Shows
Growing InspirationConcepting Your Life: Overcoming Fear through Creativity with Eliz PhillipsIn this conversation, Eliz Phillips shares her journey as a Creative Services Director, discussing how creativity has shaped her career and personal life. She reflects on her experiences in advertising, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the evolving role of creativity in the workplace, especially in the context of AI. Eliz emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear in creative expression and applying creativity beyond professional boundaries. She advocates for the value of creativity in an increasingly automated world, encouraging others to embrace their unique perspectives and ideas.
Eliz Phillips is a Senior Director, Creative Services in Washington, D...2025-04-1733 min
It's No FlukeE133 McKinney's Little Caesars Ad Raises More Than EyebrowsThe ad that has everyone saying, "whoa."Lyle Yetman | Co-CCOThe best thing that ever happened to Lyle’s advertising career was not getting hired as an account person at BBDO. He would have sucked at that. Instead, he became a writer. After getting his master’s at the VCU Brandcenter, Lyle left his Boston roots, moved out west, and started his career at BSSP, where he worked on MINI, Chipotle, and El Pollo Loco, created the Priceline Negotiator and made award-winning spots for Google, among others. His work has been recognized by the One Show...2025-02-1344 min
Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast#242: Tom Scharpf, Chair of Art Direction, and Holly Hessler, Chair of Copywriting, on the VCU Brandcenter ExperienceIn this episode, Geno Schellenberger sits down with VCU Brandcenter faculty Tom Scharpf, Chair and Professor of Art Direction, and Holly Hessler, Chair and Professor of Copywriting. They explore what makes the Brandcenter’s master’s program a launchpad for successful advertising careers, from its collaborative, real-world focus to its supportive, creative community.
Tom and Holly share their journeys from industry pros to educators, reflecting on the transformative Brandcenter experience, the power of networking, and the vibrant creative energy in Richmond. They highlight the value of mentorship, the ideal Brandcenter candidates, and the rewarding nature of teaching in a...2024-11-1856 min
Breaking and Entering Advertising PodcastAgency Break-In: Elizabeth Daniel (Sr. Copywriter) & Blair Seward (Sr. Art Director) – Dynamic Creative Duo at The Martin AgencyIn this episode of Agency Break-In, we sit down with the talented creative duo Elizabeth Daniel, Senior Copywriter, and Blair Seward, Senior Art Director, at The Martin Agency. They share their journey from VCU Brandcenter to working on groundbreaking campaigns together. Elizabeth and Blair discuss their creative process, how they broke into The Martin Agency, and the importance of challenging strategies in the pursuit of great work.
Disclaimer: The Martin Agency provided travel and housing accommodations for Breaking and Entering.2024-10-1519 min
Unicorny86. How innovation and marketing drive change togetherIn this episode of The Unicorny Marketing Show, Professor Ben M. Bensaou of INSEAD Business School joins us to discuss how organisations can build a culture where innovation thrives. Bensaou shares real-world examples from companies like Starwood Hotels and Fiskars, showing how even established businesses can invigorate their innovation processes by involving everyone, not just the experts.• Understand how to foster innovation across your entire organisation.• Learn the significance of considering non-customers in your innovation strategy.• Discover ways to manage and sustain innovation beyond just the R&D teams.Don’t...2024-09-1037 min
Breaking and Entering Advertising PodcastADjunct! Vann Graves, Executive Director of VCU BrandcenterIn this episode of ADjunct, Geno Schellenberger sits down with Vann Graves, Executive Director at VCU Brandcenter, to discuss what makes this graduate program stand out in marketing, branding, and advertising education. Vann highlights the unique aspects of VCU Brandcenter, including its focus on the craft, rigorous curriculum, and strong alumni network.
The conversation also dives into Vann's personal journey in advertising, the impact of COVID-19 on education, and the unparalleled support system the Brandcenter provides to its students.
