Management
08 SCOTT WITTHAUS
Professor - Film/Technology
THE LESSONS
07 WAYNE GIBSON
Professor - Experience Design
THE FOUNDATION
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10 BERWYN HUNG
STAFF 16
HELAYNE SPIVAK Director
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PJ SYKES
Administrative Assistant
24 AMY ROBINSON
25 ANDREA GROAT
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HAWLEY SMYTH
22 EMILY HALE
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ASHLEY SOMMARDAHL
Associate Director
23 KATHERINE KEOGH
Student Affairs and Communications Manager
Admissions Coordinator
Director of Student Affairs and Industry Outreach
THE FUTURE
Director of Development
Office Manager
THE WORK
29 DEAN COLLINS Network Analyst
THE TRANSFORMATION
Professor - Creative and Experience Design
BOARD MEMBERS JOHN ADAMS Chairman, VCU Brandcenter Board CEO & Chairman - The Martin Agency HELAYNE SPIVAK Director - VCU Brandcenter ALLISON ARDEN Publisher - Advertising Age Author, The Book of Doing BRIAN COLLINS Chairman and Co-Founder Collins:
JON KAMEN Chairman and CEO @Radical.Media
JERRY SHERESHEWSKY Chief Grown Up GrownUpMarketing
GARETH KAY Founding Partner Chapter, San Francisco
JEFF STEINHOUR Managing Partner/Vice Chairman Crispin Porter + Bogusky
DAVE KNOX Chief Marketing Officer Rockfish Interactive
ALAIN SYLVAIN Founder and CEO Sylvain Labs
PAUL LAVOIE President & CEO - TAXI
ELIZABETH TALERMAN CEO, Managing Partner Nucleus
NICK LAW Global CEO - R/GA
EARL COX EVP & Chief Strategy Officer The Martin Agency
VICKI LINS EVP and Global CMO United Way Worldwide
SUSAN CREDLE Chief Creative Officer Leo Burnett Chicago
JOE MCCARTHY Founder The McCarthy Company
AUGUSTA DUFFEY Creative Director, Consultant
MATTHEW MILLER President and CEO - AICP
CAMMY GRUSD VP Client Relations and Industry Marketing - iHeartMedia DIANE JACKSON EVP, Director of Integrated Production - DDB Chicago
SUSAN TY
DAVID DROGA Founder & Creative Chairman - Droga5
DICK ROBERTSON Former Executive Warner Brothers
BOB JON
ALLISON GARETH
PAUL
MATT
LORI ERDOS Business Development Director, Digital Advertising Smithsonian Media JEFF GOODBY Co-Chairman & Creative Director Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
JIM
DAVE
JOE
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LEE CLOW Chief Creative Officer TBWA\Chiat\Day
TY MONTAGUE CEO - co: collective
KEVIN
NICK
ADVISORY BOARD
MATTHEW J. SCHECKNER President and CEO - Stillwell Partners Executive Director Advertising Week
JIM JOSEPH President - Cohn & Wolfe
DIANE
RICK WEBB Venture Partner, Quotidian Ventures Consultant
DICK
BRIAN
JOHN
12 SIR JOHN HEGARTY Chairman - Bartle Bogle Hegarty
ALLISON BOLYARD, Baby Jogger
NICK MARX, 72andSunny
DAVID BYRD, The Martin Agency
LANCE JENSEN Chief Creative Officer Hill Holiday
CHRIS COLLITON, Droga5
KIRSTIE MARYOTT, Goodby Silverstein & Partners AMY MEYER, Neighborhood
CATHERINE DAILEY, AKQA
JONATHAN MILDENHALL Chief Marketing Officer Airbnb
GABRIELLE MUSE, West SF
SARAH DAILY, Prophet
LINDSEY NEELD, Translation
PAUL DAVIS, Diamond Candles
KEVIN PROUDFOOT Executive Creative Director Google Creative Lab
KARA NOBLE, Boone/Oakley
MICHAEL FANUELE, General Mills ROSS FLETCHER, Barton F Graf 9000 CJ FRANZITA, TTA
MICHAEL ROTH Chairman & CEO Interpublic Group
THE FOUNDATION
JULIE MATHENY, Deutsch
CLAIBORNE COLOMBO, AKQA
STEVE O’CONNELL, Red Tettemer O’Connell & Partners AVERY OLDFIELD, Venables Bell
CHELSEA GARBER, R/GA
ROSEANNE OVERTON, Argonaut
MARY GROSS, Boone/Oakley STEPHEN HADINGER, AKQA
JOE SCIARROTA Chief Creative Officer Ogilvy & Mather Chicago
DAVID HARTMAN, Target
MOLLIE PARTESOTTI, Media Arts Lab TYLER SCHMIDT, AKQA
NATALIE HAMMEL, Google Creative Lab
THE LESSONS
BOB SCARPELLI Former Chairman & CCO DDB Worldwide
ALLISON SOLOMSON, VBP Orange SEAN STALEY, Barton F Graf 9000 MARY TOVES, Team One
JOHN HAYES, American Express JARROD HIGGINS, Wieden + Kennedy
KYLA WAGMAN, Redscout
BEN JOHANNEMANN, The Bull-White House
DEACON WEBSTER, Walrus KEVIN WEIR, Droga5
MENTORS
SUSAN LAND, Wieden + Kennedy
BRIG WHITE, Tool of North America
TED MAKAREWICZ, Redscout
MORGAN ACEINO, Deutsch
CLAIRE WYCKOFF, Wieden + Kennedy
PATRICK MARAVILLA, EVB
ANDREW AQUINO, Redscout
CHRISTIAN MARKOW, Joe Smith Brand Consulting
ALEC BLACK, Muhtayzik-Hoffer
THE TRANSFORMATION
DAN WIEDEN President and Creative Director Wieden + Kennedy
LANCE
LORI
NEIL
EARL AUGUSTA
ELIZABETH VICKI
DAN
LEE
THE WORK
HELAYNE
MICHAEL
CAMMY RICK
JEFF ALAIN JERRY
MATTHEW
THE FUTURE
If you say “yes” to any of the following questions you may have the makings of a strategist.
LIKE MANY LIFE-ALTERING DECISIONS, YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO THINK ABOUT IT.
Do you often start a conversation by saying “I just read an interesting article on . . .” or “What if we look at the problem this way . . .” Does going into a stranger’s house and asking them how they plan their family’s dinner sound like a good time? Would it be fun to shoot and produce a minidocumentary about clowns? Do you turn down Super Bowl party invites so you can watch the commercials without interruption? At the airport newspaper stand, rather than decide between People, Harvard Business Review, Entertainment Weekly, Fast Company, Vanity Fair or Wired, do you get all of them?
Which track suits you?
When given a choice between solving problems or seizing opportunities, do you answer “Both please?”
B A
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C
F D
4 E
RIGHT BRAIN
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9 F
LEFT BRAIN
7 Z
4 E
BRANDCENTER BRAIN
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Do you love words? Do other people’s conversations fascinate you? Do you always have the best one-liners of the night? Do your friends look forward to your Facebook posts?
Do you think Mad Men is reality TV? Do you believe in your heart that the right words, in the right order, can lift a heart, change a mind, move a mountain? Is your harshest critic yourself?
Are you motivated by the idea of competing in a free market death match to beat your competitors into submission? Do words like “profit,” “performance bonuses,” and “stock options” leave you all warm and tingly? Are you an “imaginer” who understands the revolutionary power of invention and innovation? Can you accept that failure is a valuable part of the search for success? Have you already named the business you plan to start one day?
If you say “yes” to any of the following questions you may have the makings of an experience designer.
Have you been hard to define because you have many divergent talents and interests?
Have you ever seen an ad and said “I could have done better than that?”
Do you have an insatiable curiosity and hunger for what’s new or next?
Do you Instagram, Pin, and blog?
Do you have a deep desire to create something important?
Do you have a love for typography? Do you have a love for photography? Do you like solving problems? Do you own an advertising awards annual? Have you ever heard of Lee Clow?
Do you see life’s challenges as design opportunities? Do you like to imagine, design and build cool things? Would you like to build things that have never been built before? Do you know a lot of acronyms for technical things like HMTL, CSS, JS?
THE FUTURE
Are you proficient in Adobe Creative Suite?
THE WORK
Have you ever seen an ad and said, “I wish I had done that?”
THE TRANSFORMATION
If you say “yes” to any of the following questions you may have the makings of an art director.
Do you enjoy leading teams of ordinary people to do extraordinary things?
THE LESSONS
Have you ever seen a commercial and thought, “I can do better than that?”
If you say “yes” to any of the following questions you may have the makings of a brand manager.
THE FOUNDATION
If you say “yes” to any of the following questions you may have the makings of a copywriter.
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Lamplighter 116 South Addison Street Richmond, VA 23220
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Mojo’s 733 West Cary Street Richmond, VA 23220
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Chow House 1201 West Main Street Richmond, VA 23220
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Strange Matter 929 West Grace Street Richmond, VA 23220
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Joe’s Inn 205 North Shields Avenue Richmond, VA 23220
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The Camel 1621 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23220
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The Broadberry 2729 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23220
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Sang Jun Thai 103 East Cary Street Richmond, VA 23219
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Chik-Fil-A (Student Commons) 907 Floyd Avenue Richmond, VA 23220
VCU Brandcenter 103 South Jefferson Street Richmond, VA 23284
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Belle Isle Take 5th Street south until you hit the river.
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Brown’s Island Take 5th Street south until you hit the river.
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Mayo Island Take 14th Street south until you get to Mayo Bridge. The Jefferson 101 West Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23220
RICHMOND HOTSPOTS FOR BRANDCENTER STUDENTS
VCU Brandcenter and The Jefferson sketches by Geoff Castillo, art director Map provided by Richmond Region Tourism www.visitrichmondva.com
THE LESSONS
Hollywood Cemetery 412 South Cherry Street Richmond, VA 23220
THE FOUNDATION
1
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
3
THE FUTURE
4
KEEP FROM DROWNING
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Drowning here is also a process, and knowing how to handle each stage will keep you above water.
UNCONSCIOUSNESS - Often, group members attend meetings but show no vital signs—no commentary or contribution. Force yourself to offer ideas. Even dumb ones. Or, take no chances and drown.
