Through "Skunkworks," VCU undergrads design the future of media

Transforming TV experience by tying Internet and broadcast news, offering free classified ads to newspaper subscribers, and the list goes on.

Creative ideas for media companies to re-engage consumers are shaping up among a group of VCU honor students. They are giving their feedback to a major media company about its business.

The class, creatively called Skunkworks, brings together a diverse group of students to work with professionals from Media General, the conglomerate that owns The Richmond Times-Dispatch among other media. The students come up with new ways for media companies to connect with consumers. The students have developed a number of suggestions, bringing in next-generation views and experiences.

“We let the students explore the problem and solve it for themselves,” said Scott Sherman, assistant professor of strategic advertising, and added that declining numbers of newspaper readers is a threat to the business. “That’s a real problem that big companies are trying to solve.”

Sherman and Jeff South, associate professor of print journalism, lead the class that Sherman referred to as a creativity session. The idea behind it, Sherman explained, was to look at the problems media companies are facing. Students were then encouraged to brainstorm on suggestions for improving the media business, develop their ideas and offer them to Media General.

The innovative class has students of all class levels and a number of different majors and takes them off campus encouraging them to work in professional settings. And students are pleased with the results they have accomplished.

“One thing that’s been cool about the class is to help encourage new ideas,” said creative-advertising senior David Canavan.

To assist and enhance the process, Sherman and South have brought in guest speakers, among them media professional and analysts.

“The guest speakers have been my favorite part of the class,” Canavan said. “To hear industry professionals’ perspective on the way media are changing has been very beneficial.”

Andy Stefanovich, from the Richmond-based innovative company Play, talked to the class about inspiration and generating creativity.

Joe Antle, vice president for sales and strategic marketing at Media General, told students about what is happening in big media companies and how they operate in today’s world.

David Richards, chief executive officer of the Norfolk-based software company Concursive Corp., and Michael Harvey, the company’s executive vice president, discussed interesting and new ways people use media.

One of the ideas that students pitched to Media General is using a TiVo technology to link television to the Internet with something similar to a hyperlink on the TV monitor. It would allow viewers to watch a TV show and use their remote control to link to a Web site on their TV, thus making it more convenient to go from one medium (TV) to another (Web).

Another idea students are developing is for a newspaper Web site that would engage young readers. Sherman said students are not encouraged to redesign a given site, but to design a totally new Web experience tailored specifically to young consumers.

When developing their ideas, the students communicate with professionals from related fields and take into consideration how the idea links to both consumers and experts.

On a daily basis, students have the flexibility to self-direct their work, which for many is a plus that the class offers. John Zhao, creative-advertising senior, said this flexibility is making the class cool and daunting.

“The best aspect of the class is being able to have all the freedom to make decisions,” Zhao said. “We’re following ourselves.”

“There’s no right or wrong answer,” he said. “That’s what’s making it a real interesting class, but also a tough one.”

In the beginning of the semester, students were skeptical, but that changed, Sherman said.

“They didn’t think they’d have an impact,” he said. “Now they all believe in what they’re doing.”

Mass Comm students recognize favorite professors

The Mass Communications Student Advisory Board is accepting nominations for the third annual student-sponsored faculty award to be presented to an outstanding professor at the May'08 graduation ceremony.

The award is a way for students to show their appreciation to professors and recognize their efforts not only as instructors, but also mentors and academic and professional advisers. Students of all majors and class levels are encouraged to nominate their favorite faculty member and share a memory or quote, which illustrates his or her personality. The nomination period ends on April 25, when votes will be counted and one professor will stand out as the students' pick for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Public Relations junior Leah Rullman and freshman Janelle Scott are initiating the process this year.

"I'm excited to take over this opportunity and coordinate such an important student initiative," Rullman said.

The first two recipients of the award were Associate Professor of Broadcast Journalism Deb Wenger in 2006, and Adjunct Professor of Print Journalism Mary Ann Owens in 2007.

An increasing number of students participate each year in the initiative to recognize professors.

"These are people who dedicate themselves to enlightening us, challenging us and preparing us for the world," said Strategic Advertising senior Ian Slinkman, who participated in the process last year and plans to do it again this year. "The student faculty-award program is a great way for students to acknowledge those professors who bring us new perspective and force us to push the envelope of our ability."

