So You Think You Can Dance: BICster Edition

10/21/2020 Unknown 0 Comments


"Never in a million years did I think going out on a whim would bring home a win" - 
Brionne Burns' 22  

Huge BIC congratulations to first-year BICster, Brionne Burns for winning the Where Are All The Black People (WAATBP) Talent Pitch! Brionne was one of many young BIPOC who entered the talent showcase to show off their extraordinary skills. Brionne is a first year in the Management/Planning Track. 

Creativity doesn't always fit nicely in a portfolio or resume where agencies expect to find it. That is why WAATBP has provided a stage (literally) for young BIPOC to show the industry another side to their talent. Due to the pandemic, the Talent Pitch was held virtually with contestants asked to submit a short video displaying their non-advertising creative talent as well as a short summary explaining how that talent makes you an asset and ties into your creative world. A panel of judges debated, discussed, and eventually then decided on a trio of winners including our very own BICster, Brionne Burns. 

For her submission, Brionne choreographed a solo in Tap, Jazz, and Hip Hop -- followed by a sequence of videos of her teaching her students original choreography to the different genres listed above. Brionne has been dancing since she was 4-years-old and is extremely passionate about dancing and choreography. You can check out her full performance here. 

WAATBP is one of many ongoing initiatives at The One Club for Creativity addressing inclusion and diversity in the industry. The One Club for Creativity is the world’s foremost non-profit organization recognizing creativity in marketing communications and design. 

BICsters are no strangers to the The One Club for Creativity and their annual One Show and Young Ones Award Shows. Back in May, for the third time in five years, BIC won GOLD at the 2020 Young Ones! With submissions from all over the world, only 500 entries from 17 countries made the 2020 Young Ones finalist list including BICsters, Paul Bernabe, Marian Cuestas, Cynthia Rojas, and Ping Sun (all BIC '21) who received the Gold Pencil for their North Face campaign “Nature Never Judges.”


We’re so proud of Brionne for her dedication to combining her passion for communications and dance. Her enthusiasm, drive and commitment is amazing to witness and we can't wait to see what her future holds as she continues her BIC journey. 

An Afternoon to Feed Your Curiosity: BIC Virtual Open House

10/14/2020 Unknown 0 Comments



 

Curious about becoming a #BICster? Join us on Wed, Oct 28th to learn more, experience virtually, and be inspired by The BIC Open House. 

Our unique 36-credit, portfolio-driven master's degree program combines theory and practice in an interdisciplinary, multi-tracked curriculum. Who are BICsters? Idea catalysts. Culture creators. Social Do-Gooders. Communication strategists. Creative managers. PR activators. Conceptualizers. Wordsmiths. Designers. Brand galvanizers. Problem solvers. Forward thinkers. Lateral thinkers. Deep thinkers. Non-Bloviators... Sound like you? Join us and find out more of what it takes to be part of the BIC program. 

The open house will kick off with The BIC Info Session at 4:30PM - 5:30PM where prospective BICsters will hear from BIC Program Director Nancy R. Tag and Program Manager Marlene Leo with an overview of the program and details on how to package your application. You will also have the opportunity to hear from a current BICster, plus time for Q&A -- come with questions!


Next up, join us for our signature @BIC Lecture series with StrawberryFrog's Founder and Chairman Scott Goodson's "Brand Purpose: Measuring Meaning with the Purpose Power Index". The lecture will take place between 6:00PM-7:00PM. 


Scott will expand on his recent Inc. Magazine article, "How does your brand purpose stand up?" which introduces the Purpose Power Index, the world's first empirical study of purpose-based brands with 17,500 responses. Partnering with well-regarded research firm the RepTrak Company, Scott's team at StrawberryFrog has cracked the code on how to measure brand purpose -- finding that purpose does indeed matter to the public, clearly driving behavioral intent.