THE WORK
HYPOXIC CONVULSIONS AND FROTHING - Here, Brandcenter’s classic remedy, Cuervo shots and Krumping, offers relief but won’t save you. At this stage, nothing can.
THE TRANSFORMATION
INVOLUNTARY BREATH HOLDING - You’re below water, unable to make a sound. Prepare. Participate. Voice your opinions. Remain silent and move quickly to stage three.
THE LESSONS
SURPRISE - You’re shocked as you slip under, facing unreasonable deadlines and out of ideas. You’ve always started at the last minute, chugged some Red Bulls and still made solid Bs. Not here buck-o. Pay strict attention to time management and do something on every assignment every day.
THE FOUNDATION
Drowning victims don’t just breathe water and die. The process is torturous—five stages, ending on the coroner’s table.
CLINICAL DEATH - Avoid this inevitability by reaching out early. Fellow students, friends, faculty—they’ll all help. Then, learn to swim. THE FUTURE
by Don Just, Professor
Hard work means nothing when your idea sucks.
To use puns as carefully as you would if picking corn from your mother’s teeth with a bullwhip.
In the age of puffery, the pinprick is king. Your voice has the power to inspire people. Try to care less, but never be careless.
Never give them a straight answer. Live every day stupid. How to pronounce ‘jargon.’
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED AT THE BRANDCENTER?
Listen to Fenske. You are your work. The problem a brand doesn’t want to acknowledge is the problem to attack.
When making an ad, forget you’re making an ad. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, even if it means conflict. It’s better to speak your mind than to stay quiet. A good pitch has very little to do with public speaking and much more to do with truth and theatre. 19
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Stop interrupting what people are interested in and become what people are interested in. THE FOUNDATION
Work hard and play nice. People put their best foot forward when they enjoy the people and energy around them.
The Brandcenter has taught me that, regardless of your background, you have value that can be brought to the table. Brandcenter is the place to discover and harness that value. THE LESSONS
The most important lesson I’ve learned is how I want to use my time and put into perspective what is really important to me.
That creativity is the love child of deadlines and desperation.
Think of yourself as an artist first. It sounded trite when I first heard it, but it’s exactly what I needed to hear. It’s exactly how I begin my work now. Overcoming my phobias of both group projects and presenting.
THE TRANSFORMATION
It is rare that any great work is created by only one person.
When supervisors and professors critique your work, it’s because they genuinely want you to do well. It’s not a commentary on you as a person. THE WORK
Brandcenter taught me to be present. It’s easy to get caught up in the workload and stress, but at the end of the day it’s 2 years to meet and work with incredible people.
If you thought of it then someone else has too. This leaves you with two options: think of something else or do it better and more effectively than anyone else has. Also, make people want to work with you. THE FUTURE
Being a leader doesn’t mean you’re the smartest person in the room, or that you have all the answers. Creative ideas can come from anybody at any time.
2013 - 1ST SEMESTER 8/5-16
CLASS OF 2015’S FOUR SEMESTERS AT THE BRANDCENTER
8/5-16 AD BOOTCAMP
8/20 ORIENTATION 9/20
9/20 SOFTBALL GAME
10/17-18
10/26
HALLOWEEN PARTY
8/23
FRIDAY FORUM STARTS
READING DAYS, NO CLASS 11/15
TALENTSAURUS REX
9/2
LABOR DAY (CLOSED)
10/23-25
FALL BOARD MEETING
10/24
AICP SHOW
11/28-29
THANKSGIVING BREAK
12/17
LAST DAY OF CLASS
2014 - 2ND SEMESTER 1/13
SPRING CLASSES START
3/8-16
5/3
PROM
3/21
JOHN ADAMS WALL OF INSPIRATION CEREMONY
SPRING BREAK
4/29
LAST DAY OF CLASS 21
8/20
5/7-9
SPRING BOARD MEETING
4/25
KICKBALL GAME 5/15 - 8/15
SUMMER INTERNSHIP
2014 - 3
RD
22
SEMESTER 8/21
8/19
9/12
9/29-30 THE FOUNDATION
MEET AND GREET WITH FIRST YEAR MENTEES
FALL CLASSES START 11/12
10/16-17
SOFTBALL GAME
ADVERTISING WEEK IN NY
11/12-14
11/21
THE LESSONS
READING DAYS, NO CLASS
AICP SHOW
11/27-28
12/1
45 YEARS OF VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS
TALENTSAURUS REX
12/5
TECH + TOYS SERIES
12/6
LAST DAY OF CLASS
THE TRANSFORMATION
THANKSGIVING BREAK
FALL BOARD MEETING
2015 - 4TH SEMESTER 1/12
2/19
3/7-15
3/25-27
THE WORK
SPRING CLASSES START
AD CLUB SCREENING OF INSPIRADCION
4/29-30
SPRING BOARD MEETING
SPRING BREAK
5/2
5/4
5/9
THE FUTURE
RECRUITER SESSION
PROM
SOFTBALL GAME
GRADUATION CLASS OF 2015
Tech+ Tech+ is a new event series at the VCU Brandcenter where we explore the impact of technology on the creative process and the creative product. In our first event, we looked at Tech+Toys and explored the opportunity that tech has presented to dream, design, and build new and imaginative toys. Students presented original toy ideas that demonstrated the creative application of technology in the process of toy design or in the actual toy itself. The two-hour open house at the VCU Brandcenter featured “playable” toy exhibits, show-and-tell by the toy makers and a “make-and-take” toy giveaway with CodeVA. World of Mirth was on-site to judge and winners included Beat Boxing Box, Huggie Coddie and Robo Hamster. In the fall of 2015 we will be doing Tech+Music.
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Ewa Karweta, experience designer What if people who can’t beat box were given the power to do so? I recorded our Brandcenter Beat Boxers and created a tool that allows people to beat box with their hands and with little musical talent.
THE FOUNDATION
(Beat Boxing Box)
THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION
(Robo Hamster) Olivia Cooper, experience designer
THE WORK
(Huggie Coddie)
The Littlebits-rigged hamster cage that gives your pet a human personality by featuring various sensors set up at locations around the cage to either indicate the pet's need for food or water, or simply to express the pet's activities in customizable human voices.
Jiapeng Song, experience designer
THE FUTURE
In today’s ever changing and progressive world, people are placing more importance on learning, adapting, and collaborating with all cultures. The first step in understanding another’s culture is to understand the language. Huggie Coddie allows people to learn language interactively. Simply by touching the different body parts of this plush, it will respond to you in different languages.
Class Descriptor Creative Culture, 3rd semester (Strategist) The relationships we work to form between people and brands do not happen in isolation. Culture, whether coming from specific people or society at large, plays a role. In this class, we focus on looking at, diving into and discussing culture, trends and how people bond together. Professor Caley Cantrell Assignment Week At... - Spend a week regularly visiting, observing and recording the activity and rhythms of a place. You can be creative with how you define “place.” Figure out how this place works, how people understand it. How people interact with each other when there. At the conclusion of your week, write about and present your experience with that culture to the class.
Having never ridden on Richmond’s public transit system, I chose to become a GRTC passenger for a week. This is an experience I had while riding the GRTC buses.
The bus screeched to a halt and the doors flung open. Students and electricians and service workers shuffled to their exits. I sat still. A new batch of passengers got on and it was just more of the same. They only took the open seats up front and so again I sat still. A man in coveralls towards the middle pulled the rip chord. Twice. Bing. Bing. And soon, the bus again lurched to a stop. The man in coveralls exited and she walked on. I sat still. Her hands were fragile like fine China but worn like everyday flatware. Her Sunday hat seemed to hover over her fluffy, white hair like a halo. The bottom of her flowery dress subtly rippled, as a breeze sneaked onto the bus through the closing doors. The bus nearly occupied, she had nowhere to sit. At once, the front seat passengers rose in unison as if they were welcoming a queen. She smiled with delight and quietly took the seat of a man with an arched M emblazoned on the left breast of his uniform. She crossed her hands in her lap and happily stared out the window across from her. Not wanting to disturb this perfect moment. Again. I sat still. by Kevin Albrecht, strategist
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THE FOUNDATION
Aldo Padilla, experience designer
Sarah Noel Ross, art director
THE LESSONS
Brittany Tyler, creative brand manager
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
Allison Murphy, copywriter Scott Roberts, strategist
Class Descriptor Brand Experiences - 4th semester (all tracks) At the Brandcenter, understanding culture often means walking in the shoes of the group you’re learning about. That was the case when students were exposed to subjects like music, comedy and art in a program aimed at building cultural awareness. Students spent time with musical composers, comedians and others and even participated in activities like drawing from nudes with expert guidance from respected artists.
Assignment Create a self-portrait that reveals truths about who you are.
THE FUTURE
Professor Kelly O’Keefe
The Difference Between Advertising and Good Advertising. Two knights are given a task by the king: “Bring me a stone to make soup from.” The first knight goes away but returns in only a few minutes with a ham bone. He says, “This will make good soup.” The king says, “That is not a stone.” “Well of course it’s not a stone,” the knight argues, “Who makes soup out of a stone when they can have soup made out of a ham bone?” The king says, “Put him in the dungeon.” The second knight also goes away. After many days of eating and drinking and traveling at the king’s expense, he returns with a thousand drawings of a thousand different stones. “Which of these beautiful stones do you wish me to bring you to make soup from?” the knight asks. There is delighted murmuring from the king and from his court. “Give this knight a chest of gold” says the king, “and take the drawings to my wife that she may choose.” Moral of the story: The better answer does not always please the king.
by Mark Fenske, Professor
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THE FOUNDATION
Assignment Write a love letter to a classmate. (Andy Holdeman, CW)
Assignment Write an article about yourself in the future. (Kendra Gaines, AD)
Assignment Write an article about yourself in the future. (Emma Dou, CW)
Assignment Create an ad for bowling/ a bowling league. (Kevin Albrecht, ST)
Assignment Create a movie poster. (Melanie Matlock, CW)
Assignment Create a t-shirt design. (Sean Boutchard, ST)
THE TRANSFORMATION
Assignment Draw a map of yourself. (Kerry O’Connor, ST)
THE LESSONS
Assignment Make a t-shirt promoting Richmond. (Zach Lepine, AD)
THE WORK
Class Descriptor Creative Thinking 1st semester (all tracks) Professor Mark Fenske
Assignment Define happiness. (Nicole Weaver, CBM)
Assignment Make an ad with sushi in it. Cannot be an ad for sushi. (Geoof Castillo, AD)
THE FUTURE
Assignment Do something for poverty. (Tulani Foy, ST)
RESERVED
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THE LESSONS
No doubt you’ve received tons of “how to succeed” advice since you received your Brandcenter acceptance letter. My suggestion is that you put it aside for a while and focus instead on a more relevant question, specifically, how might I fail here? Too many get off to rocky starts by paying attention to proud friends and family who pack their heads with the silly notion that if they work hard and don’t ruffle feathers, they’ll be just fine. Wrong! There’s blood in the water here and plenty of ways to get eaten alive if you’re not ready to avoid the certain death that awaits those who fail to understand the route to failure. So, listen, innocent ones, and resolve not to repeat what is said below, because to do so is a sure sign that you’re headed for the on-ramp to Brandcenter Hell.
