News

Brandcenter alum started an agency from a rented billboard

Sam Dolphin (Copywriting, 2011) and his creative partners were looking to reintroduce some risk and fun to advertising. So they rented a billboard in Oakland, CA and are using it as a canvas to connect to the community. "In a lot of ways, creativity has turned into a math formula, and we wanted to get back to the fun-unknown-experimentation world that initially inspired us to get in this business.”

Brandcenter professor designs a barricade to stop school shooters in their tracks

After Sandy Hook, VCU Brandcenter Professor Scott Witthaus knew that something had to be done about school shootings. He began to think of ideas for a product that could actually help stop shooters in their tracks. He and his creative partner Chris McCann invented DropLock, an easy-to-deploy barricade system that can keep shooters at bay for about 10 minutes, buying time for students before law enforcement could arrive.

Brandcenter professor Kelly O'Keefe featured on NPR podcast

Brandcenter professor Kelly O'Keefe was recently a guest on NPR's "With Good Reason" podcast in an interview entitled "Brand Survival in the Trump Era." He explores what happens when brands take a stand in a politically divided world, and how communicators can use their talents to make the world better.

Board member brings AICP Show featuring alumni work to Richmond

Brandcenter board member and AICP President & CEO Matt Miller brings the AICP Show, 'The Art & Technique of the American Commercial" from New York to the historic Byrd Theatre in Richmond every year so that Brandcenter students can see the best work in the industry. This year 13 Brandcenter alums have work in the show.

Brandcenter alum Rachel Mercer interviewed on We Are Next podcast

Brandcenter alum Rachel Mercer (XD, 2012), Executive Strategy Director at R/GA, talks about why she graduated early to go to VCU Brandcenter, how she found more opportunities when she wasn't given enough work to do at her internship, what newsletters she reads to stay a step ahead of her clients and build their trust, how building a diverse team brought more value to her agency (and the proof!), and her secret to increasing your perceived value in this We Are Next podcast interview.

It's A Hard Knock Start-up Life

Brandcenter alum Charles Hodges (CW, 2009), founder of Arts & Letters in Richmond, and other leaders of new agencies are featured in Communication Arts, sharing great advice for starting an agency or creative company. Charles' answer to one question, "What do you want your agency to be known for 5 years from now?" particularly stands out: "If we could be known as one of the most talented and kind places in the business of ideas, I think we’d all be pretty proud."

VCU Brandcenter executive director interviewed on We Are Next podcast

Vann Graves, Executive Director of the VCU Brandcenter, brings stories, learnings, and vision from his highly-awarded career working with some of the world's biggest brands. Hear about how being asked to create a Christmas card for (then CCO and Chairman of BBDO) Phil Dusenberry's dog taught him a lesson about being a great creative, his enormous goal for making Brandcenter more accessible to students and diversifying the pipeline to the industry, what the industry should know about the next generation of advertising, and why you shouldn't "fake it 'til you make it".

Brandcenter students win Caring for the Caregiver Hackathon

Melissa Poe and Daniel Huffine, first year students in the Brandcenter's Experience Design track, were part of a team of VCU students who took home first prize in The Lindsay Institute's Caring for the Caregiver Hackathon this October, 2018.

Haymaker’s Chief Creative, alum Jay Kamath (AD, 2007), Values Hybrid Talents Above All

Jay Kamath went from architecture student to agency co-founder. He and a former 72andSunny coworker started Haymaker in 2017 with a multidisciplinal attitude, hiring people with hybrid talents - and that approach is reflected in the far-ranging avenues that many of Haymaker’s creative endeavors take. In this Adweek article, Jay shares advice and lessons he's learned along the way. 

VCU Brandcenter 2019 application now available

The VCU Brandcenter 2019 application is now available. Learn how to apply and request the application for fall 2019 on our Admissions page.

Hunter Kelly, Strategy Intern & Akin Abode, Copywriting Intern at HAYMAKER

We Are Next podcast and blog interviewed Brandcenter alum Hunter Kelly (Strategy, 2018) and second year student Akin Abode (Copywriting, 2019) about their internship experience this summer at Haymaker, a young agency started by Brandcenter alum Jay Kamath (Art direction, 2007).

Brandcenter Agent of Change Scholarship Fund

Driven by the shared belief in the importance of diversity, supporters of the VCU Brandcenter, the country’s premier graduate program for branding and advertising, came together over the summer to create the Agent of Change Scholarship Fund.

“This scholarship is designed to attract a greater number of students with diverse backgrounds – something our industry is critically lacking," said Kristen Cavallo, CEO of The Martin Agency. "We are honored to help promote this vital initiative to help change advertising for the better.”