Tag: Advertising Industry

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Faculty Faculty Research International Advertising Professional Development Research

New Research on Virtual Influencers by Dr. Xie

 

Dr. Quan Xie has conducted new research on “Prosocial Campaigns With Virtual Influencers: Stories, Messages, and Beyond” alongside Eunjin Kim, Joo-Wha Hong, and Hye Min Kim.

How can virtual influencers be used to promote prosocial messages? In the digital age, virtual influencers (VIs) hold great potential to enhance prosocial campaigns. This research aims to identify effective strategies for using VIs to create a greater impact, build deeper connections with consumers, and drive meaningful social change. Specifically, it examines how VIs can promote socially responsible behaviors, such as raising awareness about cyberbullying. The study explores whether storytelling (narrative messaging) can make VIs more effective in delivering prosocial messages.

The study concentrates on the ways in which social media platforms have revolutionized the curation and diffusion of material. Influencers are leading the way in these changes, with Virtual Influencers (VIs) occupying a unique space in digital interaction. The use of virtual influencers (VIs) to encourage socially conscious behavior is examined in this research. By contrasting human-like (HVIs) and anime-like (AVIs) influencers, as well as narrative vs. non-narrative messaging approaches, it looks at how VIs can successfully transmit prosocial messages.

The research tested two types of VIs: one that looks human-like (human-like virtual influencers, HVIs) and another with an anime-style appearance (anime-like virtual influencers, AVIs), across two messaging styles—narrative (storytelling) and non-narrative (informational). Focusing on Gen Z and younger Millennials, the results showed that HVIs were more effective than AVIs in increasing support for the social cause and enhancing message credibility, especially when the message was non-narrative. However, when using a narrative style, this advantage of HVIs disappeared, with no significant difference in effectiveness between HVIs and AVIs in terms of message credibility and intent to support the cause. This study offers valuable insights for marketers and non- profit organizations on the effective use of VIs in disseminating prosocial messages.

In addition, the study highlights how look and narrative influence viewers understanding and reaction to prosocial messages from VIs, providing useful information for companies and marketers.

This research was presented in the annual 2024 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) in August.

Read the full research article here.

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Exxon Mobil Lecture Series

2023 ExxonMobil Lecture Series on Sustainability: Insights from Global Leader Maddy Kulkarni of PepsiCo

The 2023 ExxonMobil Lecture Series on Sustainability, hosted by the Temerlin Advertising Institute at SMU, is highly anticipated event each year. On Thursday, March 30th, students and industry professionals gathered at the Angelika Theater in Dallas, Texas to hear from a global leader in sustainability, Maddy Kulkarni, Global Marketing Director of Sustainability & Social Impact at PepsiCo.

Maddy Kulkarni - Sustainable Brands

During the lecture, Maddy discussed how she drives successful and socially responsible brands at PepsiCo, sharing insights from her book, “Social Impact Marketing: The Essential Guide for Changemakers.” She also highlighted the importance of marketing in driving both business and social impact and shared her experiences serving on the Advisory Board of Sustainable Brands and as PepsiCo’s liaison to the World Federation of Advertisers.

Maddy’s impressive background and expertise in sustainability and social impact made her a valuable speaker for this year’s ExxonMobil Lecture Series. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of how businesses can use marketing to drive sustainability and how individuals can make a positive impact in their communities.

In addition to being a thought-provoking lecture, the ExxonMobil Lecture Series provided attendees with a valuable networking opportunity. Before and after the lecture, guests had the chance to mingle and connect with fellow sustainability enthusiasts, students, and industry professionals. Food and drinks were also available, creating a social and welcoming atmosphere for attendees to exchange ideas and build relationships.

This aspect of the event was particularly exciting for students, as it allowed them to connect with potential mentors and industry leaders in a more informal setting. For Dallas area professionals, it was an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and ideas in sustainability.

The Temerlin Advertising Institute at SMU continues to provide invaluable opportunities for students and professionals to learn about and engage with sustainability. Overall, the ExxonMobil Lecture Series on Sustainability with Maddy Kulkarni was a great success, not just as a lecture but also as a networking opportunity. We look forward to future events that bring together the sustainability community to continue driving positive change in our world.