Connect with Vann here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanngraves/ 2024-07-1232 min
Provide Like Jesus- Inspiring Christians to Serve Their Families and Communities like Christ#120 CJ Franzitta on Getting Comfortable with Being UncomfortableCJ Franzitta is an accomplished advertising professional and mass communications strategy consultant with over 20 years of experience. CJ Franzitta is the Founder of Chrome Horse Strategy, with clients including Advance Auto Parts, CertaPro Painters, Meta, Fruit of the Loom, and many others. I witnessed his listening skills and passion to know others, though our YGuides Daddy/Daughter group that our families are currently in through the YMCA. He earned his B.A. in History from the University of Virginia and his M.S. in Mass Communications from the VCU Brandcenter. CJ started his career at Ogilvy New York...2024-03-0452 min
A Dose of Black Joy and Caffeine[Season 8: EP 156] Vann Graves (Executive Director) VCU Brandcenter(Season 8 is in partnership with ADCOLOR. ADCOLOR champions diversity and inclusion in creative industries.)
Dr. Graves joined the Brandcenter as executive director in 2018. He brings 25+ years of creative, business, and executive leadership experience, having worked with some of the world’s leading global brands (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, MasterCard, Visa, GE, and M&Ms, to name a few). His work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including Cannes Lions, a Grand London International Award, a Grand Clio, and a D&AD Graphite Pencil. Vann also serves as the Dean of the Cannes Creative Academy.Graves’ military experience contribu...2024-02-0932 min
Teaming Up with THPBuilding a Brand with Briana Williams from LipLoveLineEpisode Notes:
Teaming Up is putting two former Hodges interns in the hot seat, talking about a totally new topic for the podcast: brand.
We asked Briana Williams, CEO of LipLoveLine, to join Casey for Episode 21, where the two discussed building a brand and the process and considerations that go into that.
Williams discusses her brand story and her business evolution – from winning a competition on VCU’s campus just before the COVID-19 pandemic, to working with students in the Brandcenter to go through various exercises to find her voice, tone and brand stor...2023-10-1922 min
Pitch MastersS1E23: Peter Coughter, bestselling author of The Art of the PitchIn this episode of the Pitch Masters podcast, I speak to yet another one of my all-time pitching heroes, the legendary Peter Coughter, founder and CEO of Coughter & Company, Professor at VCU Brandcenter, and author of one of my favourite books - The Art of the Pitch: Persuasion and Presentation Skills that Win Business.
In this episode, we discuss a lot of pitch material - the fear we all have, whether we need a deck, bringing the right people, and breaking the rules. But, best of all, Peter is a natural-born storyteller, and this episode is packed...2023-07-091h 19Pitch MastersS1E23 VIDEO VERSION: Peter Coughter, bestselling author of The Art of the PitchIn this episode of the Pitch Masters podcast, I speak to yet another one of my all-time pitching heroes, the legendary Peter Coughter, founder and CEO of Coughter & Company, Professor at VCU Brandcenter, and author of one of my favourite books - The Art of the Pitch: Persuasion and Presentation Skills that Win Business.