THE FOUNDATION
AVOIDING A QUICK TRIP TO BRANDCENTER HELL
“Check out my pedigree. I majored in advertising from a leading university.”
“I plan to keep my head down and not make waves.”
“I’ll focus most of my energies on my portfolio.”
(continued)
THE FUTURE
You’re in the wrong place. Our mission is not centered on portfolios but rather on training the next generation of transformative leaders—men and women who will navigate the revolutionary change that is approaching the industry like a tsunami. If you’re worth a damn, you’ll end up with a good book, but if that’s all you get, the Brandcenter is not worth the money.
THE WORK
NUTS! This is the place to develop your voice, to test out crazy ideas, to learn to work without a net and to fail spectacularly. Remember, the ad business doesn’t reward wallflowers. And, those that fear failure are sure to fail.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Too bad. Life is a process of learning and “unlearning,” so, get prepared to unlearn the sage pronouncements you memorized from all those undergrad textbooks. Most students arrive here not knowing what they don’t know, and those who don’t think they already know it all succeed. The rest catch the first whiffs of the nether region’s sulphuric stench.
(continued)
“How can anyone say I’m difficult to work with?”
Or, to put it another way, you disagree with those who find you disagreeable…!? The pressures here are intense. As such, there’s little time for dealing with jerks. So, when you feel the hair on your neck stand up as your fellow students begin to “treat you differently,” pay attention. It’s likely not your peers that are the problem, and, even if it is, the only thing you can control is you. Mend fences early and move on.
“I’ll get to it later.” Remember, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions! Time management is hopelessly complex here, and there is not time for procrastination. You’ll be constantly juggling your schedules around multiple group meetings, individual assignments, unreasonable professorial demands and sleep. So, if you have a free moment, do something with it. Otherwise, you’ll be doing it all late Sunday before Monday presentations. Not good. Resolve to set your clock to now!
“I’m a loner, and a loner has to work alone!” Get over it. There’s plenty of room here for individual expression, but collaboration among disparate disciplines is a huge part of contemporary business culture. That’s why at the Brandcenter, it’s imperative that you learn to work in teams. And doing so successfully is hard work. Diverse personalities, loudmouthed teammates who dominate the discussion, those who don’t understand when to fight until death and when to defer to the ideas of others, and those who are just going through the motions, volunteering only to run the Keynote presentation—all intrude on the work of the team and your potential grade. So, don’t suffer fools. Confront them emphatictally but constructively. And, if they refuse to get on board, rip them a new one when peer review time rolls around.
“It’s too hard here;” “There’s too many assignments;” “There’s no time for fun;” Etc. Stop it. No one wants to hear it, and most are secretly thinking the same thing. So, think it and move on, unless, of course, you look forward to the prospect of burning in Brandcenter Hell. Now go slay your dragon. And, remember, there’s no whining in advertising. by Don Just, Professor 31
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THE FOUNDATION
THE LESSONS
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
THE FUTURE
LEARNING ABOUT CULTURES
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Sometimes they coalesce, joining together to create new forms, like drops of paint in a pointillist landscape.
THE FUTURE
by Kelly O’Keefe, Professor
THE WORK
We don’t just live in a multi-cultural world; we live in a world filled with multi-cultural people. People who sometimes feel they’re on an island. As communicators it’s our job to build the bridges that connect them. That’s what we do.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Many of our students have lived their lives hiding aspects of their identity. Feeling odd because they’re different from the people they see in the movies or on television. But at the Brandcenter, they learn to use their cultural identity and be exposed to everyone else’s. It makes their work stronger. It makes them stronger. It makes all of us stronger.
THE LESSONS
At the Brandcenter we don’t ask people to check their cultures at the door. Students come to us colored by diverse cultural experiences that have shaped their lives. They arrive from places like China, Russia, India, Brazil and smaller places like Edmond, Oklahoma. They are Baptist, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Atheist and undecided. They are gay and straight and everything else you can be. And they love sports, or comic books, or cooking, or climbing, or piano, or skinny-dipping, or Star Trek.
THE FOUNDATION
Cultures don’t always clash.
EMBRACE THE SPOTLIGHT
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She opens her mouth to speak. And nothing comes out. She knows what she wants to say, but she can’t remember those simple words that she practiced saying all night in her apartment.
The little voice in her head is telling her, “This isn’t going well.” She doesn’t need this pointed out to her.
THE LESSONS
Her hands are shaking and she starts to sweat. God it’s hot in here. How can it be this hot in February? She’s turning red now. She can’t remember the words. The goddamn words she memorized.
THE FOUNDATION
The first year Art Director steps to the front of the room. It’s her turn to explain her work—to defend her work—to sell her work. She knows that it doesn’t matter how good the work is if she can’t convince the decision makers in the room of just how good it is.
Her field of vision begins to narrow and the room starts to blur. She’s feeling dizzy.
To the best of my knowledge, this has never actually happened at the Brandcenter. Or anywhere, that I know of.
THE TRANSFORMATION
And then she starts to melt. Slowly at first, but then more rapidly. And like the Wicked Witch of the West, she turns into a puddle on the floor of the Lecture Hall.
Yet, it sounds familiar, doesn’t it? A bit exaggerated to be sure, yet strangely familiar.
And knowing that this can happen, how can we be expected to be confident when it’s our turn in front of the room?
THE WORK
Because we’ve all either been there ourselves, or seen something eerily similar happen before our eyes.
Let’s take a step back and approach the presentation with a fresh perspective and a few practical suggestions.
(continued)
THE FUTURE
I believe the single biggest reason that we lack confidence in a presentation setting is that we approach the situation from the wrong point of view and with the wrong set of expectations.
(continued)
Students tell me that they are afraid to fail in front of their peers. So fear dominates their thinking. Fear of failure, which more often than not, causes them to fail. So they approach the presentation with an “avoidance goal” rather than an “approach goal.” This is Playing Not to Lose, rather than Playing to Win. We should approach a presentation with the goal of sharing our thoughts, our work, indeed, ourselves with the audience. We need to go into the situation knowing that we’ve got something terrific for the audience. We need to be excited about sharing ourselves and our work. And not hoping to not fail. The audience will, in turn, feel our excitement. And by the way, we need to remember that the audience is pulling for us. They want us to do well. And they’re very pleased that they don’t have to trade places with us. We need to approach the presentation with a clear head. Only then can we focus on the task at hand, concentrate on delivering and truly be present and in the moment. We should never memorize. Memorizing gets us in trouble. Memorizing sets us up to fail. We have to know the material backwards and forwards. We have to know the ideas we want to express. Not the words we want to say. After all, the audience isn’t going to remember most of what we say. But they will remember how we made them feel. We should never start with “the deck.” We should start our work by figuring out exactly what we’re trying to achieve via the presentation. Then, and only then, should we consider the deck. We may not even need one, but if we do, create a deck that illustrates our ideas. A deck that amplifies the meaning of what we’re communicating. All too often, we become slaves to the deck, struggling to say what’s on the slides rather than what’s in our hearts and minds. So clear your head, listen to your heart, focus on the audience and remember that you’re there to give them a gift. You. by Peter Coughter, Professor 37
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
of Branding class with Don to Persuasion class with Peter, presentations with real world clients and, of course, the annual Talentsaurus Rex show. Don’t be shy. Be prepared to shine on stage.
THE FUTURE
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BE UP ON STAGE AT THE BRANDCENTER. From Business
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THE TRANSFORMATION
Emotional Lost is a challenge. It’s more hitting a dead end than making a wrong turn. It’s a state of mind. You can’t blame the map. You are the only scapegoat. You can’t just “recalculate.” You need to recalibrate. It’s frustrating. Less physical. More intellectual. You can’t avoid it.
THE LESSONS
The emotional state of Lost – trickier.
THE FOUNDATION
There are two states of Lost. The physical and the emotional. The physical kind is typically solvable. It results from an honest, or ill-informed, mistake. Damn you Google Maps!
You must willingly subject yourself to being emotionally Lost. Again. And again. Commit to it. THE WORK
If you want to be a part of work that meets your audience where they are. by Caley Cantrell, Professor
THE FUTURE
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#bcdoesamerica
Students stayed connected and shared their experience with one another through instagram. instagram.com/explore/tags/bcdoesamerica/
THE FOUNDATION
Summer Internships 2014. 83 students ventured to 19 different cities to spend their summer interning at 49 different agencies and companies.
Agencies/Companies
THE FUTURE
Nashville New York City Norwalk Richmond San Francisco Sausalito Seattle Silver Spring Wintson-Salem
THE WORK
Cities Atlanta Bethesda Boston Boulder Chicago Dallas Durham Indianapolis Los Angeles Minneapolis
THE TRANSFORMATION
Mother Mullen Nest Octagon Pereira O’Dell Pitch Publicis Kaplan Thaler R/GA Redscout RHA Cannes RP3 RPA Sterling-Rice Group Sylvain Labs TBWA\Chiat\Day Team One The Barbarian Group The Concept Farm The Martin Agency The Richards Group Union Made Creative Universal Music Group WONGDOODY Young & Laramore Zambezi Zeus Jones
THE LESSONS
180LA AKQA Altria Apple BBH Big River BSS+P Capital One Coca-Cola Content Excellence Group Coca-Cola Global Design CP+B Cramer-Krasselt Deutsch Discovery Communications Goodby, Silverstein & Partners Havas Worldwide Hornall Anderson icrossing Ignition Creative Jack Morton King of Pops Lumiary McKinney Momentum Worldwide
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THE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
THE LESSONS
We believe at our core in the provocative possibilities of creativity, even acknowledging the risk of failure in search of transformative ideas.