The final part of the Open House is down to you. Take your pick to see BIC in action and sit in on one of our classes including either:

One of BIC's foundational courses: B2002 Idea Development taught by BIC Professor and Director Nancy Tag.

OR

One of BIC's elective courses: B2050 Strategic Media taught by BIC Adjunct Professor Carole Walker.

Both will take place at 7:00PM - 8:00PM via Zoom. 

Curious? Register NOW to reserve your spot today! We look forward to welcoming you soon.



LEAD IN: The @BIC Fall 2020 Lecture Series

10/14/2020 Unknown 0 Comments

Are you ready to LEAD IN?  This semester, @BIC isn't just featuring game-changing leaders, but visionaries and iconoclasts who use their passion to change the world. Each lecture in this engaging series is unique, but all share a guiding principle: leadership isn't meaningful unless it's coupled with purpose and intentionality. From October to December, @BIC's 2020 Lead IN Lecture Series offers up monthly inspiration for those with aspirations. Don't miss a single one...!

On Wednesday, October 28, BIC welcomes Scott Goodson, Founder and Chairman of StrawberryFrog, for his @BIC Lecture "Brand Purpose." Scott will expand on his recent Inc. Magazine article, "How does your brand purpose stand up?" which introduces the Purpose Power Index, the world's first empirical study of purpose-based brands with 17,500 responses. Partnering with well-regarded research firm the RepTrak Company, Scott's team at StrawberryFrog has cracked the code on how to measure brand purpose -- finding that purpose does indeed matter to the public, clearly driving behavioral intent. Fast Company has recognized this as one of the biggest ideas in the world for 2020.



ABOUT the speaker:

Based in New York, Scott Goodson is the founder and CEO of StrawberryFrog, a global cultural movement firm. For 25 years he has helped leaders galvanize people and organizations around shared purpose via Movement Thinking to achieve competitive advantage. He has worked with Google, Emirates Airline, P&G, Truist, Mercedes, and Walmart. He has lectured at Harvard Business School and appeared in The New York Times, The Financial Times, and Harvard Business Review. 

His best-selling book, UpRising: How to Build Your Brand and Change the World by Sparking Cultural Movements, articulates five tenets of Movement Marketing, illustrated through case studies that draw upon interviews with over 40 global business leaders. His latest book, Activate Brand Purpose, written with Chip Walker, shows how Movement Thinking transforms leaders and companies in the Purpose Economy. It will be published in early 2021.

Register NOW to save your spot and hear from Scott!

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Up next on Monday, November 16, BIC welcomes Paul Kim + Sarah Irby for "Leaders. Mentors & Vice Versa," the second @BIC Lecture in our Fall 2020 LEAD IN Series. Join us as two business visionaries talk about corporate leadership, launching new brands, and the importance of mentoring. Plus: tips on how to make high-powered mentors work for you.


ABOUT the speakers:

Paul Kim is the founder of Capital vs Humans. He is also a Senior Fellow at The City College of New York (CCNY) where he focuses on global socioeconomic inequity. Paul has deep experience on Wall Street and global finance in prominent hedge funds and investment banks. He is also the co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Career Gear, a nonprofit that helps empower men to achieve financial independence. Paul earned a BS and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business where he was co-Captain of the NYU men’s varsity tennis team, and he is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

Sarah James Irby is the Brand Director of New Brands at Unilever. A global beauty industry expert in both product and consumer marketing, Sarah has launched over 100 new products and overseen engagement strategies for millions of consumers worldwide. In a career spanning 20+ years, she has travelled to over 20 countries while employed at the world’s leading cosmetics companies including L’Oreal, Coty, the Estee Lauder Companies and Unilever. Sarah oversees the management of a portfolio of brands including Innovation (developing new products and the campaigns to support them), Engagement (social media, advertising, website management), and Operations (P&L management, forecasting, retailer engagement and trade marketing).

RSVP here to hear from Paul Kim and Sarah James Irby!