In this episode, we discuss a lot of pitch material - the fear we all have, whether we need a deck, bringing the right people, and breaking the rules. But, best of all, Peter is a natural-born storyteller, and this episode is packed...2023-07-091h 19
What We Know, What We Don't(2/15) Next-Gen Leadership"Beans, boots, and bullets." It'd be doing this episode a disservice to skim into how that has anything to do with creativity within this promo blurb. We can say it factors large into this one-of-a-kind conversation we had with Vann Graves, the Executive Director of the Brandcenter at VCU. What an honor. We offer you this: If you listen to what he had to say in this hour, we believe you can't NOT walk away a better leader than you were prior. Grateful that Vann carved out the time to speak with us, and blown away by...2023-05-231h 00
Simpli.fi TVIs Social Media Being Slept On? | Stephon JacobStephon Jacob, Strategic Planner at The Martin Agency
Stephon Jacob, a strategist at the Martin Agency, discusses various aspects of advertising and marketing. Jacob is a graduate of VCU Brandcenter, the top master’s program for advertising and branding in the US. He works on campaigns for clients such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Virginia Tourism, and Santander Bank. According to Jacob, social media is the biggest opportunity in 2023, and he believes it is still slept on. He also discusses the importance of creating interesting ads and using AI to help with content creation. In addition, he stresses th...2023-05-1007 min
Design PerspectivesEPISODE 133 - RAQUEL LANGWORTHY
Raquel Langworthy has been taking photos and telling stories since childhood. She earned a BFA in art history from the University of Michigan, as well as an M.S. from the VCU Brandcenter (a program that marries strategy, creative and business). After working in advertising as an art director for brands such as Chobani, Amazon Kindle, CNN, Denny's and Kotex she decided it was time to take a leap of faith and follow her heart to pursue visual storytelling through photography in 2011. Within three short years she had the pleasure of working with many commercial brands, including Discovery Channel, Bode...2023-04-2826 min
Becoming PreferredGreg Kihlström – If You Want to Lead in Business, the Customer Comes FirstSEASON: 2 EPISODE: 14Episode Overview:Between consumer demands for more personalized and greater data privacy and competitive pressures to provide better omni-channel customer experiences, brands are faced with a dilemma. Build the foundation for the future of customer relationships or lose relevancy in a crowded market. Doing this, however, is not without its challenges.While many enterprises are engaged in digital transformations in order to modernize and anticipate future changes, these efforts are often fraught with challenges and many fail to deliver the results promised. To help us understand how to create a world-class...2023-04-0345 min
Brand StoryDeveloping Creative Leaders featuring Vann GravesVann Graves was told early on in his advertising career — don’t fall in love with your work, respect your work. As creators, we always need to balance our visions with what the client actually needs, so being fearless and open to new ideas is paramount to finding success in the business world. As the Executive Director of the VCU Brandcenter, Vann is helping develop the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, and creative leaders, and in this episode of Brand Story, he’s sharing his advice with our listeners.This is Brand Story, a podcast celebr...2023-02-2845 min
A Dose of Black Joy and Caffeine[Season 4: EP 59] Simeon Coker (Twitter) Creative Development Manager & Dorado Quick (The Springhill Company) Creative Director, Writer[Season 4: EP 59] Simeon Coker (Twitter) Creative Development Manager & Dorado Quick (The Springhill Company) Creative Director, Writer - Guest Co-Host Kendra D. Croft (Ten35) Associate Creative Director
Simeon is an award-winning Creative Director, 21st Century People Manager, and DEI accomplice working to change how brands and marketers create and engage with consumers. He started his career working in media sales, then transitioned to advertising where he worked at various agencies on integrated campaigns. Simeon is now the Creative Development Manager at Twitter Next where he works to grow conversations on the platform through innovative ideas.
Dorado sea...2022-11-2959 min
Matrix AssassinsWeb 3.0 with Rick Plautz#41 Step into the game with the MA girls and Rick Plautz for an open discussion about Web 3.0, the future of the Internet, and all things crypto. Rick is an adjunct professor at the VCU Brandcenter teaching Experience Design and Art Direction. His background is in motion design and 3D design and he is currently navigating the Web 3.0 revolution that will change everything. Some topics discussed include:Web 3.0, crypto, death of the dollar, current events, rabbit holes, origins of the internet, future of the internet, social media, digital ownership, Web 1.0, Web 2.0, Blockchain, NFTs, smart contracts, Etherium, B...2022-03-281h 33
Bouncing Back in AdvertisingBouncing Back With Bryce Isaacson: Senior CopywriterOn Episode 136 of Bouncing Back, I interviewed Bryce Isaacson who was most recently a Senior Copywriter freelancing at TBWA. This is also my 94th episode in partnership with The Avail List.Bryce was born in Denver but raised in Buenos Aires which he credits for giving him a unique perspective on the world. Upon returning to the states he “ignored the career advice of his parents” and studied advertising at BYU & VCU Brandcenter. Bryce has built a career through freelancing but is ready for a full-time role with a partner and team. He’s hard-working, brings...2022-01-0616 min
Great MindsEP140: Rick BoykoA true legend of the industry, Rick Boyko joins Great Minds to discuss his career. From his early days at Leo Burnett and Chiat/Day, to his time at Ogilvy and as Director at VCU Brandcenter, to present.