THE FOUNDATION
Finding traditional MBA programs is easy. Ivy League schools, mainstream universities and hundreds of online and “executive programs” offer them, most teaching from the same materials covering the academic basics of brand management. But, there’s only one Creative Brand Management program in the country. The VCU Brandcenter’s rigorous two-year CBM program equips students with business skills necessary to navigate the complexities of brand management. And, by acknowledging the centrality of creative thinking, the program equips graduates to identify the critical insights found at the intersection of culture and commerce and to use those insights to craft unexpected brand strategies. That creative focus gives rise to the following that guide the program’s evolution:
We believe in holding creativity accountable for a business result but also recognize that the power of a game-changing idea can prove more valuable than short term ROI.
We believe that your brand is your company’s soul if your company has one. We believe in the value of searching for truth, and, upon discovering it, giving it voice.
THE TRANSFORMATION
We believe in the importance of branding to efficiently inspire, inform and educate, thereby enabling more effective business decisions.
We believe in the power of collaborative debate to inspire understanding and reveal unexpected solutions.
We believe that, in a world infatuated with big data and algorithms, it is foolish to ignore enlightened intuition.
THE WORK
We believe in encouraging and guiding the “imaginers” as they work to harness the revolutionary power of invention and innovation.
We believe in nurturing personal ambition and individual entrepreneurship as the cornerstones of intelligent risk-taking.
by Don Just, Professor
THE FUTURE
We believe that, when it comes to managing brands, what happens in the living room is as important as what happens in the boardroom.
WHEN WE ARE NOT WORKING HARD, WE ARE PLAYING HARD. Some social events include softball, kickball, ping-pong, prom, Halloween parties and Christmas parties.
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THE FOUNDATION
THE LESSONS
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
THE FUTURE
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THE FOUNDATION THE TRANSFORMATION
At the Brandcenter our students are constantly being judged by peers, professors and professionals in the field. The critiques are often critical, sometimes brutal, but always helpful. Now we’re inviting you to join along in the judging. Go through the book. Review the work carefully and place a red dot on the work you think is the most successful. And if you think you could do better work yourself, maybe its time to go online and fill out an application.
THE LESSONS
YOU BE THE JUDGE
THE WORK THE FUTURE
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
1 (Cuba Tourism) Thomas Hinkamp, art director Jesse Stanton, copywriter
THE TRANSFORMATION
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Young Americans inherently distrust the biases of the past. Why not use that fact to encourage interest in a country long considered forbidden? THE WORK
This alluring, poetic campaign positions Cuba as an enigmatic place mistreated by past generations, encouraging our younger target to break with tradition and experience Cuba’s worth and beauty. As new laws gradually open Cuba to American travel, this will help refresh Cuba’s image for a new generation.
2 (Del Monte) THE FUTURE
James Feess, art director Madeleine Trebenski, copywriter
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Overview The best brewing experience. Tailored to your skill level, Grain to Glass provides a personalized tour into the culture of craft beer. Using interactive articles, videos, and D.I.Y. tutorials on the brewing process, we’ll be with you every step of the way. Everything you need to know is here.
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Having trouble finding a good brew? The app offers reviews of local breweries based on your location.
Through the clickable text feature, any part mentioned in an instructional video or article links the user directly to purchase the item in the app’s shop.
For the first time, in one place brewing techniques, beer styles, and enthusiast gatherings are only a click away.
From baking grain-filled doggie treats to turning your beer bottles into fashionable cups, the digital magazine gives readers the full scope of craft beer.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
1 (Grain to Glass) Alex Belgrave, art director Dorado Quick, copywriter Jeff Gottwald, experience designer The world’s first digital guide to craft beer and it’s culture.
Katie Lee, art director Patrick Girts, copywriter Black Flag bug zappers don’t just shock bugs to death, they blow them apart.
THE FUTURE
2 (Black Flag bug zapper)
Non-Traditional In cities with rows of lights, one will be lit purple like the bug zapper. Below it will be a decal that looks littered with bug pieces. It will glow like a blacklight with the tagline. “Zaps bugs to bits.”
Challenge Envision a children’s hopsital for Virginia with only the vision of the project’s founder to take into account. Strategy Universal Truth - Worrying about being sick or hurt makes things worse. Brand Essence - Comfort Brand Strategy - Overcome fear. Behold wonder. Why the wishie? Symbol of hope, childhood, and new life.
The mural project is a community event to celebrate the opening of the hospital that will help all children in the Richmond community and beyond. For the event, hospital foundation donors, students, families, and kids will come together to create a mural in downtown Richmond.
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THE FOUNDATION
Bill and Alice Goodwin Wing
THE LESSONS
A children’s book will be distributed to donors and families within the community. The book is a metaphor for the good that the hospital will bring to the people of Richmond.
Hallway
Hospital Lobby THE TRANSFORMATION
Hospital Interior Textures found in nature will be integrated in the interior and architectural design of the hospital.
THE WORK
(Southwind Children’s Hospital) Mo Lockard, art director Neeruj Sethi, copywriter Ryan Snyder, copywriter Whitney Cavin, strategist Elle Bass, creative brand manager Jiapeng Song, experience designer
THE FUTURE
Exam Room Many things within the hospital are specially designed to distract children so doctors can better do their jobs. For example, a swing will be placed in the exam rooms. The swing is designed to measure the weight, pulse, and temperature of the child, and allows this data to be easily collected in a fun way.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION
Mobile Portrait Studio Orijen will help consumers show the world the predators inside their pups. The mobile portrait studio parks outside of pet stores with prey props and exotic backdrops.
1 (PacSun)
THE WORK
Alex Belgrave, art director Patrick Farrell, copywriter Curt Chapkowski, copywriter Newman Granger, strategist Joe Carr, strategist Daniel Davis, creative brand manager Jiapeng Song, experience designer Own boardsport culture – and the creativity, experimentation, and courage it represents – to make PacSun counterculture again. Write Your Own Laws.
2 (Orijen Raw Pet Food)
Chris Chan, art director Patrick Girts, copywriter
THE FUTURE
With Orijen, your pets can enjoy the taste of animals well beyond his or her ability to bring down.
Assignment The American Institute of Architecture came to us with an app they created in an attempt to revive the declining industry of architecture. Instead, we revised the app into a platform where all members of the AIA can gain information, and experience industry involvement called AIA Kinetic. The name comes from the idea that architects are able to take a static space and give it life, by creating buildings that aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, but that pull people in and let them thrive. It will form a community around a new story and breathe new life into a mature industry.
App The mobile app serves as a second screen that shows bookmarked content and allows members to check in at events and send/view messages.
Website Members of the AIA can sign in to Kinetic, pick their interests and receive articles, classes, experiences, and more.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION
Direct Mail To get members aware of AIA Kinetic, there will be a direct mail piece that takes the form of a local building which exemplifies how architecture has an impact on human experience. It will be delivered to local architecture firms. It will contain three pieces each and must be put together by architects, harboring conversation for the platform and their industry.
THE WORK
(AIA Kinetic) Kendra Gaines, art director Allison Murphy, copywriter Jake Hargadon, creative brand manager Tulani Foy, strategist Benjamin Max Waldron, experience designer
THE FUTURE
In order to reach as many architects as possible, we will be providing material to national publications, including ARCHITECT, the publication delivered to all AIA members each month.
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Breakup-Boxes are branded direct-mail and in-store donation boxes. Breakup-Boxes can also be sent to a friends who are in bad relationships with their stuff.
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THE FOUNDATION
Overview After is a digital magazine for those smart, sarcastic and pragmatic folks that might not be absolutely certain that the End of Days is coming, but won’t be caught off guard in case it does. They may have a survival kit ready in their basement or car, and are constantly aggregating knowledge to improve their preparedness. They know some bizarre, doom-proof locations around town, and fallout shelter reinforcement is their bread butter.
THE LESSONS
Nuclear Apocalypse Edition Articles range from cookbook recipes to choosing your own adventure stories.
Access Utilities that will help you prepare for the end of days. Create a Team that will help you survive specific types of apocalypses and easily contact them when the end is nigh.
Stay updated with a radar that scans Twitter API to predict if today looks like: “Cloudy with a chance of Nuclear Fallout” or “Sunny with a Bloody Masacre.”
THE TRANSFORMATION
Zombie Apocalypse Edition Swipe in all directions to explore the edition. Articles are accesed by tapping the objects on the screen.
Chris Chan, art director Neeruj Sethi, copywriter
2 (After) Sarah Noel Ross, art director Patrick Girts, copywriter Curt Chapkowski, copywriter Ewa Karweta, experience designer
THE FUTURE
1 (Goodwill)
THE WORK
All relationships end eventually: friends, lovers, and peronal belongings. Goodwill is the place to move on from your stuff.
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1 (Legal Seafood) Kendra Gaines, art director Mike McGuire, copywriter 2 (Belay) Kristie Pope, art director Sarah Noel Ross, art director Alex Belgrave, art director Jonathan Seales, copywriter Ewa Karweta, experience designer
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THE FOUNDATION
Overview A smart wearable device that allows you to have instant access to your child when they are out of sight. It is your link to their safety, and their avenue to adventure.
The Belay band includes a wide array of technologies which allows it to cognitively detect any drastic changes in your child’s physical state. The band pairs with an app, alerting parents when any of these changes take place. The band also learns from pattern behavior over time and allows your child to disable any false alarms with a simple tap on the band. THE LESSONS
SPEAKER HEART SENSOR
PASSIVE PING
SWEAT SENSOR CLASP RECHARGABLE BATTERY
GPS
Device Pairing Belay Band’s App allows you to connect to your child’s bluetooth enabled band.
Safe Zones From the app, you can see if your child is within a safe zone. If your child is outside the safe zone, but with teachers or caretakers, you can see who is around. If your child is outside a safe zone and by themself, the app will alert you.
