Executive Internship 2016: Diana Herrera

In the final semester of the Temerlin Advertising Institute’s MA in Advertising program, students work in an executive internship with a Dallas agency. Read Diana’s story below.

Diana Herrera: Legion Advertising 

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At Legion, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside the creative and the strategic team on four accounts – Bimbo Bakeries, Marinela, la Sabrozita and Money Gram. I have designed digital, traditional ads, promotional material and written copy for social media.  I’ve been very fortunate to intern for such a great company that allows interns to feel like employees and not just buy Starbucks for everyone. I have presented to clients and my ideas have been heard and implemented.

 

Photographer Stewart Cohen Helps TAI Students See Advertising Through His Lens

by Mark Allen AllenMark

There are few things more frustrating for a creative advertising student than the moment they realize they’re going to have to settle for producing a lesser idea simply because the better idea requires production techniques, expertise or equipment that aren’t typically available to students. As I professor, I struggle with this reality, too. On one hand, I want to encourage a creative process that’s free and unencumbered by the usual limits and setbacks that students will no doubt face in their professional career. Whether it’s a creative director, or a client or an accountant, they will always have someone telling them “No.” So as much as I can, while they are in school, I always try to say “Yes” to the strongest ideas, regardless of what the production needs are. On the other, I have to be realistic and help students actually produce finished, polished work that they can be proud of and put in their portfolios.

One of the most common dilemmas that students bump into (or crash into) at the end of their ideation phase is the realization that the best idea is going to require high-end photography to pull it off right. And often this includes all the accompanying bells and whistles: cameras, lenses, lighting, location, models, and a host of various other specialized expertise. I’ve been amazed at how resourceful Ramen-eating college students can be as they scavenge the world for images and Photoshop their way to stunning imagery composited from a variety of sources. But I’ve also been impressed by students who have been able to find serious professional photographers who are willing to help bring a their vision to life – on a student budget or even pro bono.

Of the gracious and talented photographers who have worked with my students over the years, Stewart Cohen is perhaps the most consistent. He also happens to be one of the most respected commercial photographers in the business. He has won countless industry awards and has been profiled in Communication Arts Magazine and selected by Adweek as Photographer of the Year. All this to say, Stewart’s willingness to help my students is not because he’s trying to make a name for himself or because he doesn’t have enough paying clients. Quite the contrary, Stewart is constantly busy shooting for the biggest agencies and brands all over the world.

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Stewart Cohen talks to Mark Allen’s Portfolio class about his experience as an award-winning commercial photographer and director.

But unlike other talented photographers, Stewart Cohen is a genuinely nice guy who believes in giving back. This isn’t to say that he’ll just shoot for any bright-eyed college student who’s in a bind – you’ve got to have a great idea first. As a professor, one of the things I appreciate most about Stewart is that he makes my students work for it. Every time he has taken on a project with one of my students, they always beam about all the things they learned with Stewart’s help – things that I’ll be the first to admit they couldn’t have learned in the classroom. At least not in my classroom.

Speaking of classrooms – Stewart recently agreed to come to SMU to speak to my Portfolio class about art direction and photography. He showed us a ton of great work with interesting backstories to each image. He doled out sage advice and fielded questions from a group that was eager to pick his brain for helpful hints on what it takes to do work at his level. In preparing for his visit, Stewart and I also discussed the possibility of a summer course for art direction and photography students – one that wouldn’t take place in a classroom, per se, but in a studio – Stewart’s photography studio, in fact. Although the final details of the class are still taking shape, the course is officially on the books for Summer 1.

Stewart Cohen photography for student campaign // Students: Jeremiah Alvarez and Ruth Sanchez // Client: Lush Cosmetics
Stewart Cohen photography for student campaign // Students: Jeremiah Alvarez and Ruth Sanchez // Client: Lush Cosmetics

Here’s a look at the learning objectives and course structure:

ADV 5301 Art Direction & Photography: (3 hrs) An exploration of the art direction skill set as it applies to photography in advertising and graphic design. Prerequisites: students must submit application.

In this course you will learn how to:

– Find and approach photographers/directors for advertising and design projects.

– Convey a conceptual vision to a photographer and a diverse range of creative professionals.

– Understand the inner workings of a professional studio by observing “real-world” photoshoots.

– Work side-by-side with photographers to produce quality images based on original concepts.

– Understand where the art director’s role ends and the photographer’s role begins (and overlap).

– Identify the need for necessary support roles (e.g., stylists, assistants, location scouts, etc.)

– Use design principles as they apply to photography (e.g., framing, cropping, balance, perspective, color).

– Identify and use the proper cameras, lighting and other equipment.

– Use proper terminology when art directing a shoot and communicating with a photographer/director.