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For the final lecture of the @BIC Fall 2020 series, BIC is thrilled to welcome Shameka Brown + Julius Dunn, II, Founders of The Adversity Group on Thursday, December 3 their @BIC Lecture "Leading With Intention: The Difference Between Non-Racist and Anti-Racist," a conversational, media-driven, and interactive session which will explore how the intersectionality of social categorizations is crucial to implementing systematic change within the industry. The Adversity Group takes a human-centered approach to helping business leaders connect, reflect, and respect difference. Its portfolio of partnerships and programs are designed to help companies identify racial inequalities, disparities, and biases. 



ABOUT the speakers:

Shameka M. Brown is a 20-year veteran of the creative department who's spent the majority of her advertising career as the only one there. As a woman of color and mother, she has experienced the emotional (and sometimes physical) isolation that usually comes along with working in creative environments. After witnessing the mass exodus of tremendously gifted talent throughout her career, she was moved to support this diverse group at the mid to senior-level. As a thought partner, she is now using innovation and her award-winning creativity to help tackle business problems like attrition and retention, one engagement at a time.

Shameka, who's taught copywriting at The City College of New York, is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Syracuse University with a Master’s degree from VCU Brandcenter.

Julius Dunn, II has worked relentlessly over the last decade to introduce innovative, grassroots initiatives to welcome the diversity needed to help sustain the evolution of advertising and media in the 21st century. As an award-winning industry change agent, he’s created integrated campaigns that have helped redefine hiring practices in a hyper-connected world and cultivated partnerships that have raised the international visibility of industry professionals - particularly those of Color.

As a Millennial entrepreneur, he’s led a series of bi-partisan efforts intent on ushering a culturally relevant workforce to serve multi-national brands that seek to authentically represent the diversity of their consumer market.

Attendance to "Leading with Intention: The Difference Between Non-Racist and Anti-Racist" is limited. REGISTER today to reserve your seat!

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ABOUT The @BIC Lecture Series: BIC's signature forum brings thought leaders and industry icons to campus each semester. Past speakers have included Sir Martin Sorrell, IPG's Michael Roth, Ketchum CEO Barri Rafferty, Iconic Designer Paula Scher, TBWA\Chiat\DayNY CEO Rob Schwartz, GroupM CDO/CEO Rob Norman, Golin CEO+ Matt Neale, Weber Shandwick President Gail Heimann, digital theorist Douglas Rushkoff as well as authors Michael Farmer, Douglas Davis, Marion Salzman, and Sandra Stahl.

We look forward to seeing you at our @BIC Fall Lecture Series soon!

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with BICster Eloisa Andre Gaona

10/13/2020 Unknown 0 Comments


“My journey through life and encounters with many different cultures has shaped my way of thinking and working.” — Eloisa Andre Gaona.  

It's National Hispanic Heritage Month! To celebrate, global software company Infor is spotlighting its Hispanic and Latinx colleagues -- including our very own BICster, Eloisa Andre Gaona, Class of 2016. 

As Infor's Marketing Director for Latin America, Eloisa focuses on demand generation in the region. Currently based in Buenos Aires where she was born and raised, Eloisa got her drive and urgency to work hard from a young age. After studying in Germany and England, Eloisa enrolled in the BIC program here in New York City. Being in the program strengthened her global perspective. Her BIC classmates helped her appreciate the value in each person’s contribution and point of view. 

While working in Infor's New York office after graduation, Eloisa had the chance to travel several times to other offices in Latin America. That sort of cross-continent collaboration has served her well now that she's back in the southern hemisphere where employee networks are key to increasing day-to-day productivity.  

You can read the full interview with Eloisa here. 

NiRey Reynolds BIC ’17 Stops By The ADcademics Podcast

10/13/2020 Unknown 0 Comments



"Opportunities are going to come your way. If the opportunity is there and it's bright and shiny, take it."
NiRey Reynolds.  

