Month: April 2024

In the field of marketing and communications, integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is extremely important. Recognizing this, TAI alumna, Kayla Griffis, a senior strategist at Saatchi & Saatchi, and Dr. Alice Kendrick, Professor of Advertising at Temerlin,  worked together to publish a new content creation model that emphasizes the importance of inclusivity. Dr. Kendrick was honored to present the URICA! Model in Oxford, England last summer at the Oxford Roundtable Symposium.

Published in the Forum on Public Policy, this study titled, Integrating DE&I into content creation: The URICA! Model, stands out as a versatile tool for embedding DE&I principles into the fabric of academic and corporate environments. The URICA! Model was originally pioneered by Kayla Griffis as a graduate student project for an advertising class led by Dr. Kendrick. It initially focused on addressing the insensitive spread of digital blackface on social media. This project evolved into a robust model designed to guide content creators through a comprehensive process to help team members determine DE&I objectives and avoid marketing missteps based on a lack of cultural sensitivity.

The core of the URICA! Model involves a series of sequential steps and considerations that assist creators in ensuring their messaging is inclusive and sensitive to diverse audiences. It encourages a thorough understanding of cultural nuances, informs strategic decisions with solid DE&I foundations, and carefully considers the potential impacts of messaging. The model’s flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, and was concept-tested for use anywhere from classroom discussions to strategic planning in large corporations.

“[The URICA! Model] was an attempt to offer an approach, tool or a series of questions or areas that should be covered to help ensure that messaging of all different sorts, whether it’s advertising, a blog, just a headline, a jingle, or even a visual, (especially a visual in some cases) are as mindful as possible of the societal realities in which they will be released. That is to say, some things are insulting to groups, and they’re not even necessarily intending to be. In fact, I think in most cases they are not. It’s just an oversight and a lack of ability to see a message from another’s point of view.” – Dr. Alice Kendrick

Throughout the study, recommendations from corporate strategists and advertising professors who evaluated the URICA! Model are discussed and implemented, and current DE&I information and resources for students and professionals are included. Dr. Kendrick noted that when reviewing the model in the advertising field, “agencies seemed very much in favor of something like this, that would lend some structure to a discussion about the sensitivity of messaging.”

Dr. Kendrick presented the URICA! Model at the Oxford Roundtable Symposium in Oxford, England, in the Summer of 2023. Her presentation highlighted how the model structures discussions around sensitive messaging and its potential to be applied across various industries and educational settings. Her presentation was well-received by the international audience, which included academics and professionals, underscoring the model’s relevance and applicability.

As the conversation around diversity and inclusion continues to gain momentum, tools like the URICA! Model are essential for fostering meaningful change. They guide content creators through the intricate process of integrating inclusivity into their work, and set new standards for responsible communication in our increasingly digital world.

This past Friday at the AAF District 10 National Student Advertising Competition award ceremony, Temerlin Advertising Institute’s very own Dr. Mark Allen was honored with the Outstanding Advertising Educator of the Year Award. This award aims to recognize professors who have made outstanding and unselfish contributions to the growth and improvement of advertising through the academic process.

Dr. Allen joined TAI in 2003 to help start and build a new creative program for aspiring art directors, copywriters and designers centered in Dallas. During his time here he has made a huge impact on the Institute and has become a Senior Lecturer and the Creative Program Director.

Dr. Allen’s love for his students has not gone unnoticed and his tireless dedication to supporting them and their success was noted in the speech given during the presentation of this award.  He tirelessly advocates for young creatives in their quest to find their voices in the wacky world of advertising.

One of his students said, “he selflessly dedicates the majority of his time to making sure his students have the best chance of success, sometimes to his detriment. He candidly tells us that we keep him up at night with thoughts of our futures where we go, and what we will accomplish.” 

Another said, “he is the most dedicated and selfless teacher I’ve ever had throughout my entire education. I’ve never met a teacher who is willing and happy to sacrifice his own well-being, if it means it will help one of his students succeed.” 

The presenter noted that he believes this is why professors teach: to inspire, to guide, and to illuminate the path.

Dr. Allen does just this. “He provides incentive, comfort, and stability to almost every student who walks through his door. Every time I’ve been on the precipice of admitting defeat, he has always been the voice at the end of the tunnel, reassuring me that I’m in the program for a reason and that as long as I work hard, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to,” said another student.

The Temerlin Advertising Institute is so proud of the work that Dr. Allen does every day, inside and outside of the classroom. We look forward to many more amazing years to come.