Charlie Malekan and Claudia Iraheta from The Richards Group guest lectured in Gordon Law’s 3303 Advertising Media class on Thursday, January 23rd. In addition to sharing information about TRG with the students, they also shared their annual Media Trends presentation, summarized below.
Interview by Professor Mark Allen
Ask any advertising student (or professional) to name who’s on their career bucket list and most likely you’ll find Apple near the top. In the same league as brands like Nike, Volkswagen and Coke, the creative heavyweight from Cupertino consistently pumps out ads that are just as revolutionary as their products.
This September, Apple released its much-anticipated iPhone 11 Pro with a seriously beefed-up camera. To show off the device’s impressive new video capabilities, Apple asked TAI alumnus, Diego Contreras (’08), to create a short film for the official worldwide launch at the most recent Apple Keynote. With an iPhone 11 Pro and an extraordinary amount of talent, this is what he produced:
The new iPhone camera is incredible, no doubt. But one thing is even clearer to me: I still don’t expect my videos to look anywhere near this good—that is, unless Diego Contreras happens to be holding my iPhone.
I’ve kept up with Diego and his career ever since he was an art direction student of mine back in 2006–08. In addition to being a unique creative talent, he’s one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. Whether it’s dinner when we find ourselves in the same city or giving advice to my advertising students via Skype, he always makes time in his busy schedule to catch up and give back.
One of my fondest memories of Diego was how he always found a way to have fun while working so hard. When he returned to our program as a senior, I asked him to lead our Fall Startup Meeting—our annual gathering of creative students after returning from summer break. Diego kicked off the event with a crazy video he shot and edited of him and a few other creative students wreaking havoc at a local grocery store on motorized carts. He even hosted a goofy awards show, featuring trophies that he made himself. He gave me the Vidal Sassoon Best Hair Award, made from an empty bottle of shampoo that he spray-painted gold. It was very much like Diego’s own version of The Dundie Awards. The point here is that Diego spent a ton of time creating a bunch of completely unnecessary content and made-up awards in order to foster a culture of fun and creativity around hard work. More than 10 years later, I still see the effects of Diego’s contribution to the culture of fun, hard work and camaraderie in our program.
Since graduating from SMU, Diego has worked for a truly impressive list of agencies. He started out as art director at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky in Boulder, then went to Anomaly in New York. He became an associate creative director at BBDO and then launched out on his own as a film and commercial director, currently working with Reset Content in LA. In light of his momentous project for Apple, I caught up with Diego and hit him with a barrage of questions:
SMU Advertising students spent their winter vacation exploring the Dallas Advertising Industry.
A special topics course led by Professor Peter Noble delved into current media, advertising agency structure, and agency work culture for six hours per day for eight days as part of SMU’s January Term. A group of select undergraduate and graduate students visited Dallas ad agencies including TracyLocke and The Richards Group to get a backstage tour of the agencies, network and get the insiders’ perspectives from presentations given by agency professionals themselves.
Many students participate in for-credit internships through the Temerlin Advertising Institute Internship Program. “Students are able to find their own internships, but many agencies actively seek out our students as they are ready to contribute from day one,” relayed Professor Noble.
Graduate student Munir Abdurahman describes the power of small courses at Temerlin: “The experience I had at Commerce House is something I’ll always remember about this course. After we toured the agency I spent some time talking to the person that gave us the tour. I asked her some questions about what her experience was like during her graduate career at SMU. Lauren mentioned that it was a wonderful experience and that she wouldn’t be where she is today without being in the program. She also mentioned that I should always network and be involved in the program as opportunities can come out of nowhere!”
SMU Advertising students have recently interned at:
Employers interested in hiring our students, please see the following information about the internship program.
Congratulations to TAI Students Isaac Cordova and Will Sutter for achieving the TOP creative award in the Texas Central Bullet Train Short Film Competition! And thank you to everyone who voted them to first place, we are proud!
Visit texascentral.com to stream their award-winning video.
“I spent this summer working at Marina Maher Communications as a Digital Marketing Intern in New York City. At Marina Maher, I was able to work with big brands daily, such as Novartis and PlanB One Step. I conducted extensive research and in-depth analyses of different brands. I learned about the healthcare industry, and grew proficient in several tools including Brandwatch and Unmetric.”
ILSE AREVALO (May ’20)
“This summer I interned at Blu Creative, which was started by a Temerlin alum! I learned about influencer marketing and social media management on their digital marketing team. I organized photoshoots, created organic growth marketing strategies, and designed social media decks for two clients.”