– Discern differences and special considerations: studio vs. location; people vs. things; food vs. materials.

– Use pre and post-production techniques to ensure the capture and production of high-quality images.

– Create high-quality imagery with the equipment, resources and budget of a typical college student.

While this course is scheduled during the Summer 1 session, which runs from May 30th–June 29th, this class will take place in a concentrated and somewhat flexible format as opposed to the usual summer school schedule of 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Concentrated, in the sense that most of our contact hours will occur during a few full-day photoshoots (6-8 hours) outside the classroom. Flexible, in the sense that we will be working according to the schedule of our illustrious photography partner, Stewart Cohen.

Executive Internships 2016: Yiyang (April) Yu

In the final semester of the Temerlin Advertising Institute’s MA in Advertising program, students work in an executive internship with a Dallas agency. Read April’s story below.

Yiyang Yu: The Hall Agency

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In the Hall Agency, I’ve had the opportunity to design official website pages for our agency and some logos for Shakespeare Dallas as a graphic designer. It is fun to design for the plays. I read a lot of different stories regarding to the plays and have gotten a lot of inspiration from them. I also really enjoy exchanging my ideas with all my colleagues. We come up with ideas together to build our own websites and it makes me feel like we are working as a real team.

TAI Students Win Big at the 54th Annual AAF American Advertising Awards local competition

Written by: Willie Baronet BaronetWillie

TAI students Mackenzie Cimala, Tien Dang, Samantha Butz and Mallory Massa won the majority of honors in the Student category of the 54th annual American Advertising Federation (AAF) American Advertising Awards (formerly the ADDYs) local competition, hosted by AAF-Dallas on February 18 at Gas Monkey Live in Dallas.

Of the 15 awards presented to college students at this year’s competition, SMU won a total of seven in four categories, including three gold, one silver and three bronze awards. Senior Mackenzie Cimala won five awards, the most of any university student in the contest, including three gold and two bronze awards; gold-winning submissions automatically advance to the district level competition in Lubbock, Texas, April 14-16. Tien Dang was co-winner for two of Mackenzie’s entries, Sam Butz won a silver, and Mallory Massa won a bronze. Images of their winning work is pictured below.

“It is wonderful to see the students showcase their talents to the DFW advertising industry, as well as their parents, Temerlin alumni and their professors,” said Dr. Steve Edwards, director of the Temerlin Advertising Institute. “Awards are just one indicator of the quality of not only the students, but the dedicated agency executives and academic experts teaching in the program. We are so proud of Mackenzie Cimala for a truly outstanding performance! She, Samantha Butz, Mallory Massa and Tien Dang all have bright futures in the industry.”

Edwards noted that the students’ work follows that of many prominent TAI alumni, “including David Drown and Megan Lee, who each won multiple awards in the professional categories. We are especially proud of work by former TAI master’s student Arturo Lee and his team at Dieste, a Hispanic marketing agency. Their campaign, titled ‘Adoptable Trends,’ received a gold award in the Online/Interactive category and was named Best of Show.”

Willie Baronet, the Stan Richards Professor in Creative Advertising, said, “I am so proud of the achievements of Mackenzie, Sam, Mallory and Tien! I’ve watched them develop from wide-eyed newbies in Intro to Creativity into creative forces to be reckoned with. I’m confident this is only the first of many shows that will feature their work, and the work of many of their classmates! I’m honored to be a part of the Temerlin team here at SMU.”

“I was so honored to be one of the winners,” said Cimala, who took home five awards. “As a double major in both creative advertising and studio art and minor in graphic design at Meadows, I’ve been able to gain the skills and artistic perspective that enabled me to develop portfolio pieces worthy of ADDY awards. The feedback in our portfolio classes from fellow students, TAI professors and Dallas advertising creatives has been invaluable and allowed me to improve my work. TAI has given me a great academic experience that has also prepared me for the real world ahead.”

Over 950 entries were submitted this year from more than 70 Dallas advertising agencies and universities. Judges were Stephen Cargile, principal creative designer at Walt Disney Imagineering; Eunie Kwon, interactive design director at Mirum Agency; and Marcelo Padoca, creative director and copywriter at The Community (formerly La Communidad)

 

addysgroupFaculty, friends and family were there to cheer on the winners!

