Mad Ave Manslaughter Delights BICsters

2/24/2017 Unknown 0 Comments



On Wednesday night, BIC celebrated the second edition of Michael Farmer's smash hit Madison Avenue Manslaughter with a book signing event on the CCNY campus. This paperback version includes new material as well as a forward by John Seifert, Chairman & CEO of Ogilvy and Mather.


The award-winning book tells truth to power as an inside view of "fee-cutting clients, profit-hungry owners, and declining ad agencies." It's been a bestseller for publisher LID Publishing, who provided the books and refreshments for the event. Students stood on line and posed for photos -- even though many would be spending time with the author later that evening in B3003 Internal Management, the class that he teaches at BIC. Last year, students were unable to get copies of the book because it had sold out on Amazon after a popular article in Forbes.


BIC Professor Michael Farmer is Chairman and CEO of Farmer & Company, a consulting firm that advises advertising agencies. Prior to founding his own company, Professor Farmer was a strategy consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and Director of Bain & Company. With degrees from Princeton and Harvard, he brings vast expertise into the classroom and advises on the BIC curriculum.

Preach, Michael. Preach.







PRSA-NY Big Apple Awards Introduces Diversity and Inclusion Categories

2/24/2017 Unknown 0 Comments


The Big Apple Awards makes a big leap forward with the introduction of Diversity and Inclusion categories. For creative industries such as public relations, texture and richness arise through diversity of people and diversity of thought. 

Yet, even as Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) becomes a top-of-mind issue for executives across all business sectors, the difficulty of identifying best practices and assigning metrics to track D&I activities has remained a challenge to overcome.  
The search for solutions in the PR industry has given PRSA-NY, a unique leadership opportunity.  

Prof. Angela Chitkara, Associate Director of the PRSA-NY Big Apple Awards and BIC PR Track Director explains how the introduction of two new D&I award categories in the 2017 Big Apple Awards program takes a significant stride toward recognizing and showcasing the investments of time, creativity, resources, and the long-term commitment that agencies and firms are making in D&I. 


Read the full article here

Mentor Like You Mean It

2/19/2017 Unknown 0 Comments


As each new BIC class enters the program, students make their industry debut at BIC's annual mid-town event called "Mix+Mentor" where communications pros mingle, mix, and promise to mentor BICsters throughout their two year journey.

This year, BIC held its M+M at the gorgeous new offices of R/GA on 33rd Street.  Steeped in design, technology, and creativity, R/GA is considered the company for the connected age™ committed to creating world-class work that's ahead of it time -- AND to mentoring future leaders from BIC!! This year, we had a "mentor-cam" mixing it up at the M+M to capture some highlights by asking guests: "What does mentorship mean to you?" 


Thanks, Mira Steinzor, for editing our video. And thanks to everyone who came to this year's M+M at R/GA!

BIC Profs to Judge One Club's Young Ones Competition

2/19/2017 Unknown 0 Comments


The ONE Club has invited BIC Professors Nancy Tag and Gerardo Blumenkrantz to be among its international jury of professionals and educators for the 2017 Young Ones Competitions, perhaps the most acclaimed advertising, interactive and design student competitions on the planet, dating back to 1986.


Thousands of students across the globe compete to win Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils. The Pencil winners are awarded at the annual One Show Young Ones Education Festival awards ceremony during Creative Week in May and finalists are published in the prestigious One Show Annual as well as online in the Young Ones Awards Archive. 

Last year, a BIC team won the Gold Pencil for its submission “Effigies for Equality” to help end gender discrimination. To relive last year’s glory, click on the video below…

Heineken Partners with BIC in New CSR Initiative

2/19/2017 Anonymous 0 Comments


HEINEKEN USA, the nation’s leading upscale beer importer, is partnering with BIC Class of 2017 on a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative that amplifies its current DRINK OR DRIVE campaign which encourages people to make responsible drinking choices. Tara Rush, Chief Corporate Relations Officer of HEINEKEN USA, and Tina Kaiser, Director at APCO Worldwide, came to The City College campus last Thursday to brief the class on the parameters of the assignment.
Tara Rush, Chief Corporate Relations Officer of Heineken, USA

As part of the company’s commitment to eliminate drunk driving, HEINEKEN USA (HUSA) has re-examined the way this topic is typically communicated.  The commonly used phrase “Don’t drink and drive" includes the conjunction “and” which implicitly links together the words "drinking" and "driving." HUSA wants to strengthen the antithetical nature of those two actions and replace the word “and” with “or.” By asking the question, “Will you drink or drive?”, HUSA believes it can change an age-old conversation, transform consumer behavior, and promote better decision-making.
Tina Kaiser, Director at APCO Worldwide

Advocating responsible citizens and better decision-making is a part of HUSA’s "Brewing a Better World" philosophy and is a key priority within the company’s global business strategy. This makes Heineken a progressive voice in the beverage industry and speaks to the brand’s core values. BICsters were especially excited to join Heineken in its efforts to change the public narrative.