WHITNEY WILKERSON (May ’20)
“This summer I interned at Southwest Airlines on the paid media team. I have learned about influencer management from an in-house perspective and worked with a team to coordinate an onsite influencer event!”
MARY ELIZABETH CORDIA (May ’20)
“As a social intern at the Infinite Agency, I have worn many hats this summer which has been incredible. I have been able to travel to shoots, work on social calendars and copy for clients, help build out audits for potential new businesses, to even creating and concepting an entire campaign for our intern project. Infinite is truly helping me create a future in advertising!”
VICTORIA JACKSON (May ’21)
“As an intern for the Dallas Cowboys, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to see advertising and branding play out on a large scale working for the NFL. I’m happy to say that I’ve gained extensive first-hand experience about how branding works on such a large scale and can’t wait to take this knowledge out into the real world!”
SOPHIE MOORE (May ’20)
“As the Ad Review Intern for BBB Dallas I’ve been able to apply what I learned in Dr. LaFerle’s Advertising, Society, and Ethics to practice and enhance my knowledge of ethical business practices in advertising and the marketplace.”
KALEB MULUGETA (May ’20)
“As a Copywriting Intern at TracyLocke Chicago, I’ve been learning the art of crafting stories for brands to articulate and amplify their presence in shopper marketing.”
MAX WALTON (Dec ’20)
I had an amazing experience this summer as a Digital Yield Management intern at WarnerMedia, NYC.
I further developed analytical skills and was introduced to many aspects of forecasting and business insights tools. My internship not only taught me about revenue management but also gave me the opportunity to work on creative partnership projects myself.
After many dollar slices, I walk away from NYC with new connections with amazing people and invaluable knowledge that will certainly help my career.
Kaleb Mulugeta
This experience entailed interning for Duval Guillaume, while also assisting Publicis Emil, the global network agency for Daimler, as well as doing an English voiceover for Leo Burnett—all agencies are entities of Publicis Groupe.
My presence has been a bit of a hot topic, as it is uncommon to hear of a Texan girl going all the way to Brussels for an internship. Yet, here I was! But it all started like this…
One random day in April, I found myself googling internships in Brussels. A few agencies piqued my interest, so I spent the next few days sending emails. To my surprise, I received a reply from an agency, Duval Guillaume. I was shortly in correspondence with the Account Manager, Axelle Gontier, who oversaw the internship program. A Skype interview was scheduled and that Friday I received word that I had gotten the internship. All of this in the span of a week!
Then on June 3rd, 2019 I arrived at the Publicis building, the office stood tall and looked prestigious. When I walked in I could see the building had an industrial meets modern feel. I would come to learn that it used to be a customs office. I was welcomed by Nathalie, the HR manager, who gave me an office tour which was followed up by a detour to IT, where I received my company laptop. Shortly after, I met the entire Duval team and settled at my desk to start my days as a Duval intern.
As my time here came to an end, I couldn’t help but to feel this bittersweet feeling. After initially feeling anxious about going into the unknown, I soon found my rhythm. I had my morning routine of taking the Stade 51 tram, walking to the office, talking to the receptionists, getting my morning coffee, and starting my day. I had so many wonderful teachers who were so patient and kind. I interacted with many talented people who gave me great insight into life in this industry.
Here are some of my top moments from my time in Brussels:
I was drawn to Brussels as I had fond memories of my time there with family, but I would have never expected to be an intern there. This summer in Brussels, at Duval Guillaume, was truly an experience that I will never forget!
Rani Vestal
The annual TAI Student Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 26 was a huge success! We always enjoy honoring our distinguished students for their dedication and accomplishments in the industry. Continue reading to view the award recipients.
President
Dalya Romaner
Vice President
Alissa Llort
Treasurer
Anna Grace Godoy
Events
Hunter Jackson
Outreach
Allie Hartman
Equestrian
Mary Elizabeth Cordia
Sherese Rivait
Volleyball
Meryn Kennedy
SILVER Medal* // Art Direction & Copy
COSTCO / “Prepared for anything.”
Gaelle Gachelin, AD/CW
Anna Rose Corell, AD/CW
HomeAdvisor / “Bridging the gap between you and home repair.”
Anna Rose Corell, AD/CW
Anger Room / “Lose your Cool. Keep your security deposit.”
Megan Cruikshank, AD
Graceley Todd, CW
Instacart / “Groceries delivered fast.”