THE TRANSFORMATION
BLUETOOTH
USER TOUCH RECOGNITION
THE WORK THE FUTURE
Status Screen On the status screen you can click on your children to monitor them. This shows you their heartbeat and the moment of distress. It allows you to see peaks and patterns in their day.
Overview Yellowstone National Park is one of the most visually stimulating and lively places on Earth. It is so unique that many of the attractions at the park look like they belong in a different world entirely.Â
App Yellowstone visitors can interact with the park through an augmented reality app and real-time maps. People can also remotely view specific park sites through live camera feeds.
(Yellowstone National Park) Sarah Noel Ross, art director Mike McGuire, copywriter
Outdoor The vivid, unearthly colors typical of the Yellowstone hot springs will be painted around the rising steam escaping manhole covers in major cities.Â
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THE FOUNDATION
THE LESSONS
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
THE FUTURE
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
Elly Taura, art director Joe Hartley, copywriter
THE TRANSFORMATION
1 (National Audubon Society Bird Seed)
2 (Big Ass Fans)
A big ass fan keeps rooms perfectly comfortable. And if you can keep a room comfortable, you can keep your family comfortable. And if you can keep your family comfortable, you can keep your family tolerable.
THE WORK
Elly Taura, art director Nick Gelbard, copywriter
THE FUTURE
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
Dylan Phillips, strategist
THE WORK
In the United States, more fathers are choosing to stay home with their children than ever before. The traditional family dynamic is further shifted by the fact that women are graduating from college at a higher rate than their male counterparts and an increasing number of women are now out-earning their partners. In turn, the very idea of what it means to be a successful man is changing. Men are taking more pride in fatherhood and making more household purchasing decisions, but unfortunately most brands still struggle to talk to these men in authentic ways.
THE TRANSFORMATION
1 (Rise Of The Stay at Home Dad)
2 (Jansport) Albert Song, art director Ryan Snyder, copywriter
A simple bag from better times.
THE FUTURE
In 1967, three people set out to make the world’s most innovative backpack. But they were hippies. And that innovation stuff is complicated, man.
(Lives for Lives) Josh Stolz, art director Rosalee Lewis, art director Sarah Johnston, copywriter Patrick Girts, copywriter Newman Granger, strategist Garrett Lyon, creative brand manager Aldo Padilla, experience designer Airports function as international hubs, and are heavily impacted by acts of terrorism. Furthermore, it is through domestic flights that a large portion of the illegal animal is transported. By utilizing airports, the Lives for Lives’ message will be more powerful and far-reaching. We will use a variety of media to engage travelers at various points during their travel experiences. At baggage claim, travelers will see labeled wooden crates circulating the carousel.
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On the plane, travelers will find a black market edition of SkyMall magazine at their seat. Inside, animal parts such as rhino horns and elephant tusks will be listed next to the illegal weapons they finance.
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Key Finding The illegal wildlife trade is big business, worth an estimated $19 billion a year. Trafficked in much the same way as drugs or guns, but with far less severe laws and penalties, it’s the fourth most lucrative illegal activity globally. From point of slaughter to point of sale, there are grave implications of the business that go well past the senseless death of animals.
This link between poaching and terrorism, between animal deaths and human ones, is a powerful, troubling narrative that grabs attention, and therefore funds.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Strategy Expose animal poaching as a crime against humanity.
THE LESSONS
Al-Shabaab, a militant organization with connections to al-Qaeda, is just one terrorist group that profits from poaching. In September 2013, the group mounted a terrorist attack at a Nairobi mall that killed more than 70 people. The sale of 10 elephant tusks would have been enough to finance that operation.
THE FOUNDATION
Challenge Create a cause marketing campaign for the illegal wildlife trade.
THE WORK THE FUTURE
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1 (Breyers) Alex Belgrave, art director Dorado Quick, copywriter Breyers ice cream used to be all-natural. Today, they use the same stuff as their competitors. For some reason, people still think Breyers tastes better. We believe it’s the way they put it together.
2 (Red Wing) Brittain McNeel, art director Ryan Snyder, copywriter
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THE FOUNDATION
THE LESSONS
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
THE FUTURE
Challenge Update the brand. Problem The power of Celestial Seasonings’ unique positioning became diluted as consumers were drawn to new brands. Celestial Seasonings tried to play catch-up, and no one knew what the brand stood for anymore.
(Celestial Seasonings Brand Refresh) Albert Song, art director Elizabeth Daniel, copywriter Patrick Girts, copywriter Emma Price, strategist Scott Roberts, strategist Kate Sullivan, creative brand manager Nelson Johnson, experience designer
Packaging The packaging has been changed to highlight Celestial Seasonings’ weird new style and brand voice.
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Key Finding Everyone has tea in their cabinet, but no one has any connection with the brands they buy. We needed to give emerging adults (and the tea drinking population at large) a brand they could relate to. Strategy Improper tea. Celestial Seasonings was started on a dare and has always been a little unconventional. We’re embracing those unconventional roots. Creative Concept Be a little weirder.
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THE FOUNDATION THE TRANSFORMATION
Twitter Feed From turtle smugglers to walrus men, there are loads of weird stories online for Celestial Seasonings to share.
THE LESSONS
In-store Celestial Seasonings is spreading the weird with this grocery store takeover.
THE WORK THE FUTURE
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(Milk-Bone)
In partnership with the United States War Dogs Association, Milk-Bone salutes the dogs that serve for our freedom. (The stories featured in the print ads are true.)
THE TRANSFORMATION
Special-edition campaign packaging is inspired by military ammo tins, field guides and ready-to-eat packets.
THE LESSONS
The War Dog Journal is a field guide-styled booklet showcasing the war dogs currently serving the nation.
THE FOUNDATION
Geoff Castillo, art director Samson Madella, copywriter
THE WORK THE FUTURE
Designed to look like a military crate, the vending machine will dispense Milk-Bone treats when people at dog parks use it to donate to the United States War Dogs Association.
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1 (The Brake Shop) Geoff Castillo, art director Neeruj Sethi, copywriter 2 (Realtree Camouflage) David Spradlin, art director Curt Chapkowski, copywriter 3 (Chimay Beer) Ryan Niland, art director James Feess, copywriter
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THE FOUNDATION
THE LESSONS
THE TRANSFORMATION
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THE WORK
THE FUTURE
Grandparent
Caregivers
4.2 million U.S. households contain both grandchildren under 18 and their grandparents
10%
of children in the U.S. live with their grandparents
67%
of those households are grandparent-maintained
There are 2.7 million Primary Grandparent Caregivers living in the U.S.
Primary Grandparent Caregivers (PGC) are grandparents with primary responsibility for the children living with them.
65% 26% + 39% aged 50–69
aged 60–69
aged 50–59
One-third are raising grandchildren without the parents present.
5+ years
A Long-Term Commitment: 39 percent of caregivers have cared for their grandchildren for 5 or more years.
These caregivers have an increasing demand for childcare products modified for their unique needs,
but brands are neglecting them.
Can we help?
Source: Coresident Grandparents and Their Grandchildren: 2012 By Renee R. Ellis and Tavia Simmons, Issued October 2014
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(Grandbaby products) THE FOUNDATION
Alixandra Katz, strategist Kathryn Stern, experience designer Problem Marketers are neglecting a growing group of child caregivers who truly need attention: grandparents. There are 2.7 million grandparents struggling to be responsible caregivers while contending with poor hand dexterity, arthritis, and degrading eyesight.
THE LESSONS
Solution We made design adjustments to necessary childcare products to better suit grandparents’ needs.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Bath Kneeler We raised the kneeler and added support handles.
THE WORK
Medicine Dispenser We improved the measurement legibility.
THE FUTURE
Baby Bottle We improved the shape and measurement legibility.
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1 (Fenix Flashlights) Chris Chan, art director Neeruj Sethi, copywriter Felix claims that they are ‘leaders in flashlight technology.’ Translation: they give you more power over your light.
2 (Garrison Brothers Texas Bourbon) Katie Willis, art director
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THE FOUNDATION
THE LESSONS
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
THE FUTURE
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Challenge Americans are oversaturated with prescriptive campaigns telling them they should eat healthier to the point that it has become background noise. Americans tune out these messages because in their minds, “healthy eating” translates into “all-or-nothing.” However, studies show that simply adding fresh fruits and vegetables into their current diet while making no other changes, consumers can make a small, manageable, non-obtrusive step towards a healthier lifestyle on their terms and at their own pace.
A digital ordering platform lets shoppers choose from common, seasonal recipes that can have fresh produce added to them, or they can scroll through a la carte produce.
However, you know you should incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, so you buy some carrots and potatoes at the grocery store. But then what? What do you do with them? What can you add them into? How do you prepare them? Solution The Veggie Butcher is a revolutionary healthy eating initiative to assist consumers by preparing fresh produce right there in the grocery store for the consumer to bring home and seamlessly incorporate into their diet.
Wooden cutting boards laser cut with copy drive shoppers to try the Veggie Butcher.
Scroll through an alphabetized list of all of the produce that the Veggie Butcher can prepare for them.
Selects an item and then can choose how to prepare it. The prepared produce is wrapped in wax paper, weighed and priced individually and labeled with a branded sticker with a barcode for easy checkout.
The items selected get added to a digital cart which is sent to the Veggie Butcher to be prepared. 83
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
Geoff Castillo, art director Elizabeth Daniel, copywriter Spencer Isaac, strategist Cecelia Parrish, creative brand manager Brittany Heit, experience designer
Rafael Goncalves, art director Andrew Couch, copywriter
THE WORK
2 (King Oscar)
THE TRANSFORMATION
1 (The Veggie Butcher)
What if the Vikings had never discovered the sardines swimming in the fjords of Norway?
THE FUTURE
Assignment U-Haul isn’t just a moving company, it’s a rental truck and accessories company. Why not use the trucks for something other than moving? Such as… football tailgating? Our print campaign introduces the idea of tailgating with U-Haul trucks. Our U-Haul app helps users plan the perfect tailgate. Through the app, users can rent trucks, team swag, mods, and grilling accessories for gameday. Tailgate planning app
Select an existing tailgate party or create a new event.
Then add any tailgate-specific mods we created to trick out your truck.