Graduating senior in Broadcast Journalism, Brandon Shulleeta said Mass Comm faculty deserve the recognition.

"Some (professors) have gone above and beyond their obligations, to help us become better reporters," he said. "This is just a small way for us to say 'thanks.'"

For more information about the faculty award and submitting your nomination form, contact Leah Rullman.

Download the nomination form now!

“Good design for good causes can change the world,” Peyton Rowe, following the first-of-its-kind CreateAthon onCampus

A week after the first CreateAthon onCampus, during which VCU Mass Comm students spent 24 hours working on advertising and marketing projects for local nonprofits, participants proudly announced the success of the event.

Some of the completed work includes four identity packages of logos, letterheads, business cards and envelopes; a finished Web site that has been launched already; a brochure, eNewsletter, brand and marketing plans, a digital presentation and five video spots.

Organizer of the event and former participant of a number of professional CreateAthon events, Peyton Rowe said her students met and exceeded her expectations.

“I’m so proud of the students,” she said. “They all rose to the occasion at all levels: the concepts, the work (and) the presentations. After four years in the making for me, CreateAthon onCampus was everything I had hoped it would be.”

Participating students came from the School of Mass Communications, the Brandcenter and the School of the Arts. For some students, the event was part of a semester-long class, MASC 491: Topics: Nonprofit Project Development; while other participated as volunteers. A total of 43 students and 18 professional mentors devoted their time and efforts for the event, helping 12 nonprofit organizations.

A number of participants shared enthusiasm and pride, looking back at CreateAthon onCampus. First-year Brandcenter student Jake Dubs, 23, said the lessons he learned were serious and philosophical.

“I learned the true value of collaboration and being courteous to others, as well as the value of working with people you actually like working with,” he recapped. “It's not about who is most talented and creative and hard-working. It's about how well you can work together. The Brandcenter greatly emphasizes this too, but it was a much more condensed, real-life version when doing it with CreateAthon.”

For Creative Advertising senior Carly Reed, 21, the event was tiring but rewarding.

“In such a materialistic industry, it was wonderful to work toward helping organizations that really needed it,” she said. “When you push yourself for something you believe in and for a good cause, it can be really rewarding even if you are super exhausted. And I learned you really can accomplish an immense amount of work in 24 hours.”

The next phase of CreateAthon onCampus is working toward getting these advertising and marketing materials produced at little or not cost to the nonprofits. The class will shepherd any work through production, having yet another opportunity to get professional experience outside the classroom . There is a reception to be held for all involved on April 24^th and any deliverables will be given to the nonprofits.

Rowe is optimistic and already has an eye open about future CreateAthon onCampus events at VCU.

“There is no question that CreateAthon onCampus will become a regular event at VCU,” she said. “The learning opportunity is so great for students and with over 5,000 nonprofit organizations in Richmond, there will not be a shortage of work to be done. “

Following this pilot year, Rowe said she plans to assess the program and then package CreateAthon onCampus to present to other schools.

“CreateAthon onCampus is a unique and rewarding experience for students and an outstanding way to give back to the community,” she said. “I want to make it easier for colleges and universities to offer this type of experience to their students who will then create great work for organizations who need it.”

To learn more about VCU’s CreateAthon onCampus, visit its Web site.

School of Mass Comm/VCU Career Center offer student workshops

The VCU Career Center and the School of Mass Communications will be offering two workshops to help students get the most out of the opportunities that VCU offers.

Workshop: Choosing a Concentration
This workshop targets pre-majors and undecided students.

• Tuesday, March 25
• Wednesday, March 26

Both workshops will be held in Temple 2211 from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Workshop: How to Get the Most Out of Your Internship
This workshop includes advice on finding and signing up for an internship, as well as how to get the most out of the experience.

• Monday, April 14
• Thursday, April 17

Both workshops will be held in Temple 2211 from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

School of Mass Comm recruits for three teaching positions

Want to have a hand in shaping future mass communications professionals?