Isaac Cordova, AD/CW
Sun Bum Sunscreen / “Get out there.”
Ellie Pace, AD/CW
Charlie O’Brien, AD/CW
BIC / “Light your way.”
Abby Coon, AD/CW
Madi Castellano, AD/CW
National Student Show
Dyala Ashfour
Allie Hartman
Young Ones Art Directors Club
Dyala Ashfour
Allie Hartman
Brie Bernstein
Dallas ADDY Award Winners
Dyala Ashfour
Brie Bernstein
Abby Coon
Megan Cruikshank
Kell Klopp
District 10 ADDY Award Winners:
Megan Cruikshank
Kell Klopp
This Honor Society at SMU recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication. Membership must be earned by excellence in academic work and is awarded to the top 10% of seniors graduating with degrees in communication disciplines.
Undergraduate
Ellie King
Avery Lewis
Dalya Romaner
Alegra Volpe
Graduate
Cat Scholl
AAF Multicultural Advertising Internship Program (MAIP)
Kayla Griffis
Dallas Area Alliance for Women in Media Foundation Scholarship
Kayla Griffis
Vance and Betty Lee Stickell Student Internship
Kayla Griffis
Washington Media Scholars Foundation Scholarship
Kayla Griffis
Most Promising Multicultural Student (MPMS)
Gabby Grubb
Alissa Llort
Dallas Fort Worth Interactive Marketing Association (DFWIMA) Scholarship
Lizzie Venditti
Advertising Education Foundation (AEFH) of Houston iHeart Media Scholarship
Kaleb Mulugeta
AAF Tenth District awarded a Scholarship
Brenda Rivera Franco
Vance and Betty Lee Stickell Student Internship
Kayla Griffis
Cassidy Najarian
Institute Graduate Scholars
Pepper Barker
Joel Garza
Alex Gurasich
Reilly Horsak
Hammond Lake
Cat Scholl
Morris Hite Memorial Scholarship
Hannah Belsinger
Allie Hartman
Isaac Cordova
Roger and Rosemary Enrico Scholarship
Emma Doyle
Katherine Menchaca
Kaleb Mulugeta
Andrew White
TAI Donald John Carty Leadership Award
Dalya Romaner
TAI Anchor Award
Gabby Grubb
TAI Optimizer Award
Maddy Paul
TAI Social Impact Award
Hillery Lemon
TAI Resilience Award
Allie Hartman
TAI Service Award
Alex Gurasich
TAI Team Player Award
Wyatt Welch
Face of TAI Award
Kayla Griffis
Graduate Reader
Cat Scholl
Undergraduate Reader
Dalya Romaner
Marshal
Avery Lewis
SMU Advertising Outstanding Senior In Strategic Brand Management
Dalya Romaner
SMU Advertising Outstanding Senior In Creative
Avery Lewis
SMU Advertising Outstanding Senior In Digital Media Strategy
Hannah Tymochko
TAI Outstanding Graduate Student
Cat Scholl
2018 Scholar of the Year
Carrie La Ferle
Service Exemplar
Mark Allen
Sandi Edgar
Student Support Super Star
Amber Benson
I am a junior majoring in Advertising with a specialization in Digital Media Strategy with minors in Graphic Design and Spanish. I’m also participating in the 4+1 SMU Advertising program that allows me to take undergraduate and graduate classes simultaneously in order to obtain bachelor’s and master’s advertising degrees in five years. During the 2018-2019 academic year, I received the following honors:
I applied for these scholarships, internships, and honors societies at the end of the fall semester and was extremely nervous during the application processes because of the programs’ prestige and competitiveness. Managing deadlines, requesting letters of recommendation from professors and mentors, staying on top of daily homework assignments, and studying for tests was no easy feat. Nevertheless, I was determined to submit my applications, in case I wasn’t accepted as a junior, to refine my skills and experiences before becoming a senior.
When I was first notified that I received the 2019 Washington Media Scholars Foundation Media Fellows Scholarship, I was shocked! I couldn’t believe it until I spoke with a representative of the foundation who told me that my application was impressive and well-received. And while this was surprising, receiving two other scholarships–the 2019 Dallas Area Alliance for Women in Media Irene Runnels-Paula McStay College Scholarship and Pi Beta Phi Foundation at SMU Scholarship–was even more overwhelming. Additionally, qualifying for the 2019 AAF Vance and Betty Lee Stickell Internship and the 4A’s Multicultural Advertising Internship Program were both amazing opportunities, though I ultimately decided to participate in the 4A’s Multicultural Advertising Internship Program because of its focus to promote inclusion and diversity in the advertising industry. I am very passionate about this. My induction into the SMU Decima Chapter of Mortar Board National Honors Society is a privilege in itself and I am grateful to be a part of this organization that recognizes leadership, community service, and scholarship among students. As a 2019 MAIP Fellow, I will work at Digitas in Boston as a Media Buying and Planning intern this upcoming summer and am extremely excited.