Inject some team pride into your tailgate. 85
Then figure out the details from top to bottom.
Find the right-sized truck and reserve it for your party.
And invite friends to the event through your Facebook account.
After that, rent whatever accessories you don’t already have.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
(U-Haul) Katie Willis, art director Ryan Snyder, copywriter
THE FUTURE
U-Haul is giving away a pass to the Super Bowl...A parking pass, that is. Contestants upload pics and videos of their tailgate to owntheparkinglot.com then share their link for friends to vote their party into Super Bowl 50.
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Assignment Decadence sells sweet and savory cheesecakes. Our team repositioned the savory cheesecakes as "cooking cubes" which can be used as toppings, spreads, or sauce starters.
Home Page - The redesigned eCommerce website allows users to explore both product lines.
Cheesecake Page - Users can explore and purchase the various sweet cheesecake flavors.
Specific Cheesecake Page - The website will provide the description, ingredients, and reviews of each flavor with the option to share or purchase.
We proposed that Decadence Cheesecakes replace its glass jar with a wide tin can for a more functional and economical package design. The larger surface area of the tin allowed the cheesecake to thaw faster and to be stacked more easily. Not only did we find the tins to be more cost-effective than jars, they worked better aesthetically, too.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE WORK
Katie Willis, art director Josh Stolz, art director Emma Dou, copywriter Madeleine Trebenski, copywriter Scott Beard, strategist John Foust, strategist Elizabeth Gardiner, creative brand manager John Gaglio, creative brand manager Kory Rozich, experience designer
THE TRANSFORMATION
1 (Decadence Cheesecakes)
Decadence Cheesecakes come frozen in a jar. We were asked to help reimagine their brand identity and packaging.
2 (Wolverine 1000 Mile Boots)
THE FUTURE
Katie Willis, art director Mike McGuire, copywriter
Assignment Reinvigorate a stale brand, in this case Hershey’s.
Product Redesign We took the traditional Hershey’s bar and inscribed the chocolate with prompts that encourage children to engage, share, and dare each other more.
Problem In an over-stimulated, over-regimented, and overly-dependent world, kids are losing their pure sense of bravery and wonder. Hershey’s was once something kids threw in their backpacks before climbing trees with friends, or shared over a campfire with family. Alas, a new generation of children, constantly enticed by the endless number of screens that define our modern environment, have replaced the outdoors and imagination with manufactured experiences. As a consequence, this nostalgic association that many find so endearing with the Hershey’s brand is slowly dying. Kids aren’t choosing Hershey’s, and it’s because they aren’t being exposed to the Hershey tradition. Strategic Solution Bring Back Adventure
Wrappers have comics featuring the Hershey’s Crew, a diverse group of neighborhood kids that fight boredom any way they can. The comics come with instructions to build interesting things, like a Hershey’s Kiss Launcher, inspiring kids to build and create interesting things out of the ordinary. Then, trade those wrappers for Adventure Kits! Everything kids need to explore, create, and build memories with Hershey’s. 89
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“Hangman’s Hill” :60
Anncr (Kid VO): The corner of Hanger and Manchester… more commonly known… as Hangman’s Hill. (Cut to a super intimidating shot of Hangman’s hill looking up at the top from the bottom making the hill look massive. The grass around the hill is dead, and we hear a menacing crow call in the distance.)
The pavement painted with streaks of rubber and plastic. (Cut to a shot panning down the road showing skid marks on the ground.)
Only one soul was lucky enough to make it to the bottom… young Billy Galenko… and none of us will forget his fate. (Cut to a shot of the bottom of the hill as a car zooms by the camera - Insinuating something awful happened to Billy.)
End Card: Hershey’s – Adventure Awaits…
THE WORK
Yes, to even think about conquering such a beast… would be absolute madness. (Cut to a shot looking down at the hill from the very top. We pan out to see two kids on their bikes. One kid offers up a Hershey’s bar to the other. The other kid breaks off a piece and we cut to black.)
THE TRANSFORMATION
The curb riddled with remnants of past attempts, standing as a clear warning to all who think about making the descent. (Shot with busted up bike in the foreground.)
THE LESSONS
Only a brave few have ever mustered the courage to take on the monster, and the hill remains scarred from their defeat. (Cut to a close up of a crow in a tree. We shift focus from the crow to show the hill in the background.)
THE FOUNDATION
(Open on an old rusty street sign blowing in the wind. The sun is setting making the sky behind it a burnt orange.)
(Hershey)
THE FUTURE
Josh Stolz, art director Geoff Castillo, art director Nick Robertson, copywriter Maggie McKenna, strategist Brittany Tyler, creative brand manager Andy Holdeman, experience designer
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Overview As headlines continue to read, “unarmed minority gunned downed,” and “campus fraternity hosts discriminatory party,” we’ve seen students of various ethnicities flooding the streets in protest. Perceived Threat opens the conversation to answer the question, “do you see me or do you see your fears?” Perceived Threat is a proactive approach to embracing diversity and improving equality throughout college campuses and their neighboring communities. www.iamaperceivedthreat.com
The Community Kit Includes customizable t-shirts, conversation cards, bracelets, buttons, and stickers. T-shirts read, “I am a Perceived Threat because” with a blank bar that allows each person the ability to write in their personal reason of how they are misperceived.
Conversation Cards Assists students in hosting meaningful discussions or be passed out in their communities.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
Dorado Quick, copywriter
THE TRANSFORMATION
1 (Perceived Threat)
2 (Scripp’s National Spelling Bee)
Scripps National Spelling Bee airs on ESPN May 24-29. Sure, viewers watch it for the competition. The main highlight, however, is the eccentric personalities of the competitors, most of whom are hitting puberty as they attempt to spell.
THE WORK
Sarah Noel Ross, art director Mike McGuire, copywriter
THE FUTURE
CLASS OF 2015 STUDENT INDEX 93
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ART DIRECTORS
STRATEGISTS www.kevinhunteralbrecht.com www.scotthasabeard.com www.jessicalynnbeck.com www.boutchard.com www.thejosephcarr.com www.whitneycaroline.com www.andreachahin.com www.johndfoust.com www.tulanifoy.com www.johnnewmangranger.com www.spencerisaac.com www.alixandrakatz.com www.amymcewan.com www.maggie-mckenna.com www.milleremilye.com www.kerrydenver.com www.dataoruwari.com www.dylanrussellphillips.com www.emmamargaretprice.com www.srroberts.com
www.samsondesta.com www.jeffreysgottwald.com www.believeindavid.com www.brittheit.com www.duncanhoge.com www.whitti.co www.ewakarweta.com www.joelmazmanian.com www.aldopadilla.com www.sarahpai.com www.koryrozich.com www.jiapengs.com www.kathrynstern.com www.justinetakacs.com www.max.haus
Elle Bass Tim Brown Molly Cihak Daniel Davis John Gaglio Billy Galanko Elizabeth Gardiner Davis Gouldin Michael Grasewicz Jake Hargadon Garrett Lyon Kagan McSpadden Cecelia Parrish Laura Rabideau Kate Sullivan Lauren Thompson Brittany Tyler Nicole Weaver Yichi Zhang
www.ellebass.com www.timothybrowncbm.com www.mollycihak.com www.danieljoshdavis.com www.johngaglio.com www.galanko.com www.elizabethgardiner.com www.davisgouldin.com www.mikegnthensome.com www.jakehargadon.com www.garrettwlyon.com www.kaganmcspadden.com www.ceceliasompayrac.com www.laurarabideau.com www.katecsullivan.com www.thompsonle.com www.brittanytyler.com www.thennw.com www.yichi1.com
THANK YOU Jason Bottenus (AD, 2007) Caley Cantrell Dean Collins Peter Coughter Eric Dennis (AD, 2011) Jeff Dryer (AD, 2010) Jordan Eakin (AD, 2006) Mark Fenske Ross Fletcher (AD, 2012) Jeff Gillette (CW, 2006) Claire Gipson (AD, 2014) Andrea Groat Cabell Harris Don Just David Kennedy (CW, 2000) Katherine Keogh
Andrew LeVasseur Patrick Lorentz (ST, 2008) Bryan Marville (ST, 2008) Nick Maschmeyer (ST, 2012) Rachel Mercer (XD, 2012) Diana Ojibway Kelly O’Keefe Simon Philion (CW, 2011) Progress Printing Plus Amy Robinson Hawley Smyth Ashley Sommardahl PJ Sykes WORK Labs’ Staff Steve Yee (AD, 2000)
THE FUTURE
Samson Desta Jeffrey Gottwald David Hallmark Britt Heit Duncan Hoge Nelson W. Johnson Ewa Karweta Joel Mazmanian Aldo Padilla Sarah Pai Kory Rozich Jiapeng Song Kathryn Stern Justine Takacs Max Waldron
CREATIVE BRAND MANAGERS
THE WORK
EXPERIENCE DESIGNERS
www.sueattalah.com www.richardbeahm.com www.curtchapkowski.com www.johnandrewcouch.com www.elizabethdaniel.info www.emmadou.com www.patrickfarrell.com www.jamesfeess.com www.nickgelbard.com www.patrickgirts.com www.joehartley.pizza www.andymightsave.us www.sarahejohnston.com www.melaniematlock.com www.conordrummmccann.com www.michaelkmcguire.com www.amurph.com www.ryanniland.com www.doradoquickwrites.com www.bnrobertson.com www.neerujsethi.com www.rysny.com www.jessestanton.com www.madeleinetrebenski.com
THE TRANSFORMATION
Kevin Albrecht Scott Beard Jessica Beck Sean Boutchard Joseph Carr Whitney Caroline Andie Chahin John Foust Tulani Foy Newman Granger Spencer Isaac Ali Katz Amy McEwan Maggie McKenna Emily Miller Kerry O’Connor Data Oruwari Dylan Phillips Emma Price Scott Roberts
Sue Attalah Richard Beahm Curt Chapkowski Andrew Couch Elizabeth Daniel Emma Dou Patrick Farrell James Feess Nick Gelbard Patrick Girts Joe Hartley Andy Holdeman Sarah Johnston Melanie Matlock Conor McCann Mike McGuire Allison Murphy Ryan Niland Dorado Quick Nick Robertson Neeruj Sethi Ryan Snyder Jesse Stanton Madeleine Trebenski
THE LESSONS
www.alexbelgrave.com www.geoffcastillo.com www.chrischan.me www.kendras.work www.liketheninjaturtle.com www.thomashinkamp.com www.katieleecreative.com www.zachlepine.com www.rosaleelewis.com www.molockard.com www.brittainmcneel.com www.kristiepope.com www.sarahnoelross.com www.hellojeffrozman.com www.jonathan-seales.com www.blairseward.com www.albert-song.com www.davidpspradlin.com www.joshstolz.com www.robstone.io www.ellytaura.com www.kylejtellier.com www.katiemwillis.com
THE FOUNDATION
Alex Belgrave Geoff Castillo Chris Chan Kendra Gaines Rafael Goncalves Thomas Hinkamp Katie Lee Zach Lepine Rosalee Lewis Mo Lockard Brittain McNeel Kristie Pope Sarah Noel Ross Jeffrey Rozman Jonathan Seales Blair Seward Albert Song David Spradlin Josh Stolz Rob Stone Elly Taura Kyle Tellier Katie Willis
COPYWRITERS
KEEP MOVING
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Now that the accolades are over, it’s time to get to work.