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AAF Dallas Awards and Projects Competitions News TAI Students Undergraduate Students

TAI TAKES HOME 30 AWARDS AT THE DALLAS ADDYS

Written by: Stella Cofoid

“The weight and distinction of these awards are marked not only by the talents of the students, but also by the win over many large and world-renowned agencies that were also in direct competition” 

Amongst the extraordinary, with an extravaganza to match, the annual ADDY’s was held on February 26, 2022. An exuberant and staggering 30 of the 38 student awards were awarded to Temerlin Advertising Institutes undergraduates at the annual symposium. Students took home twelve bronze awards, twelve silver, five gold, and the “Best of Show” award. TAI’s students, amongst professionals and other institutes of higher enrollment, was the only undergraduate program to take home a gold award. The weight and distinction of these awards are marked not only by the talents of the students, but also by the win over many large and world-renowned agencies that were also in direct competition from the Dallas-Ft-Worth metroplex.

When asked about the distinction and rigor of this competition, undergraduate professor Dr. Mark Allen stated that he was “very proud of this group of students and my TAI colleagues who have helped nurture our small-but-mighty program.” Dr. Allen pays special tribute to Willie Baronet and Cheryl Mendenhall, as it is through their creative guidance that “Temerlin continues to punch in a much heavier weight class than our size would typically allow. What other universities attempt to do with hundreds of students and dozens of faculty, we’ve been able to accomplish with a highly-skilled “special ops” group,” Dr. Allen states.

The praise won’t stop here. The winners of these awards will move to the District Ten competition, of which include all finalists from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. From there, Nationals will follow suit showcasing the best talent from across the United States on both the undergraduate and professional level. 

Congratulations to the following Dallas ADDY Winners for 2022. You are a part of what gives Temerlin its astute distinction and credibility in such a subjective field. 

Bravo! 

 

DALLAS ADDY WINNERS 2022

BRONZE / Dallas Ballet Academy > Out-Of-Home Campaign

Ceci Luther and Thida Sok

 BRONZE / Hearing Loss Association of America > Integrated Campaign

Ethan Rios, Ra Kazadi, and Thida Sok

 BRONZE / Inkbox Temporary Tattoos > Magazine Advertising

Anika Crouser and Sophie Heidenreich

BRONZE / Temerlin Advertising Institute > Out-Of-Home Poster Campaign

Tessa Conti

 BRONZE / Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets > Integrated Campaign

Caroline Soja and Ceci Luther

 BRONZE / QuadPay: Indulge Yourself > Art Direction

Natalie Castillo

 BRONZE / Story Corps / NPR Podcast > Out-Of-Home

Brittany Cooksey and Grace Peek

 BRONZE / Temerlin Advertising Institute > Art Direction

Tessa Conti

 BRONZE / Divorced Beheaded Died Survived > Book Design

Sarah Scambray

 BRONZE / US Postal Service: Through it All > Magazine Advertising 

Ethan Rios and Palmer Beldy

 BRONZE / Ring Video Doorbell > Integrated Campaign

Ra Kazadi

 BRONZE / Sabrina Handal Business Card > Stationery 

Sabrina Handal

 SILVER / Trust & Will Online Estate Planning > Integrated Campaigns 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Charlotte Jernigan

 SILVER / Apartments.com > Out-Of-Home

Maggie Daly and Wolffe Bonewell

 SILVER / Obsessed with the Beard Feature > Publication Design

Sarah Scambray

 SILVER / Protect Your Hearing PSA > Out-Of-Home

Ethan Rios, Ra Kazadi, and Thida Sok

 SILVER / Protect Your Hearing PSA  > Magazine Advertising

Ethan Rios, Ra Kazadi, and Thida Sok

 SILVER / Trust & Will Online Estate Planning > Copywriting 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Charlotte Jernigan

 SILVER / Angi’s List > Magazine Advertising

Alexa May

 SILVER / Apartments.com > Copywriting

Maggie Daly and Wolffe Bonewell

 SILVER / Dad Grass: Low Dose Hemp Joints > Integrated Campaign

Sarah Scambray and Sam Zimmerman

 SILVER / Gabb Wireless Phones for Kids > Copywriting

Helen Cheever

 SILVER / Girl Scouts > Magazine Advertising 

Meriel Upton and Olivia Hernandez

 SILVER / Half Price Books > Integrated Campaign 

Sarah Scambray, Palmer Beldy and Sam Zimmerman

 GOLD / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Animation or Special Effects 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

 GOLD / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Television Advertising 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

 GOLD / LEGO: When did you stop building? > Art Direction

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

 GOLD / The One Club: Pay Your Interns PSA > Integrated Campaigns

Grace Peek and Palmer Beldy

 GOLD / Waffle House: Your House Away From Home > Integrated Campaigns 

Megan Ferm and Brooke Betik

 BEST OF SHOW / LEGO: When did you stop building? 