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Left to right: Mallory Massa, Mackenzie Cimala, Sam Butz

GOLD AWARD

CLIENT:                    Bowen House

CATEGORY:             Elements of Advertising – Logo Design

CREDITS:                 Mackenzie Cimala ’16, Designer

Screen Shot 2016-02-28 at 12.25.39 PMCLIENT:                    Fig & Olive – Logo design

CATEGORY:             Elements of Advertising – Logo Design

CREDITS:                 Mackenzie Cimala ’16, Designer

Screen Shot 2016-02-28 at 12.25.12 PMCLIENT:                    Fig & Olive – Olive oil bottle

CATEGORY:             Product or Service Sales Promotion – Packaging

CREDITS:                  Mackenzie Cimala ’16, Designer

Screen Shot 2016-02-28 at 12.25.20 PMSILVER AWARD

CLIENT:                  Dr. Frommholtz’s Candy (fictional line of novelty jelly beans)

CATEGORY:            Product or Service Sales Promotion – Packaging

CREDITS               Samantha Butz ’17

Butz_Dr. Frommholtz's Candy_2BRONZE AWARD

CLIENT:                     MiraLax – “This Too Shall Pass”

CATEGORY:             Print Campaign – Magazine

CREDITS:                 Mallory Massa ’16

Screen Shot 2016-02-28 at 12.26.39 PM243CLIENT:                     BarkBox

CATEGORY:              Print Campaign – Magazine

CREDITS:                 Mackenzie Cimala ’16, Art Director  ;  Tien Dang ’16, Copywriter

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TAI Graduate Student Spotlight: Snow Wang

Snow%20in%20Graphic%20Design%20positionIn mid-October, one of TAI’s second year MA in Advertising students, Snow Wang, began working in the Office of Student Transitions & Orientation. Here she is charged with graphic design projects for Recruitment Materials, Mustang Corral Graphics, Mustang Corral Compass as well as AARO Schedules and Student Transitions & Orientation Magazine.

Dr. Carrie La Ferle, Professor of Advertising as a Cultural Force and International Advertising, commented “How great it is when students are able to earn money working in positions that are also related to their field while also benefiting their university! It is just a win-win-win all around.” For more information on the MA in Advertising program, click here.

Design from the Heart 

MendenhallCherylBy Cheryl Mendenhall, Senior Lecturer

Here at the Temerlin Advertising Institute we stress the importance of responsibility in advertising, whether that is professional responsibility, social responsibility, or the everyday choices we make in our field. My focus is in graphic design, and I wanted to share with you some of the many ways design can be used for the greater good. It can be small things like using recycled paper or soy ink in a project or something big like designing a way for people to communicate in health care situations where there may be a language barrier.

Many non-profits struggle to get their message heard; we as designers can help develop strategies and create materials to accomplish their unique goals.

HRMYou may know immediately what cause speaks to you, but if not, there are many resources available to help you find a connection. American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) has a program called Design for Good described as “a movement to ignite, accelerate and amplify design-driven social change.” On their website they showcase inspiring projects and provide a wide variety of resources including ways for connecting designers and non-profits, groups that provide learning opportunities, and sources for funding and support grants for your self-initiated projects.

Or how about this? What do you get when you combine creatives, non-profits and a super quick deadline? A fantastic idea for helping out non-profits – a 24-hour createathon. Now that’s a GOOD reason to pull an all-nighter.

Here are some projects I find interesting:KZoo

I began working with non-profits early in my career as a way to give back when I didn’t have the money to donate. I continue to do it now because it brings me joy.

How we use our skills is up to us. I encourage you to find something that speaks to your heart and share your skills.

TAI Alumna Spotlight: Jena Jessen, Designer for the Dallas Mavericks

Jena Jessen (’12) had a long-time dream realized when she was hired as a designer for the Dallas Mavericks in June. In her position, Jessen is responsible for creating graphics, collateral, presentations, infographics and logos for the team. With an average home game attendance of 20,000, and more than 65 million fans internationally, designing for the Mavericks is no small job.

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TAI alumna, Jena Jessen (’12), designs infographics, logos and other collateral for the Dallas Mavericks.

Jessen graduated from SMU’s Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI) with a BA in Advertising in December 2012. During her time in TAI’s creative advertising program, she learned several valuable lessons that she has carried with her during her career:

  1. Keep pushing your work further until it is great
  2. Condition your craft
  3. Have a great portfolio site

Under the leadership of the TAI creative faculty, Jessen learned how to “push through the junk until [she] landed at a great idea.” She also learned that conditioning and self-discipline are critical to being successful in the industry. Jessen notes that conditioning is different from motivation, which is fleeting. Like the athletes she now designs for, Jessen conditions her craft through both work and freelance projects to make sure she is staying engaged in the discipline and growing as a professional. Having a great portfolio hosting platform to showcase work is helpful as well. Jessen recommends Cargo Collective, which she was introduced to at TAI.

Jena & DirkJessen’s journey to Victory Park has included stops at Dallas agencies such as MEplusYOU, where she interned, and Speck Communications, where she served as a full time Art Director. She credits her time with these agencies, as well as the knowledge and skills she learned at the Temerlin Advertising Institute, to her landing the position with the Mavericks.

