The Boom List: Brandcenter Edition

The Boom List is all about celebrating extraordinary diverse talent — something we have a lot of here at the Brandcenter.

This month, we were thrilled to partner with The Boom List to feature some of our talented alumni. These folks are, quite frankly, blowing up the industry, and we couldn’t be prouder to shout it from the rooftops (or in your inbox).

Congratulations Troy Gary (CBM, ‘17), Nima Khalilian (CMB, ‘16), Andrew Kong (CW, ‘13) and Elly Taura (AD, ‘15). Click the link to view the email feature.

Six Alums Named to Business Insider’s "36 Rising Stars of Madison Avenue Revolutionizing Advertising"

A huge shout out to the six Brandcenter alums named to Business Insider’s "36 Rising Stars of Madison Avenue Revolutionizing Advertising" this month.

Student internship work is live for the holidays thanks to alumni at Coca-Cola

Having a Coke this holiday season?

Check out new work from alum Dheeraj Govindraju (XD '17), KO:OP, and our current students who interned at Coke this summer (Arielle Bryant AD '20, Michelle Lee CBM '20, and Kelsey Cowan XD '20). 

Alumna named one of the 2019 Next Creative Leaders by The One Club and 3% Conference

Brandcenter Alum Mariana Oliveira (CW, 2012) was named one of the Next Creative Leaders by The One Club and 3% Conference. Mariana is an ACD at BBDO NY, and is one of the ten women recognized this year.

Of the female leaders chosen, they said, "These talented women are a beautiful reminder that real leadership doesn’t require the perfect opportunity, a big budget, or a fancy title. Real leadership just asks you to show up for yourself, your beliefs and each other. For the ideas that light up your heart. And for the future you’re excited to be a part of."

Alumna creates podcast episode uncovering the Domino's accessibility lawsuit

We've got your next listen for holiday travels - Follow Melanie Ann Thompson (ST, 2017) as she investigates the 2016 Dominos lawsuit (and Supreme Court decision) on the accessibility of the pizza chain's website. 

Spoiler alert: You'll hear from Creative Professor at Brandcenter, KT Schaeffer (AD, 2001). 

GET TO KNOW KT SCHAEFFER, BRANDCENTER'S NEWEST CREATIVE PROFESSOR

Two of our students sat down to get to know KT Schaeffer (AD ‘01), Creative Professor at Brandcenter. She’s about to complete her first semester teaching Creative Thinking, in addition to being a collector of plants and a cat lover. 

Selling something different: “Not going extinct”

Two Brandcenter alumni leave positions at Droga5 and Phenomenon to take on climate change and world hunger.

Celebrating Kelly O'Keefe's New Business Venture

Please join us as we congratulate Kelly O’Keefe, Creative Brand Management Professor, on the rapid success and growth of his business, Brand Federation. At the end of this semester, Kelly will transition from his full-time role at the Brandcenter and turn his focus the company he founded a year ago. 

Tales from SIXTY: Limitless Opportunity, Devin Altman (CW, 2016)

Though some alums may feel that ‘BC is over and was a long time ago’, Devin Altman does not agree. 

BriElle Munizzi (AD '20) summer intern work now in Adidas stores in LA and NYC

BriElle Munizzi (AD '20) spent her summer in Los Angeles interning at Wongdoody, and now gets to see her hard work come to life with the launch of Strings Attached campaign supporting the Adidas' Creators Club rewards program.

In addition to creating all of the illustrations for the campaign (on the postcards, lanyards, shoelace patterns, and pin design), BriElle also had the opportunity to test her skills in UX design, creating wireframes and helping outline the Adidas app experience for the rewards program.

Where you'll see this work: a limited run campaign is now in select Adidas stores located in Los Angeles and New York.

Brandcenter hosts the One Club Workshop for Creativity

On November 8-9, 2019, VCU Brandcenter hosted The One Club for Creativity Strategic Workshop in conjunction with the VCU Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture. Over 48 hours, a group of 60 students from throughout Virginia worked to create a strategic brief to deliver new life into a failing brand. 

Students presented to a panel of alumni and representatives from The Martin Agency, Arts & Letters Creative Co., Capital One, Elevation, Familiar Creatures, and Tilt.

Brandcenter Students Place in Caring for the Caregiver Hackathon

First year Brandcenter student Sharon Lee (XD, 2021) and second year student Andrea Owens (XD, 2020) participated in the 5th annual Caring for the Caregiver Hackathon on a team coached by Thea Pepperl from the VCU School of Engineering.

After 24 hours of brainstorming and creativity the VCU team placed 2nd bringing home $2000. In addition to the cash prize they have received a commitment of corporate sponsorship for their idea: an app for first-time caregivers, New Boots.