Elizabeth Skrmetta and Ethan Rios

Best of Show winners Ethan Rios and Elizabeth Skrmetta with professors Willie Baronet and Mark Allen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the ‘Best of Show’ ad here: https://vimeo.com/654037863

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Community Outreach Guest Lecturers Internships Internships Professional Development TAI Classes TAI Students Undergraduate Students

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS: Advertising Course Connects Students to Internships

Last week the Temerlin Advertising Institute hosted its annual communications career fair, organized by Temerlin’s Sandi Edgar and held in conjunction with her Business Communications class. The evening began with Ivonne Kinser from Avocados From Mexico and Francisco Cardenas from LERMA/ breaking down their Super Bowl strategy and the cross-collaboration needed to produce their award-winning work. Students then met with agencies hiring for both full-time and internship positions.

Have a position you’d like to share with our students? Learn more here.

Thank you to all who participated:

Agency Entourage

Avocados From Mexico

Inspire

Launch Agency

LERMA/

MarketScale

RocketBrand

Slant Partners

The Power Group

The Richards Group

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AAF AAF Dallas Better Advertising. Better World. Community Outreach Professional Organizations Social Responsibility

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS: What’s it Like to Serve on a Board of Directors?

Temerlin’s Sandi Edgar wanted to know more about the AAF so she started attending events, this quickly evolved into joining the AAF Dallas Board of Directors in 2018. There she met some pretty incredible advertisers and quickly found her way as the AAF Dallas Education Chair.

A board of directors is the governing body of a nonprofit which is responsible for overseeing an organization’s activities. In this case, AAF Dallas board members meet monthly to discuss and vote on the affairs of the chapter. In addition to attending these meetings and AAF events, Edgar creates programs to engage college students and works with other board members to include educational initiatives in their planning. In 2019, AAF Dallas won second place nationally for its 17 educational programs! “Serving on a board is a really fun and rewarding way to serve our industry and community, I strongly recommend everyone connect to a non-profit and give back” Edgar explains.

Edgar has a new AAF position and recently sat down with Ray Schilens, CEO and founder of Radio Lounge, to discuss her role as the first American Advertising Federation District Education chair. As District 10 education chair, Edgar serves as a liaison between AAF national and district educational programs and initiatives. Whether it’s working with local representatives to onboard new NSAC (National Student Advertising Competition) schools, relaying information to professors in the district, or working with clubs to involve students, this role is new for the AAF and continues to evolve. Listen here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/cfae3f24

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Better Advertising. Better World. Faculty Faculty Research Professional Development Professional Organizations Social Responsibility

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Dr. La Ferle Attends Global CMO Growth Council Meeting

Dr. Carrie La Ferle, Marriott Endowed Professor of Ethics & Culture, participated in the Global CMO Growth Council meeting last week in NYC examining Brand Experience, Creativity, & Media. The meeting focused on putting people first to drive growth through innovation, insights, creativity, experiential, and media.

Over the past two years, the ANA, Cannes Lions, and the Global CMO Growth Council have identified four priorities for driving industry growth: 1) Data, Technology, and Measurement; 2) Talent and Marketing Organization; 3) Brand Experience, Creativity, and Media; and 4) Society and Sustainability.

Anheuser-Busch graciously hosted the event last week and several CMOs cutting across multiple companies joined from Ernst & Young and Moet Hennessy to Subway, Stoli Group and Viacom as well as from Cannes Lions. Marcel Marcondes, U.S. CMO Anheuser-Busch provided a great overview of how Anheuser-Busch is working to drive growth by learning and listening more to consumers while also diversifying their offerings. Spencer Gordon, VP, Digital for Anheuser-Busch shared some of the recent wins that were driven by starting small and local to ensure relevance, using social media, then listening to reactions, and broadening the scope when reactions were good.