Each Spring, BICsters compete as three interdisciplinary teams to develop branding and integrated communications campaigns for a corporate client that are pitched at the end of the semester. Past clients have included Universal Music Group and Univision. This capstone course is overseen by BIC Program Director, Professor Nancy R. Tag.

BIC's Latest MAIP Superstar: Sean Feol-Baugh

2/09/2017 Unknown 0 Comments


BIC is pleased to announce another MAIP All-Star: Sean Feol-Baugh has been selected to work in the Account Management Department at McCann New York this summer. This is the fourth year (out of four) that one of our BIC students has earned a spot in this prestigious 4A's Multicultural Internship Program

Sean's multicultural background makes him the ideal candidate for MAIP. Having had the benefit of living in another country, he brings a unique perspective to how he engages people and his work. Recently, Sean has been involved in Workforce Development, more specifically as an Instructor/ Counselor in the Second Life Job Training Program at Housing Works. Being an advocate for social change and the education of the underprivileged, Sean is a humble individual who is determined to help those less fortunate than he.

Originally from Jamaica, Sean has lived in two countries and travelled extensively which has broadened his perspective and increased his ability to learn from others. He is poised to make the most of his time in the BIC program and make an impact on the industry.

Each year, undergraduate and graduate students are selected for the 10-week paid summer internship at a 4A's member advertising agency. Students gain practical work experience, establish key industry contacts, and become better prepared to land a full-time job in communications when they graduate. Upon completion of the program, interns become members of the MAIP Alumni Association, a close-knit family of over 2,600 MAIP graduates that fosters the development of future MAIP interns as well as the professional development of the program's alumni.

Sean joins Melissa Julien (BIC ’17) who interned last summer at DigitasLBi, Chris Villanueva (BIC '15) who is now a copywriter at DigitasLBi, and Ivan Ramirez (BIC ’16) as BIC beneficiaries of the 4A's MAIP. Because most graduate students are active professionals, few BICsters apply for and receive this honor. Nonetheless, BIC is proud to have had a MAIP recipient every year since BIC launched in 2013.

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CEOs Mix Business with Politics in a HUGE Way

2/07/2017 Unknown 0 Comments


In an exclusive interview with Fox News this past weekend, US President Donald J. Trump said, "I'm an honest person. The country has very, very, very deep-seated problems. We have to do something about it."

CEOs have taken positions, already. According to WeberShandwick Research, more than one half of adult Americans expect CEOs to engage in hot button issues. The most recent one involves U.S. President Donald J. Trump's executive order that prohibits travel for people originating from seven predominant Muslim countries.

The Holmes Report interviewed WeCommunications president Alan VanderMolen who is calling the government and regulatory landscape "unprecedented." "There's a real focus on the integration of public affairs and marketing into communications in ways we've never imagined."


Read more here: http://bit.ly/2kuwpkc

FTC Feels Like Somebody's Watching Me (and You)

2/07/2017 Unknown 0 Comments



Musical artists Rockwell and the late Michael Jackson sang, "I almost feel like somebody's watching me." Well, it's happening. 

According to a recent release from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), VIZIO, one of the world's largest manufacturers and sellers of internet-connected "smart" televisions has been slapped with a $2.2 million fine for collecting viewing data of 11 million viewers without their consumer's consent-- or knowledge. 

Think you’re not being followed even after you deleted your cookies, emptied your cache and adjusted your web browser settings? Think again. Recently, Digital Advertising Company Turn agreed to settle charges brought up by the FTC that “ it deceived consumers by tracking them online and through their mobile applications, even after the consumers took steps to opt out of such tracking.” The FTC complaint alleges the Redwood City, CA based company tracked millions of Verizon Wireless customers through the use of  "unique identifiers,” even after they were blocked or deleted. The proposed FTC consent order requires Turn to provide an explicit opt-out policy for consumers who do not want their information used for targeted advertising. 



To read the FTC's December 20th release, click here: http://bit.ly/2inkph2

IOT (Internet of Things) Now Ready For Business

2/07/2017 Unknown 0 Comments


There will be more than 20 billion IoT ( Internet of Things) devices by 2020 that connect to the internet in some form, according to Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm. The story of IoT in the marketplace has advanced from the B2C in which businesses were selling to consumers to the way in which businesses can leverage IoT in increasing organizational efficiency.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/2jFlOyC