Wise words from our BICster, NiRey Reynolds from the BIC Class of 2017 who recently stopped by The ADcademics Podcast to discuss her role as Education Manager at The One Club for Creativity. NiRey also discusses useful information and resources that the organization offers and more. The ADcademics Podcast, hosted by Justin Dbarnette, conducts informational interviews with diverse advertising & marketing professionals and helps current & future advertisers better understand the ad industry.

Born and raised in New York City, NiRey attained a Bachelor's degree from Loyola University New Orleans before returning to New York to earn a Master's degree in the BIC program. In her current role, NiRey helps high school and college students find their way into creative professions and awards those who excel in their journeys. One of the biggest initiatives NiRey spearheads is Young Ones, global creative awards for students. The One Club for Creativity is an international nonprofit organization seeking to inspire, encourage, and develop creative excellence in advertising and design. 

It's great to hear from NiRey and see how she is doing in her life post BIC! 

You can listen to the full podcast here. 

Race, Inequality, and Health: Award-Winning Journalist Linda Villarosa Visits BIC Capstone

10/08/2020 Unknown 0 Comments


This year, BIC's non-profit capstone is partnering with Memorial Sloan Kettering and CCNY in their research collaboration to Redressing Access to and Disparities in Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer (READI).  While focusing on the latest advances in immunotherapy for breast cancer, the ultimate goal is to empower Black and Hispanic women to be better advocates in their own care. BICsters in the Class of 2021 will work in teams to create integrated marketing communications campaigns that include educational materials as part of their pitch to READI in December. 

BIC Professor Katina Scott, who oversees the B3021 Non-Profit Campaign Practicum, has invited a wide range of guest lecturers who are experts in the space to give BICsters the opportunity to hear from those on the frontlines of these discussions. 

On September 17th, BICsters had the opportunity to hear from award winning journalist, educator, novelist and New York Times contributor, Linda Villarosa. Linda covers the intersection of health and medicine and social justice; she is also the Director of MCA's journalism program at CCNY. 

"How False Beliefs in Physical Racial Difference Still Live in Medicine Today" was among the powerful collection of essays in The New York Time's "The 1619 Project" which examined the legacy of slavery in America. Linda’s 2018 cover story for The New York Times Magazine, "Why America's Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis," was nominated for a National Magazine Award. Most recently she has covered the toll that pollution has taken on black communities in America and the environmental justice movement in Philadelphia, also for The New York Times Magazine. 

Look out for our other guest lectures happening throughout the Fall!

BIC Partners With Memorial Sloan Kettering for Fall 2020 Capstone

10/06/2020 Unknown 0 Comments




This year, BIC's non-profit capstone is proud to partner with Memorial Sloan Kettering and CCNY in their research collaboration Redressing Access to and Disparities in Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer (READI). While focusing on the latest advances in immunotherapy for breast cancer, and raising awareness of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the ultimate goal is to empower Black and Hispanic women to be better advocates in their own care. 

The collaboration’s communications goal is to foster more productive conversations between doctors and patients and create campaigns that will educate, inspire, and empower Black and Hispanic women. This is where BIC comes in. 

BICsters in the class of 2021 will be put into teams to to create integrated marketing communications campaigns that include educational materials as part of their pitch to READI in December.


With the guidance of Professor Katina Scott, who's overseen the B3021 Non-Profit Campaign Practicum since 2018, teams will dedicate weeks to market research and strategic development before determining compelling content and tactical elements for a yearlong plan.  Professor Scott will be joined later in the semester by Brianna Bishop who will help BICsters drill down on creative content. 


Campaign development kicked off with the Client Briefing on September 3rd which was presented by Devika Jutagir, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Adriana Espinosa, Assistant Professor of Pscyhology at the Colin Powell School, CCNY.

Past non-profit capstone clients have been CUNY Arts, Sandy Hook Promise, The Grove School of Engineering, Columbia Children’s Health, The Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, and the UJA.

Stay tuned to see the incredible work our BICsters complete!
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