Future meetings are planned over the next few months across the four priorities leading up to Cannes Lions, where the Global CMO Growth Council originated in 2018.

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Ad Club Faculty Professional Development TAI Students Undergraduate Students

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS: Students Rank Super Bowl Ads

By Kaleb Mulugeta

This Tuesday prospective and current advertising students gathered to rank and review Super Bowl LIV ads. Think of it as a Super Bowl party, two days after the Super Bowl, with no actual Super Bowl. Just commercials. An advertising student’s dream come true.

“The annual Super Bowl Ad Off is the perfect forum for both ad majors and non-ad students to discuss the most talked-about commercials of the year. One of the most important steps that someone interested in advertising can take is to expose themselves to as much work as possible. Not only that but developing a taste for what is good vs great vs what misses the mark is essential when entering this competitive field. Ad Club’s meetings provide the perfect place to discuss, learn and grow” explains Ad Club President Allie Hartman. Students gave their two cents on whether the ads were appropriate for the respective brands, how effective they were, and collectively raised an eyebrow at #BabyNut.

A poll at the end of the night crowned these spots as the best of the bunch:

  1. Google – Loretta 
  2. Alexa – Before Alexa
  3. Jeep – Groundhog Day

The most disliked ad of the game goes to Olay – Make Space for Women. It began as a strong empowering statement for women but they threw away everything in the last 3 seconds by using the “a woman makes a silly mistake” stereotype when an unknown button is pressed which ejects the astronauts from the space shuttle. They almost had it, too bad.

 Learn more about Ad Club and join here.

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Better Advertising. Better World. Conference Engaged Learning Faculty Faculty Research Professional Development

WPromote: “Profit Driven Marketing with Facebook”

Wpromote is a digital marketing agency headquartered in California has regional offices in Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, etc. It is also known as the challenger agency and focuses on search marketing, paid & earned social media, and marketing intelligence. This April, Wpromote partnered with Facebook and held its first profit-driven marketing summit. It was an invitation based exclusive event, and two of our TAI faculty, Anna Kim and Hye Jin Yoon were invited. Last year, the agency had a similar event with Google.  

Dr. Kim and Dr. Yoon at the Event.

It was an all-day event and well-attended by industry professionals. It is interesting to note that Dr. Yoon and Dr. Kim were the only academic professionals. They said, they really enjoyed the program. “The summit not only offered us an excellent opportunity to meet industry professionals but also informed us many interesting new trends as well as challenges that today’s media industry is facing. Keynote speeches and sessions were organized around the following three themes: leveraging profit-driven marketing & customer lifetime value (LTV), new customers acquisition, and visual storytelling through video.” 

 
Here are some notes from Dr. Yoon and there’s a link in the bottom where you can download some of the presentations from Wpromote. Unfortunately, presentations from Facebook are not provided due to the sensitive nature of some of the content, it is Facebook’s policy not to distribute their presentations.
 
  • Businesses need to adopt mobile first strategies: consumers are increasingly discovering products through mobile, there is 41% faster content consumption on mobile than desktop, and on average, consumers search fewer products on smartphones than desktops before making a purchase.
  • eCommerce goes global: cross-border e-commerce with emerging economies have taken off; businesses need to be there effortlessly across the globe; these countries never had strong desktop culture and have leaped on to mobile, which creates a different set of opportunities.
  • Mobile video content is exploding: video is a primary way to discover and buy products and leverage video as merchandising tool affords highly dynamic immersive experiences.
  • Visual storytelling through video creative that converts: customers want to see themselves in your product; visuals are processed 60K times faster than text by the human brain; visual storytelling can help every stage of the consumer’s journey; great video isn’t about things, it’s about action (verbs before nouns); focus on people, their goals, and how the brand can help accomplish them.

Summit Promote Presentations (click the link for download)
Click here to learn more about Wpromote and its first-ever profit-driven marketing summit.

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AAF Awards and Projects Better Advertising. Better World. Professional Organizations Scholarship TAI Students Undergraduate Students

TAI Student Alissa Llort Was Awarded Two Major Scholarships

Alissa Llort, a junior advertising student on the Strategic Brand Management track, was this year’s recipient of the 2018 Irene Runnels – Paula McStay Scholarship and the AAF-Tenth District Scholarship.