2021-11-3000 min
Author Pep TalksEpisode 9: Crystal Maldonado & Olivia AbtahiToday on this very special episode of the Author Pep Talks podcast I’m actually interviewing two guests instead of just one. My first guest is Crystal Maldonado, the author of the Young Adult romance, Fat Chance Charlie Vega.
Crystal Maldonado is a young adult author with a lot of feelings. Her work has been published in the Hartford Courant, Buzzfeed, and Latina Magazine. By day, she is a social media manager working in higher ed, and by night, a writer who loves Beyoncé, shopping, spending too much time on her phone, and being extra. She lives in...2021-09-0348 min
Baby Got BackstoryBGBS 072: Chad Hutson | Leviathan | The Business of CreativityBGBS 072: Chad Hutson | Leviathan | The Business of CreativityAs Leviathan's co-founder and CEO, Chad facilitates creative strategy and all key business developments for the specialized creative agency, including managing the company's overall operations. His efforts have led to client relationships with Nike, Disney, Amazon, T-Mobile, Kohler, Universal, McDonald’s, and Airbus among others.
Chad previously co-founded the digital creative agency eatdrink in 2002, which merged with Leviathan in 2012. Over the years, that firm produced breakthrough broadcast and interactive work for an amazing roster of brands and agencies. His prior experience includes highly productive stints with experiential mar...2021-07-1451 min
Breaking and Entering Advertising Podcast#66: B&E Strategy @VCU Brandcenter w/Strategy Chair Caley CantrellCaley Cantrell is the strategy guru over at VCU Brandcenter.
In this episode, Caley gives us a glimpse into one of the more trusted graduate school options for passionate aspiring advertisers, VCU Brandcenter.
Caley tells us about their strategy track. I believe that strategy is tough to break into within advertising. However, this program will shape you into a junior-level strategist that agencies will want to hire. Hear about the details in this episode!
Interested in strategy or not, Caley has excellent advice as she has taught plenty of students in her life.
To see her resources and to connect, head...2021-07-1453 min
Inspiring Futures - Lessons from the Worlds of Marketing and AdvertisingThe Future through the Eyes of Junior Strategists - Payal Pereira and Shannon GeretyThe longer one spends in the industry, it seems it gets easier to get more skeptical and cynical about the ad business. However, if you want a different take- talk to people who are just embarking on their careers in the business and see nothing but positivity and hope. I recently interviewed Payal Pereira and Shannon Gerety who are recent strategy graduates from the VCU Brandcenter. I was taken aback by their maturity, pragmatism, and good old-fashioned enthusiasm for the business and craft of strategy. What impressed me most was their desire to be part of the changes that th...2021-06-2253 min
Brand StoryThe Healthy Skeptic with Scott WitthausSteve talks with Scott Witthaus, partner at Low Country Creative and professor of visual storytelling at VCU’s Brandcenter about how technology has changed storytelling, the importance of shooting to edit, and why every brand needs a healthy skeptic in the room.This is Brand Story, a branding podcast that brings you hard-fought lessons learned from those on the front lines of brands.Host Steve Gilman talks with business leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketing folks about their successes but also the challenges they’ve faced in their careers and how they’ve overcome them.You’ll...2021-05-251h 03
Just Getting StartedHamza Ali- Art Director @ VCU BrandcenterThis week, I interviewed the humanistic and hungry Hamza Ali, 2nd Year Art Director from VCU Brandcenter. Tune in to hear how he went from documentary filmmaker to art director, why figuring out what to eat has been the most challenging part of being an ad student, and why he thinks side hustles can be toxic.
Hamza Ali:
hamzaali.work
instagram.com/hamzaawadia
linkedin.com/in/hamza-ali-036133164
Thanks so much for listening! As always, cover art is made by this week's guest. Podcasts come out weekly, but to stay up to date on all things Just Getting Started follow instagram.c...2021-04-0545 min
Just Getting StartedChrissy Boals- Art Director @ VCU BrandcenterThis week, I interviewed one of the co-founders of The Carriage House, Chrissy Boals, 2nd Year Art Director at VCU Brandcenter. Tune in to hear about how her passion for dogs turned into a dream project in school, how she surprised her mom with a children’s book for Christmas that she made from scratch, and why she thinks students should strive to make campaigns for the work they want to get hired for.
