VCU Brandcenter

Allowing ourselves a little self-indulgent reminiscence of 2024 and the achievements made by our members…⁣
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…..not to forget holding space for the not-so-glamorous side of late nights, basement hangs, office hours, failed ideas, team meetings, sugar and caffeine crashes, tossed drafts, and general blood, sweat and tears that got us here 🫠💪⁣
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Can’t wait to see students next week!⁣

Presenting THE BRANDCENTER CLASS OF 2026 👏👏 Here’s to week one of sixty—welcome to the 🤝

We’re excited to share that a team of recent Brandcenter alums has been recognized by Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Student Awards! During their second year at Brandcenter, the team worked on their innovative app concept, “Sous,” which sets new standards in food waste reduction.

Congratulations Team Sous! 🥑
Athena Michaels (Art Direction, 2024),
Alexandra Abbott (Experience Design, 2024)
Selma Kettwich (Copywriting, 2024)

Read more about the project at the link in our bio

We’re catching up with the Brandcenter folks who were lucky to attend The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity this summer. Meet Jared Montgomery, a second year strategy student, 👋and see some of his adventures in France!

This summer Jared was incredibly lucky to attend the Roger Hatchuel Student Academy at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Thirty students from thirty countries are invited to attend each year, and Jared was selected to represent the United States. The academy helps students explore the various avenues and creative spaces available after graduation. Jared and the other members of the academy had the honor of listening to industry veterans discuss their journeys and processes.

Acceptance into the academy is a huge accomplishment! Well done, Jared!

Swipe to see:
- Jared on the red carpet 💅
- Members of the 2024 Roger Hatchuel Student Academy
- Daily walk in Cannes
- Group tour of the beautiful palais
- P&G Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard discusses how he builds brands
- Quick pit stop at the cafe
- David Shing, marketing executive well known for his years in at AOL, discussed his take on AI and modern technology
- Jared at the Cannes Creative Academy
- The 2024 Roger Hatchuel Student Academy class

Brandcenter ranked as #1 Graduate Program in U.S. in The One Club for Creativity 2024 Global Creative College Rankings—in the same week CNN names Richmond the top U.S. city to visit.

All signs are pointing to RVA 🏆🎉

Over the moon and incredibly grateful to all the folks who have made this recognition possible.

Read more at link in comments.

We’re incredibly proud of the fifteen Brandcenter students recognized in The One Club for Creativity Young Ones Student Awards this year.

Getting Indians to “Say Condom,” congratulating Gen Z on their acceptance to “FU” aka Fanta University, and encouraging second generation immigrants to learn their mother tongue for Mother’s Day are just a few of the inventive ideas across these projects.

Link in comments to read more.

The Communication Arts 2024 Design Competition shortlist is out, and these five entries from the Brandcenter Class of 2025 made the cut 💪

→ Flight of the Conchords Concert Posters
Bailey Wood (Art Direction, 2025)⁣
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→ Roswell UFO Museum and Research Center Posters
Stephen Dvorak (Art Direction, 2025)⁣
Hannah Kakish (Copywriting, 2025)⁣
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→ Alcatraz Out of Home Campaign
Nithya Charles (Art Direction, 2025)⁣
Henry Coffey (Copywriting, 2025)⁣
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→ Railway Brewery Logo Design and Packaging
Alex Ward (Art Direction, 2025)⁣
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→ Nashville Brewery Logo Design
Bailey Wood (Art Direction, 2025)⁣
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Winners will be announced soon and published in the Communication Arts September/October 2024 issue
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“Our field is resilient and filled with creative individuals who not only reinvent brands but also themselves.” - Chioma Aduba, on adapting in your professional and personal life.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 and another huge thank you to Chioma Aduba, President of Droga5, and Hillary Rogers, Managing Director of Magnetic Field and Brandcenter Director’s Council member, for sharing your words, talent, and hard work with us and our grads. We also have to thank our student speaker Debashish Dumbre (Copywriting, 2024) for his touching speech about his sixty weeks at Brandcenter and the “wonderfully confusing” members of his cohort.

Read more about our 2024 Commencement - link in comments

Photos by McNair Evans

Two entrepreneurs from the Class of 2024 are raising a glass to the future— and want you to feel included whether you drink booze or not. Read more from Celeste Chance (Copywriting, 2024) and Catherine Emblidge (Strategy, 2024) about this new brand conceived and built by Brandcenter students, Everything But The Booze. Cheers!

Two members of the Class of 2024 sling non-alcoholic “shocktails” in their new venture, Everything But The Booze — VCU Brandcenter Celeste Chance (Copywriting, 2024) and Catherine Emblidge (Strategy, 2024) are diving into small business with a product that started as…