On April 5, 2018, the Dallas Area Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, Inc. awarded scholarships in the names of Irene Runnels, a distinguished and respected Dallas broadcaster and Paula McStay, a former Fort Worth advertising executive. Alissa was honored for her accomplishment at the Dallas Area Alliance for Women in Media Foundation Award of Excellence Gala. Applicants were considered on the basis of educational and career goals in their major field of study, activities and honors, service to community and references.

Alissa at the Dallas Area Alliance for Women in Media Foundation Award of Excellence Gala.

Alissa feels that Irene Runnels and Paula McStay have truly paved the way for the next generation of women to chase their professional advertising dreams.  Alissa’s personal goal is to continue to empower young female leaders based on her college experiences. “I feel proud to have received an award from an organization that supports successful women in the media industry, because when we support each other, we are unstoppable!,” she said. Alissa is currently the marketing director at the Women Ambassadors Forum, a student run non-profit organization that aims to empower women globally through an annual forum held at SMU.  In this principal role she leads her team in branding, graphic design, PR, social media and marketing.

A few days later, on April 15, 2018, Alissa was selected to receive the AAF (American Advertising Federation) Tenth District Scholarship, and was honored at the Tenth District Annual Convention in Corpus Christi, Texas during the NSAC (National Student Advertising Competition), Student Reception.

AAF District 10 endorses $2,500 scholarships which are designed to recognize, promote and encourage academically talented students in advertising-related disciplines, helping them to complete their education. Alissa was one of only three students selected to receive this award, competing against applicants from four states, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Tenth District Annual Convention in Corpus Christi, Texas during the NSAC.

According to Alissa, TAI has inspired her to be a professional advertiser even before graduating. “My advertising classes and professors have been key into my growth throughout these two years,” she said. 

Please join the Temerlin Advertising Institute in congratulating Alissa on her outstanding achievements. TAI is thrilled to have Alissa’s talents recognized with these prestigious scholarships.

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Better Advertising. Better World. TAI Alumni

TAI Alum Jordan Kretchmer’s Company Livefyre Acquired by Adobe

Credit: Branding Magazine
Credit: Branding Magazine
Jordan Kretchmer (’06) Photo Credit: Branding Magazine

In July of 2009, TAI Alum Jordan Kretchmer (’06) founded Livefyre, a content marketing and engagement platform. In the past seven years Livefyre has grown tremendously, acquiring customers like CNN, Coca-Cola, Major League Baseball, and Cisco. Due to their growing success, Livefyre caught the eye of Adobe, who has since acquired and integrated it into their Adobe Experience Manager.

In his time at SMU, Kretchmer was a member of Praxis, SMU’s award-winning Ad Team, for two consecutive years. He served as Vice President and Creative Director and was a presenter for the Visit Florida campaign, which won the 2004 National Championship in the American Advertising Federation’s National Student Advertising Competition.

Kretchmer had a successful career in advertising before founding his company. He worked as an Art Director at Tribal DDB, VP Associate Creative Director at Mullen, Associate Creative Director at Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, and Vice President Brand at Current TV. He is also currently on the Board of Directors at Mashable and is a Venture Partner at Draft Ventures and will continue his work as CEO of Livefyre, while also working with Adobe.

After being acquired by Adobe in May, Livefyre became a product available within the Adobe Experience Manager, as well as remaining a stand-alone service outside of Adobe. According to Adobe, “[Livefyre is] an all-new capability of Adobe Experience Manager that lets you tap into everything shared on the web to create a constant flow of fresh and high-quality content on your own sites.”

Photo Credit: Ken Yeung/VentureBeat
Photo Credit: Ken Yeung/VentureBeat

The purpose of Livefyre is to allow companies access to user-created content in one aggregated location. Originally Livefyre was created as a commenting platform, where companies can gather all the comments being posted online about their product, service or event, in one place. Many of the major news sources, including Fox News and CNN, use this aspect of Livefyre to display comments during live events, like political debates.

In an interview with Branding magazine, Kretchmer explained “when you integrate user-generated content with professionally-created content you get to tell your story alongside all of your best fans.” Livefyre was created to be this solution for brands, and now the company that Kretchmer created from scratch seven years ago is providing that solution to some of the biggest brand names on one of the biggest platforms available, Adobe.