Jessen also serves as the Creative Chair for Ad2Dallas, an affiliate of AAF Dallas, whose mission is to strengthen the skills and connections of Dallas advertising, marketing and public relations professionals age 32 years and younger. For more information on Ad2Dallas, including upcoming events, visit: http://aafdallas.org/ad2dallas/.

SMU Advertising Students are “Happy” in (and out of) class!

[youtube]http://youtu.be/TIXGQryeiaA[/youtube]

SMU’s Spring 2014 Intro to Creativity class comes together to create a Happy Video inspired by Pharrell Williams.

The Temerlin Advertising Institute class explores creativity and the creative thinker’s role in shaping the culture in advertising. The class is part of the new minor and major in advertising as well as part of the minor in graphic design.

An advanced course on Creative Problem Solving is also offered as part of the M.A. program at the Institute.

Thanks to Zoë Filutowski!

Rethinking Pink: TAI Students Place Fourth Overall, Win Best Promotional Strategy for Client Mary Kay at District National Student Advertising Competition

2014 SMU NSAC AwardThe National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) team from SMU competed in the American Advertising Federation (AAF) District 10 regional competition in Austin, Texas on April 17. They placed fourth overall and took home the Best Promotional Strategy trophy in what turned out to be a pressure filled, highly competitive event. The SMU NASC team, taught by Brice Campbell, Executive-in-Residence, and Willie Baronet, Visiting Executive-in-Residence, has been hard at work since the beginning of the Spring 2014 semester when they began doing preliminary research and strategy development for Mary Kay, this year’s national client. Using the tagline #RETHINKPINK, the team created a cohesive and memorable campaign designed to change the perception of Mary Kay among young women 18-25 years old. Students focused their efforts in Account Management, Account Planning, Traditional and Social Media, Research, Promotions, Public, and Creative (including casting and photographing the women featured in the ads), producing a comprehensive campaign executed solely by them.

2014 RethinkPink Ad designed by NSAC Creative Team
2014 RethinkPink Ad designed by NSAC Creative Team

Willie Baronet reflected on the experience, stating, “as a first time faculty in this competition I was overwhelmed by the amount of work required of the students. And impressed by the opportunities they had to present in front of industry leaders, as well as members of the Mary Kay marketing team.” All members of the 2014 SMU NSAC team are pursuing a BA in Advertising from the Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI). Advertising majors are required to complete ADV 4399 Advertising Campaigns as part of their curriculum. This class combines major advertising theories with practice, allowing students to develop and present an advertising campaign to a real client based on current advertising challenges that the client is facing. Students that take Advertising Campaigns during the Spring semester have the opportunity to participate in the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC). Recent NSAC clients include Glidden Paint (2013) and JCPenney (2012).

Please join the Temerlin Advertising Institute (TAI) in congratulating this year’s SMU NSAC team on their outstanding work and accomplishments!

2014 SMU NSAC Team Members and Faculty
2014 SMU NSAC Team Members and Faculty

Members of the 2014 SMU NSAC team are: (Students) Amelia Ambrose, Katie Bernet, Anne-Marie Clegg, Rachel Delesk, Andrew Fennessy, Kelly Gilliland, Elizabeth Glander, Lauren Goddard, John Ross Gramentine, Ashley Gross, Emily Jedlicka, Hillary Johnson, Jaimmy Koroma, Bernabe Maldonado, Alexandra Nowlin, Margot O’Daniel, Morgan O’Hare, Mary Olson, Ari Passy, Morgan Saxer, Dustin Weil, (and Faculty) Brice Campbell, Executive-in-Residence, and Willie Baronet, Visiting Executive-in-Residence.

Creative Students Invited to Participate in National “Bus” Tour at the Dallas Art Fair

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Custom Art Work on the bus by SMU Students

Leah Foster, a friend of TAI Visiting Executive-in-Residence Willie Baronet, started a National Bus Tour this past weekend at the Dallas Art Fair and several students in Baronet’s Introduction to Creativity class showed up to participate. Using paint, glitter, paper and all the many materials that Willie brought, the students got to work in redecorating the bus.

Leah Foster is an artist and currently a graduate student at School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, NY. She views art as a tool to bring positive change in the world. She launched this bus tour with a doctor from Botswana in an effort to raise money to start a children’s hospital. This tour is a way for the Leah and her collaborative partner Una Mulale to meet people and begin a conversation about their  approach to healthcare, collaborative process, and the children’s conference they are planning in Botswana in November of 2014. They also see the bus as a space to open authentic conversation about race, gender, and equality. To read more about her project, click here.