At VCU's School of Mass Comm, you can impact the future! We enroll 1,200 majors and pre-majors in journalism, advertising and public relations and 200 graduate students in advertising and public relations. VCU has a very diverse student body of more than 28,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students.

Current Job Openings:

• Assistant Professor - Broadcast Journalism
• Assistant Professor - Creative Advertising
• Assistant Professor - Public Relations

Learn more now!

VCU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Advertising Students Receive National Recognition

Advertising students from the School of Mass Communications swept a number of awards at the American Advertising Federation’s 2007 Western Virginia Addy Awards in Roanoke earlier this month. The VCU students were recognized for their advertising work with four Gold, six Silver and one Judges-pick Addy Awards.

Assistant professor of Advertising Bridget Camden said she is proud of the accomplishments of her students.

“It is great seeing their long hours and hard work start to pay off for them,” she said. “Winning a student advertising award won’t get them a job, but it is great on the resume.”

All gold and silver-awarded entries moved on to the Third District Addy Awards to compete against student work from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina in early April. Winning work from the district level goes to the national-level competition soon after that.

The prestigious judges-pick award in the student category went to advertising seniors Chip Stevens and Kyle Asay for their campaign for McCanns Oatmeal.

“There was a lot of good work submitted,” Stevens said. “(Our award) came as a surprise, but I’m very proud that we got it.”

The award-winning work originated as a class assignment in Camden’s senior-level Portfolio Development classes, MASC 450 and MASC 451. Camden encourages her students to enter work in competitions each semester.

Assistant professor Will Sims currently teaches sections of the portfolio classes and in the MATX PhD program.

“These students are demonstrating the kind of leadership that ranks them and VCU School of Mass Communications among the best in the nation,” he said.

Other competitions where VCU advertising students’ work has been recognized before include the annual New York One Show, annual Richmond show and publications in the prestigious CMYK magazine, which serves as a respected trend-setting publication in the industry on an international level.

For student-work samples, visit Camden's Web site.

VCU Brandcenter opens its doors

VCU’s nationally recognized graduate advertising school, the Brandcenter, formerly known as VCU Adcenter, celebrated its grand opening on Thursday, March 6. Classes in the new facility started at the beginning of this semester.

A number of industry-leading professionals and board members, visited the new building to congratulate administration and students and give personal advice to upcoming graduates.

VCU President Eugene P. Trani said the Brandcenter faculty, staff and students deserve the celebration for their achievements and national recognition.

“The grand opening of the Brandcenter is a wonderful occasion to celebrate the success of VCU’s graduate advertising program as one of the best in the country,” he said.

During their introductions, professionals told students to work hard, believe in themselves and show passion for advertising on their path to success.

Nick Law, R/GA's chief creative officer for North America, focused on the three C’s that ensure success.

“Concept - you’ve got to be able to think; Craft - you’ve got to make; and the last one is Context – you’ve got to know where that stuff that you make lives in time and space and how to read people,” Law said.

Lori Erdos, vice president of advertising sales for USA Today told students to be proud of their knowledge and degrees when they interview for jobs.

“Have confidence when you go to an interview that you know what you are talking about. Because you really do,” she said. “Also (important are) passion and follow up. It’s not brain surgery, it’s really about commitment.”

Earl Cox, partner and director of strategic planning at The Martin Agency, encouraged students to stand up and show individuality.

“Always, always, always have an opinion,” said Cox, who also is adjunct professor at the Brandcenter. “The more provocative the opinion, the better. I would encourage you to develop a strong opinion about the future (of the advertising industry).”

Echoing Cox, Mike Hughes, president and chief creative officer at The Martin Agency, stressed the importance of networking.

“You sure have a chance here to get to know some professionals in the business who are awfully good people,” he said.

Enthusiasm and passion, many agreed, play an important part in the advertising business.

“You defining and understanding what it is that you love about it and why you want to do it and be part of it, will be critical to your opportunities for getting your first job,” said Jeff Steinhour, managing partner and director of content management at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, “and demonstrate some enthusiasm and passion.”

For detailed coverage of the grand opening of the Brandcenter, featuring videos and photos, visit http://ihaveanidea.org/live/.

Visit the Brandcenter's website.