Want to know how to conduct a super-successful online marketing campaign and earn a trip to New York City? Just ask Bianca Reggi, recent CPS grad who was named voter’s choice and first finalist at The Big Ad Gig competition. Her video received more than 3,000 Facebook votes, nearly three times more than the next closest entry. As the contest’s first finalist, Bianca is off to New York later this month to compete for a job at one of five top agencies. Is it worth it? Just ask Anna Lippert-Haczkiewicz, a CPS graduate and one of last year’s winners, who now works for Atmosphere Proximity BBDO.
The AIGA student group headed over to Post Family for a Letter Press party.
It was crazy. People got naked and the ambulance was called at one point.
Okay, not really but it was a fun get-together filled with laughs, layouts
and letters.
This year, over 100 new writers and art directors will graduate from portfolio school. They will spend about three years and their first agency, and then move on. What’s the reason for this mass exodus and what will keep them there longer? Behold, The Mentor Gap.
Recent alum James Kinney is so dedicated to the job search, he showed up to the CIMA (Chicago Interactive Marketing Association) networking event fresh from oral surgery. That’s okay James, your work will do the talking for you.
Our Maria was featured in latest issue Time Out Chicago to discuss her new project, Living Brushstroke. Participants in her art project wear a GPS device that tracks and records their movements around the city. At project end, Maria takes the GPS data and transforms it into colorful, brush like lines to make a “painting.” It’s a playful and unique take on the social networking phenomenon, hoping to illustrate a community into an abstract form. Read the full article and more about Living Brushstroke online at Time Out Chicago.
Brian Bennett, instructor and Creative Director at C-K, ended his class by asking students a simple question: tell me one thing you’ve learned this year.
Mitch: “Your book should make your interviewer jealous.” Reed: “Great thinking is what makes great ads.” Kate: “Make sure there’s a good reason (smart thinking) for anything you do.” Nick: “Do something other than an ad to make portfolio stand out.” Scott: “The “x” rule.” Taylor: “Only present your finished thoughts. Don’t put it up if it isn’t a complete thought.” Sara: “Nobody gives a sh** where you went to school.” Gina: “No see say in print.” Danny: “Finding the human truth is the most important thing when concepting.” Rony: “Make sure to differentiate from other products in the same market.” Bianca: “Its all about the big idea that stems from a great insight that people can connect to.” Hannah: “Be prepared to take some hits while presenting. If your idea is good enough you’ll have a simple, convincing answer to every question they ask.”
The Director, Maria Scileppi, talks about her creative process at the Moving
Design Conference. She shared LivingBrushstroke, her latest art installation that uses GPS technology, people and data visualization software to create “living” design.
Jeff Epstein, Executive Director here at Chicago Portfolio School, adds to the collection of insightful and educational articles with a nice piece entitled “Shopping for Ads.” His advice covers some important ground rules everyone, both young and old, new and experienced, creatives should follow.
You must love the product unconditionally and know the product inside and out, Jeff explains. “You want to make good ads? Think Like a great shopper.”
Google’s simple yet powerful search ads created an immediate buzz and soon to follow were countless remixes created by users all across the globe. Realizing the power of user generated content, Google created the YouTube Search Stories website that allows people to easily make one of their own. Bianca Reggi, a copywriting student here at school, couldn’t resist but try it out.
We’re officially knee deep in chicken tenders. Royale Rumble client Love Me Tenders came in for the first round of presentations. They were impressed with the amount and quality of the ideas and I must say, I was too. The final round is next Wednesday and the winner will be announced shortly after.
It took several days for the school staff to decide on the best work of Sprng quarter but we were able to narrow down the work -and ultimately pick the four best submissions. Congrats to Allison Chod, Kota Kobayashi, Hannah Saunders, Rob Winn, Katie Homer and Tori Reneker for work that rose to the top. In case you didn’t know it, you’re awesome.
Former Chicago Portfolio School and Cramer-Krasselt alums, Andrew Gall and Vince Soliven recently sold their first book, “Everything Is Better with a Gorilla”. In conjunction with the release, the duo created a variety of promotional materials for the book, including posters, book trailers, a Facebook page, Youtube channel and Twitter feed voiced by a gorilla himself. All the pr seems to be paying off. They are highlighted in Agency Spy.
While in New York for the CaT conference I stopped by Big Spaceship to say hi to Josh Hirsch who was heading to Chicago Portfolio School to teach a seminar the next day. Josh shared some of their latest projects including the mostawesomestthingever site they had just put out into the world. I’m not going to lie, my visit was also a pilgrimage to see the Hope vs Despair machine in person. A machine that measures the collective mood on twitter based on emoticons used. Every :30 seconds the totem pole-style face changes to reflect how we’re feeling. Simple and utterly brilliant in my book.
Here’s what Chaz King, recent CPS alum and unofficial New York corespondent, reported about the event: One room. one gallery. White walls filled with ideas, typography, complex design work, and creative writing. Hours of hard work, sweat, tears, frustration, and accomplishment. Yes, accomplishment. As I gazed around the room, I noticed hundreds of students socializing, critiquing, commenting, and in my case, standing near my work, curious to see what others thought of it. I tell you, there is no greater feeling than having someone point at an ad campaign and mention how awesome it is, and to your delight, their describing your work. It makes it all worth while. Because this was the one art exhibit, where everyone got it. All on the same page, all looking for the same thing: That first job out of portfolio school. Now as walked the room, I was not alone in my awe-inspired lingering around my own work. It turned out, many students were doing this. It was quite a conversation each time it happened. ”Hey, did you see this, as I point to a funny ad campaign about how beer makes you bloated.” Then the person turns to me and goes, “Oh you like that? Yeah It’s mine.” You should have seen the look on this kids face. He looked like he won the lottery and was nominated for Miss America at the same time. I can only hope the energy in that room, continues on out the exhibit’s doors, as there’s one thing this industry can’t teach you, and that’s to never stop. Never stop creating, never stop working, never stop until the dream comes true.
was just one of dozens of topics discussed at the Creative Unconference. My head is still full from all the ideas and information that was shared that I must pass it on. From Nick Law’s (R/GA) talk on “building the new creative team” to how to spot trends to google’s latest bag of tricks for marketers. Monday May 24th at 4:30 I’ll be presenting a cliff notes version of the Creative Unconference.
Want to know how to conduct a super-successful online marketing campaign and earn a trip to New York City? Just ask Bianca Reggi, recent CPS grad who was named voter’s choice and first finalist at The Big Ad Gig competition. Her video received more than 3,000 Facebook votes, nearly three times more than the next closest entry. As the contest’s first finalist, Bianca is off to New York later this month to compete for a job at one of five top agencies. Is it worth it? Just ask Anna Lippert-Haczkiewicz, a CPS graduate and one of last year’s winners, who now works for Atmosphere Proximity BBDO.
