The Brandcenter is ...

“There is emphasis placed on the power of unexpected ideas, alternative approaches, and uncommon perspectives. The program values seeing a problem from multiple angles and thrives on diverse points of view.

At its best, the program celebrates and rewards ideas that challenge the status quo. This is the creative industry’s most prized resource and the DNA most coveted in hires. Good ideas rarely come from playing it safe. They come from bucking the system, are born from approaches that don’t seem to be working, and run counter to category convention.

This is the Brandcenter’s secret sauce, so don’t overcook it with too much structure, too many boxes to check, or overexposure to flash-in-pan “trends.” Leave room for some chaos to focus on cultivating an atmosphere that prizes the power of purposeful creativity and the Brandcenter will never lose its magic.”

These thoughtful words were written by our esteemed alum, Andy Grayson (ST, 2002), Director of Strategy at Arts & Letters Creative Co., and truly express how unique the Brandcenter is. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

The Brandcenter is a special place; a dream brought to fruition by the sheer force of will of the school’s founding director, Diane Cook-Tench. Yes, many things have changed over the years (technology, our tracks, our faculty and directors, and even Sixty magazine itself), but the heart of what Diane created is still here in these walls and in the hearts of our students, alumni, faculty and staff alike.

Forged by grit and determination, the Brandcenter has never been for the faint of heart; it’s for the fighter, the thinker, the underdog, the artist, the perfectionist, the joker, the nerd, the jock, and the “crazy ones.” Yeah, you know who you are and we are glad to have you. Because here, every day, we bump heads, we figure it out, we push through, we create and collaborate, we work hard and play hard, we design, we laugh, we fail, we overcome, we transform, and then, graduate.

That’s the Brandcenter. Thanks for coming.

VANN GRAVESExecutive Director