Remember that you will most likely not be hired for the work you have done but for the potential of the work you will do.
THE WORK
For your whole career you need to continue to edit and add to your portfolio. Do not rest on your laurels. As soon as you become complacent with your portfolio it will become stagnant and… so will you.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Don’t despair if you don’t feel as if you haven’t hit your stride yet or if you don’t think everything has clicked. Rarely do graduates say to themselves “In my sixty weeks of experience in advertising, I have all the answers.” So, stay at it.
THE LESSONS
It doesn’t matter if you already have a job lined up or if you plan on taking your time to find just the right one. What matters is that you never stop learning. It’s important to surround yourself with people that are better than you.
THE FOUNDATION
Go ahead, take a breath. Take a bow. You’ve earned it. You have a Master’s Degree from the best advertising program in the country.
Keep in mind momentum goes in both directions. THE FUTURE
by Cabell Harris, Associate Professor
YOU ARE HERE
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THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK THE FUTURE
by Andrew LeVasseur, Professor
THE LESSONS
What an amazing time to be here. You are unique among 7 billion highly connected and networked souls. Each seeking human contact. And feeling. And reeling. Being suspended in a state of non-being. Segments. Targets. Transactions. Reactions. Let’s break the cycle. Be introspective. Be reflective. Connect with others, in a way you’d want to be… connected with others. Because, again, you are here, unique among 7 billion highly connected and networked souls. And the opportunity to make a positive impact has never been greater.
THE FOUNDATION
CONNECT THE DOTS.
ALUMNI WORK VCU Brandcenter alumni are doing some of the most influential work in our industry. If you’ve watched TV, read a magazine, worked on a computer, etc. lately, odds are you’ve seen advertising and branding initiatives created by VCU Brandcenter alums. The work featured here is from the past year.
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(Portland Tourism)
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland
THE FOUNDATION
Jeff Gillette (CW, 2006) Ian Fairbrother (CW, 2005) Nate Nowinowski (AD, 2011)
Wieden + Kennedy created a pretty incredible out-ofhome tourism installation for Travel Portland: the tallest freestanding cuckoo clock in the U.S. THE LESSONS
Made from an Oregon maple, the clock stands 24.1 feet tall and weighs three tons. It features references to a number of Portland icons—Mt. Hood, Portlandia, beer, wine, bikers, farmers markets, roses, rivers, bridges and even Sasquatch.
THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
Amanda Younger (AD, 2014) Agency: McGarrah Jesse
MadLibs meets Valentine’s Day cards. Lemi Shine helps you write your own “clean talk” messages.
THE FUTURE
(Lemishine)
(The Clinton Foundation “No Ceilings”) George Bennett (ST, 2007) Karen Land Short (AD, 2008) Casey Rand (CW, 2008)
The “Not There” campaign includes a video directed by Alison Maclean of Park Pictures, with recognizable voices of actresses and funny women Amy Poehler, Sienna Miller, Cameron Diaz and Jenny Slate. The ladies’ bodies, however, are conspicuously missing from every shot -- playing on the idea that women -- and their rights -- are not there (yet).
Agency: Droga 5
(Apple - The Song) Greg Greenberg (CW, 2006) Mollie Paresotti (ST, 2009) Agency: TBWA Media Arts Lab 101
Apple goes back 60 years to find its lovely holiday ad for 2014.Technologies evolve, but love is timeless.That’s the message of Apple’s quietly poignant 2014 holiday commercial. And indeed, exactly one-half of the ad is about non-Apple tech from 60 years ago— namely, the Voice-O-Graph machine, which allowed people in the 1940s and ‘50s to record their voice directly to vinyl records. Over the course of the ad, a woman finds a way to take a song recorded on a Voice-O-Graph in 1952 and updates it touchingly for today as a Christmas present for her grandmother.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
(Lego) Lydia White (AD, 2012) Whitney Ruef (CW, 2012)
THE TRANSFORMATION
Agency: Union Made Creative
Lego makes an inspiring, empowering tv ad for girls. Imagination meets independence. A lovely meditation on moms and daughters and the independence that inspires and is reinforced by imaginative play.
THE WORK
Joyce Kuan (AD, 2010) Agency: Bartle Bogle and Hegarty
The New York City Ballet is back in another fun and inspired project for PlayStation that shows gamers how to do a proper victory dance after crushing a friend/foe in sports, war, space and heist games.
THE FUTURE
(Playstation)
(Android - Be Together) Ray DelSavio (CW, 2005) Jerry Hoak (AD, 2005) Agency: Droga5
(Google - Made with code) Mira Kaddoura (AD, 2002) Agency: Red & Co
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Android celebrates unlikely animal buddies with a spot featuring various pairings of different animal species playing and frolicking with each other. Baby rhinos and goats, lion cubs and puppies, bears and tigers. It’s set to Roger Miller’s 1973 ditty, “Oo-De-Lally” from Disney’s Robin Hood soundtrack.
To address the dearth of women in tech, Google and Red & Co. wanted to inspire girls to become adept coders. The strategy was to show girls that code is something that they already care about. Made with Code is a mobile-first platform that shows girls all kinds of things they love that are made with code. A curriculum of thirteen fun coding apps—and counting—educates users, and a brand film and twelve documentaries about women and girls who code introduce role models and inspiration.
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS
(Android) So happy together? You and Android Lollipop should never be apart. The South Park-y visuals are strictly G-rated and give the ads, which teased the Nexus 6 and 9 handsets, a distinctive flair.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Kevin Proudfoot (CW, 1998) Josh Rosen (AD, 2002) Tristan Smith (CW, 2009) Natalie Hammel (CW, 2010) Raj Kuppuswamy (XD, 2012) Agency: Google Creative Lab
THE WORK
Rebecca Ullman (CW, 2011) Agency: 72andSunny
Truth’s tinder-themed anti-smoking music video baffles, delights and terrifies. It features a parade of young pop stars and YouTube personalities singing a novelty song about rejecting people on the dating app Tinder for featuring cigarettes in their profile pictures. Singer Becky G anchors the video, with X-Factor-born girl group Fifth Harmony handling backup. Comedians King Bach and Timothy DeLeGhetto act as hype men. Harley Mortenstein of Epic Meal Time, Grace Helbig of It’s Grace, and AlphaCat each spit a guest verse. There are also cameos from Anna Akana, Jimmy Tatro and Terrence J.
THE FUTURE
(Truth)
(Coca-Cola) Jeff Gillette (CW, 2006) Agency: Wieden PDX
Coca-Cola knows that sometimes life straight up sucks. But Coca-Cola also wants you to realize that you are not the only one with problems. This spot encourages people to put their own misfortunes in perspective and think of others every once in a while.
(iPad) Mollie Partesotti (ST, 2009) Holly Hessler Barber (CW, 2009) Abbey Dethlefs (CBM, 2011) Charles Hodges (CW, 2009) 105
Agency: Media Arts Lab
Featuring Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese with his views on being creative, the spot is typically bright and vibrant for Apple, presenting all the things that can be filmed using the iPad. Scorsese’s voice-over aims to be inspiring, and tells viewers that ‘every day is a rededication’ to their work and passions - and in film-making there is arguably no one more qualified to deliver such a statement.
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THE FOUNDATION
Sam Dolphin (CW, 2011) Michael Hagos (AD, 2011)
The spot tells the story of Emily, a 7-year-old girl who was born blind. Comcast asked Emily to describe what she sees in her mind’s eye when she watches The Wizard of Oz—and then the company built that version for her, using skilled set and puppet designers and makeup artists. The ad goes on to explain that people with visual disabilities can get more out of watching TV with Comcast’s “talking guide.” Developed by the Comcast Accessibility Lab, it includes voice guidance and one-touch access to closed captioning—and is part of Comcast’s commitment to helping people with disabilities enjoy entertainment.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Agency: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners NYC
THE LESSONS
(Comcast)
THE WORK
(Petsmart)
Agency: GSD&M
Writer, actor and filmmaker, Christopher Guest, directs these commercials in his signature mockumentary style, under the slogan "Partners in Pethood." Like the movie, Best in Show, the campaign features a parade of awkward, pet-obsessed nutjobs—including two played by Anna Faris and Jennifer Coolidge— who deliver their various quirks in perfect deadpan.
THE FUTURE
Kevin Dunleavy (CW, 2006) Matt Garcia (CW, 2012)
Alumni TV spots that were aired on
SUPER BOWL XLIX (Carvana - Lazy) Claire Gipson (AD, 2014) Agency: goodness Mfg. “The whole time we were working on it, we had no idea they’d end up wanting to play it during the Super Bowl. We thought we were making a fun YouTube video that only like 500 people would ever see.”
(Kia - The Perfect Getaway) Steve Yee (AD, 2000) Agency: davidandgoliath “My favorite thing about Super Bowl is my Mom. Chinese parents are very proud of their kids and I know she gets a kick out of bragging to her friends and family when I produce one. Super Bowl is arguably the only advertising phenomenon that’s as important to people in the industry as it is to people outside the industry.”