SMU Advertising has provided me with amazing opportunities to network with professionals and connect with my peers as we prepare for future careers in the advertising industry. I hope to help foster a world where minorities are celebrated and accurately represented. I believe that I will make a difference in the industry, as a voice for minorities, and receiving these honors is just the beginning.
Kayla Griffis
Did you know that you can minor in graphic design at SMU? SMU Advertising offers this minor to provide students with a basic understanding and development of skills necessary for design across all media.
I’m currently a junior and always knew that I wanted a creative career – I just didn’t know what it could be. So when I declared my English major in Dedman College as a sophomore, due to my love of writing and literature, I also considered minoring in other disciplines to figure out what I wanted to do in the real world. When I searched through the latest course catalog, I was most intrigued by the Typography class because I love art and fonts. However, I couldn’t take it because I needed to 1) declare the graphic design minor and 2) take three prerequisite classes. With limited Photoshop and Illustrator experience, I met with Cheryl, declared the minor and enrolled in Creative Production. My minors now include history, Spanish, and graphic design. They surprisingly fuse together nicely.
The graphic design minor is unique because it unites students from a variety of majors including the three advertising tracks, studio art and English. We all have different creative interests from 90s album covers to pop art which manifest in our work. I love the classes when we collectively critique design roughs because my peers’ feedback is always valuable and respectful – this ultimately pushes me to better my deigns. I also find it fascinating that we can be given the same project guidelines and produce utterly different, yet equally compelling, work. After taking the same courses these last few years, we’ve really bonded and come to understand each other’s styles in a small graphic design “cohort.”
I’ve almost completed the fourth and final prerequisite of the minor, and am eager to begin taking elective courses. However, the prerequisites were valuable and here’s why:
Despite my liberal arts major, the minor has helped me land a few advertising internships. Working at SLANT Partners in Downtown Dallas refined my professional skills because I learned how to gracefully correspond with clients. And the skills I developed through the graphic design classes also allowed me to work on real client projects including the brand development of a local philanthropic bakery. I now intern for the Temerlin Advertising Institute which has helped me meet more SMU Advertising faculty and learn about local networking opportunities. Because of this, I feel more connected to the school and industry alike.
If you’re considering the minor or are already enrolled in related courses, I encourage you to explore personal creative projects just for fun. The time you spend ‘playing’ is when you can really discover and develop your unique creative style. I spend much of my free time developing websites and animating graphics because those opportunities interest me but have not yet presented themselves in my courses. I also believe that I’m happier and more confident in my design skills through personal creative outlets because there’s no client or GPA pressure.
I’m excited to launch my creative career as a graphic designer after I graduate which would not be possible without the knowledge and experience I’ve acquired through the graphic design classes. I hope to work for a creative agency that specializes in digital, branding and packaging design. I’ve also considered freelancing before I eventually open up my own coffee shop… stay tuned.
Click here to learn more about the graphic design minor and course offerings.
Rani Vestal
Alissa Llort
This year I was selected as one of the 50 Most Promising Multicultural Students in the United States. This program was created by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) to immerse dedicated, multicultural students in the advertising industry before graduation. After being selected, I was invited to attend a 5-day conference in New York City. This was a unique experience for me because I visited the offices of various elite agencies and media companies including Wieden + Kennedy, Turner / CNN, Omnicom Group, Sparks and Honey, 72 and Sunny, McCann, FCB, and FCB Health, and IPG. During the visits, I spoke to advertising professionals and recruiters about agency culture, personal and professional experiences, and advocacy for multicultural talent in the industry.
Because this incredible opportunity unites hardworking students from different backgrounds across the country, I was able to connect with 
49 students and learn from their experiences in advertising so far. I value these connections because together we are the future generation of advertisers and may work for the same companies someday. I am extremely grateful to have been selected for this opportunity and I encourage all multicultural students to apply next year.
To end, I wanted to share some of the pearls of wisdom that I collected from this trip:
