News and events

Creative Q&A: Vann Graves’ homecoming

After 25 years of agency work that took him to advertising powerhouses in New York and Atlanta, Richmond native Vann Graves has returned home.

The Army veteran, Harvard graduate and Open High School alum has taken the helm of the VCU Brandcenter, starting earlier this month as the school’s fourth executive director after stints at ad giants J. Walter Thompson and McCann, and a 15-year run at BBDO.

Executive Creative Director Vann Graves quoted in Adweek on brands and creativity in the age of Trump.

Since Trump took office, brand marketers and agency creatives have largely gone quiet. Those who have continued to make provocative, challenging work have reaped both awards and boycott threats, but overwhelmingly, some industry observers say, today’s political polarization has had a numbing effect on creativity.

“Some companies do not view entering the political discussion as a way to move their brand forward, so they stay the course,” noted Vann Graves, VCU Brandcenter executive director and former CCO at JWT Atlanta. “I felt similarly for a while, but it has since become clear that it is simply not possible for brands to remain on the sidelines.”

Made in RVA: Chad Hilton Designs

Watch the beautiful graphic design and laser cutting artistry of Chad Hilton, 2nd year experience design student and owner of Chad Hilton Designs, featured on Virginia This Morning.

Ad industry supergroup forms to battle climate change

The powerful idea of a commencement speech takeover campaign was originated by Brandcenter alums Karen Short (AD, 2008) and Casey Rand (CW, 2008), Group Creative Directors at Droga5.

More than 250 students around the country used 60 seconds of their commencement speech to make a pledge to vote for action on climate change as well as equality and safety from gun violence.