(Game of War - Who Am I) David Kennedy (CW, 2000) and Eric Cosper Agency: Untitled Worldwide “As soon as I saw this was going to be a Super Bowl spot, I knew exactly what I had to do. The goal, was simple -- make Steve Yee’s mom proud of Steve. I knew if I made the ad as mediocre as possible (or worse) this would make Steve’s commercial appear that much better. Anyhow, in the USA Today poll, this spot ended up in the bottom 5. Steve’s spot finished in the top 5. Steve’s mom was ecstatic. That’s what adcenter/brandcenter friends are for.” - David Kennedy
(Loctite - Positive Feelings) Jason Bottenus (AD, 2007) Agency: Fallon “The Super Bowl bit was a Trojan Horse. We actually sold the client a song. We knew going in that our only task was name recognition, so we figured we’d bury it in a lyric. Lyrics are sticky as fuck.”
(Newcastle - Band of Brands) Nick Maschmeyer (ST, 2012) Agency: Droga5 “‘So, um, what’s the catch?’ -- The one question every partner brand asked when pitching the idea to them.”
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(Squarespace - Om-Dreaming with Jeff) Jeff Dryer (AD, 2010) Agency: Wieden+Kennedy NY THE FOUNDATION
“OMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm”
(Coca-Cola - Make It Happy) Jeff Gillette (CW, 2006) Agency: Weiden+Kennedy Portland
“I got to watch Liam Neeson perform my threatening monologue on the Super Bowl. And then the Patriots won. Best day ever.”
THE TRANSFORMATION
(Clash of Clans - Revenge) Ross Fletcher (AD, 2012) Agency: Barton F. Graf 9000
THE LESSONS
“We’ve had fun being serious the past few Super Bowls with Coca-Cola. Prior to that it was about funny stories or cute polar bears. (And who doesn’t love a cute polar bear?) For me, though, I’ve found it’s more rewarding to make a statement than to make a joke. Even if you upset some racists and Internet haters in the process. Actually, because of it.”
(Nationwide - Invisible Mindy Kaling) Jordan Eakin (AD, 2006) and David Sloan (CW, 2011) Agency: McKinney THE WORK
“Knowing that most of America would see the spot at the same time — and react at the same time — was intense. Lots of anticipation leading up to it.” - Jordan Eakin
(Reebok - Be More Human) Eric Boyd (CW, 2006) Agency: Venables Bell & Partners THE FUTURE
Brandcenter Alumni Kickstarter Projects Many of our VCU Brandcenter alumni are inventing new products and starting their own businesses, in addition to their advertising day jobs. Below are some of the innovative projects they’ve recently launched on Kickstarter, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. These four examples demonstrate their passion for humancentered design, strong entrepreneurial spirit, and wicked sense of humor (for the last two).
Hackaball
On crowd-funding platform Kickstarter, in partnership with Made by Many and Map, Hackaball was launched. Hackaball is a smart and expressive ball for 6-10 year olds. Children can program the ball using a companion iPad app on which they can invent their own games and upload them wirelessly to the ball and play. Hackaball is, in essence, a computer you can throw around.
$241,122
raised as of May 2015. Initial goal: $100,000.
Rachel Mercer (XD, 2012) “For me, the reward has been twofold. First, this was very much a team process - and I learned so much by working with people that operate outside my industry and that I would rarely get a chance to interact with; from sound designers (creating an audio personality for Hackaball), to industrial designers (making sure the computer guts wouldn't break) to factory managers in Shenzen who specialise in toy production. Second, it's been enlightening not to just design something that educates kids, but also have them designing the product alongside us - we've been able to take a brand new idea, and then have kids build on top of it - and if anyone's imaginations haven't been contained yet, it is kids’. They have higher expectations for technology and push the realms of possibility faster and with more confidence than I ever will.”
Wetsox
WETSOX create a frictionless barrier between your skin and your equipment so you can be in and out of your wetsuit and boots in seconds.
$16,248
raised as of May 2015. Initial goal: $15,000.
Patrick Lorentz (ST, 2008) Bryan Marville (ST, 2008) “For us- the innovation process has been a ton of trial and error. You know what the product ‘needs’ to do–so you invent a way for the product to do it. But that’s only the beginning. Then you start asking “OK so the product does what it’s supposed to–how can we make it better? How do we make it stronger? How do we make it a more seamless experience for the user?’”That’s when you really start pushing your thinking and your product to a good place. We’re on prototype 15. After we get the feedback from our Kickstarter pilot, I’m sure they’ll be a few more.” 109
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THE FOUNDATION
An expressive, customizable, hands-free beverage insulator that looks like a baby. Drinking in public is now adorable.
$19,526 raised. Initial goal: $70,000. Funding unsuccessful.
Simon Philion (CW, 2011) What was your inspiration for your invention? Front-mounted baby harness systems wonderfully toe the line between convenience and absurdity. That was the inspiration. Dumb, fascinating stuff. I increased the convenience, and the absurdity tagged along.
THE LESSONS
The Cool Baby
What has been the best part of the innovation process? It’s been a fun crash-course in peripheral industries. Prototyping, manufacturing, patent law, etc. Then Anderson Cooper called me ‘creepy’ and Nick Lachey called me ‘bro.’ Hard to judge what the coolest part of this thing has been. THE TRANSFORMATION
These two projects were 2 of 3 projects named “The 3 Most Awesomely Absurd Campaigns on Kickstarter Right Now” by Entrepreneur.com.
The Shrimp Cloud
After one day, this project blew past its goal of raising $100.
THE WORK
The Shrimp Cloud is a terabyte of shrimp that you can access anywhere, anytime and on any device. This is the future of shrimp.
As for wildly exceeding his funding goals, Eric says he will use the extra money to secure additional years of Shrimp Cloud hosting. “It would be great for our future generations to have access to shrimp.” raised as of May 2015. Initial goal: $100.
Eric Dennis (AD, 2011)
THE FUTURE
$1,711
ADVICE TO THE GRADUATING CLASS FROM ALUMNI.
The name of the agency doesn’t matter. The work doesn’t matter. The awards (or lack thereof) don’t matter. If you’re happy, that’s all that’s important.
If you go on interviews, do your research. Know their people/ accounts/work. Blow them away with your passion. Get them excited to be working at the agency where you want to work.
One recommendation/connection is worth 1000 cold calls. If you have contacts, don’t be afraid to use them.
Treat your friends and peers well. They are probably going to be your best resources going forward. There are a lot of jobs out there. Help each other find the best fit. 111
For interviews, dress like you’re going to a nice dinner w/your chicest, coolest, most in-vogue friend.
Make sure you absolutely love what you do. Because you’re going to be doing it for the next 40 years. Meet with anyone from any agency you can and see if they can hook you up with other agencies.
What you’ve learned during the past year and a half at VCU Brandcenter truly does reflect the real world and teaches you the tools to be leaders and game changers. Don’t be scared to graduate.
Searching for a job is about stamina and how many people you put yourself in front of… The fact of the matter is that everything will be informational and not because there is a position open. Go into every interview thinking, “This is a relationship I’m forming that will last me throughout my career.” Our industry is so small and people move around so much.You never know when one of these people will look you up down the road.
If you want to stand out, simply be nice. Talented and nice together are not as common as you think.
Make a book full of the kind of work you want to make for real. Places that make that kind of work will want to hire you.
THE FUTURE
Persistence is almost as important as talent when it comes to getting a job.
Don’t try to be what you think an agency wants you to be. It’s like any relationship–you might have shortterm success by pretending to be someone else, but you’ll be miserable in the long run. Figure out who you are, then let that come through in your work.
As you plot, scheme and claw your way into interviews and bigwigs’ offices, treat these folks like regular people. It doesn’t matter their title or how successful they’ve been in their careers. Pretend they’re your aunt or uncle and talk to them and interact with them the same way. Show them the respect they deserve, but leave the intimidation at the door. These people are deciding if they could sit at an airport and have a drink with you before you get on a plane for a shoot. If you come in too hot or too formal, they’re going to close the door right away. Be cool, calm, collected and, most importantly, be yourself.
THE WORK
Art directors, learn to write. Copywriters, learn to art direct. The lines are blurring as we speak.
Once I asked an agency if they had a ping pong table while I was on an interview. That was stupid. Don’t ask stupid shit like that. Makes you seem like you’re in the business to play ping pong. I didn’t get the job.
THE TRANSFORMATION
Find the place that’s a good fit for you and will give you the most opportunities. (That’s key.) Every year the 2nd year class picks a few “popular kids”– the agencies that, for some reason, are deemed the “coolest” – for us it was Wieden, MADE, Mother, Wexley School for Girls, BFG 9000. Just because they’re cool, doesn’t mean they’re a great fit for you.
Get a really good feel for the agencies you want to work for. An agency’s website usually isn’t enough. Find one of us who graduated last year and ask questions. We can also help you get your foot in the door when the time comes.
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THE LESSONS
Your first portfolio will be the hardest thing you ever do in advertising. But, there are people out there that want to help you. Find them, listen and learn. After that, follow your gut. It will be your best guide.
Keep an open mind when you’re searching for places to send your work. Don’t fall into the mindset that there are a finite number of ‘top jobs,’ and if you don’t get one of them, you’re going to be a failure in advertising. A ‘top job’ is any place where you can go in and produce great work. A ‘top job’ is a place where you can learn from people you like. A ‘top job’ is a place where you can see yourself being happy.
THE FOUNDATION
Never turn down a meeting. Doesn’t matter where it is. Meet with everyone/ anyone.
Relax, breathe and understand that these are the last few months with your BC family. Work hard, but enjoy this time as much as possible.
It’s important to learn what to charge agencies verses clients when you are freelancing.
Well. Well. You’ve slayed the dragon and just like that, you are an alum. Please stay in touch and active as a part of the Brandcenter alumni family. Remember as you journey towards your first million and are looking for investments that will pay long-term dividends, there’s one contact you should keep close at hand: Ms. Emily Hale Director of Development 804.827.8868 ehale3@vcu.edu Just look in the mirror, the ROI is amazing!
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THE FOUNDATION THE LESSONS THE TRANSFORMATION THE WORK
brandcenter.vcu.edu/people/alumni/ www.facebook.com/groups/36251826874/
THE FUTURE
Alumni
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