Chrissy Boals:
chrissyboals.com/
linkedin.com/in/chrissyboals/
instagram.com/chrissaysay/ (send dog pics here)
chrissyboals@outlook.com
The Carriage House is VCU Brandcenter’s first full...2021-03-1542 min
Let's Get A JobTalking Portfolio School; is it worth it? with Myka Betts, Beth Hughes, and Rachel Carlson IS PORTFOLIO SCHOOL WORTH IT? Myka Betts, 2020 Miami Ad School NY grad and Art Director at The Bam Connection in Brooklyn, Beth Hughes, 2017 VCU Brandcenter grad and Senior Art Director for Capitol One in Richmond, VA, Rachel Carlson, 2011 The Creative Circus grad and Creative Director at Mekanism in Seattle, and I figure it out. We talk about choosing a portfolio school and why the wash out rates are so high. They discuss the importance of having a specific end goal before starting and the doors opened by the network you make i...2021-02-1544 min
Just Getting StartedDavid Ligon- Art Director @ VCU BrandcenterThis week, I interviewed the exuberant & elegant David Ligon, 2nd Year Art Director at VCU Brandcenter. Tune in to hear how this ex-ballerina went from en pointe to on pitches, why he’s been able to become his most authentic and peculiar self in advertising school, and how Twitter may just be the elite networking platform over LinkedIn.
David Ligon:
dligon86@icloud.com
instagram.com/van_ligon
twitter.com/VanLigon
Thanks so much for listening! As always, cover art is made by this week's guest. Podcasts come out weekly, but to stay up to date on all things Just Getting St...2021-02-0146 min
Just Getting StartedMichelle Greeley- Art Director @ VCU BrandcenterTo kick off the new year, I interviewed our first ever guest from VCU Brandcenter, Michelle Greeley, 2nd year Art Director. Tune in to hear how portfolio school has helped her express herself in a way that touches others, how her houseplants are her best critics, and why she loves cross-stitching profanity.
Michelle Greeley:
michellegreeley.com
instagram.com/michellegreeley
greeleymv@mymail.vcu.edu
Thanks so much for listening! As always, cover art is made by this week's guest. Podcasts come out weekly, but to stay up to date on all things Just Getting Started follow instagram.com/jgspodcast & follow my person...2021-01-0419 minBouncing Back in AdvertisingBouncing Back With Treasure Brown: Experiential DesignerOn episode 36 of Bouncing Back, I interviewedTreasure Brown who recently graduated from VCU Brandcenter with a focus on experiential design. This is also my 12th episode for The Avail List where Treasure is currently being highlighted.It should be obvious to anyone who watches this episode that Treasure is a true treasure. She’s an introvert who is empathetic, laid back, and motivated to create work that amplifies racial disparities in our society.She loves pushing ideas beyond low hanging fruit and is always advocating for those not in th...2020-08-2512 minBouncing Back in AdvertisingBouncing Back With Meosha Jupiter: Freelance UX designerOn episode 28 of Bouncing Back, I interviewed Meosha Jupiter who was most recently a freelance UX designer. This is also my 7th episode with The Avail ListMeosha recently graduated from VCU Brandcenter with a degree in branding & experiential design. She can get along with anyone, is ready to think of big ideas, and is hoping to one day blend her love for animation with UX Design.She’s recently been doing some ProBono work for local brands in the Richmond community as her way to stay busy and give back.Wh...2020-07-3108 min
UC3P: The Main PageNaked Love 6: Relationships during COVIDIn Naked Love 6, we explore what folks’ relationships have been like during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We hosted a group conversation to hear how both new and long-term relationships have adjusted during these strange times. Brianne Johnson, a graduate student at VCU’s Brandcenter, takes us through reconciling commitment with her own changing ambitions as she thinks through graduation, while Jenish Patel and Reema Rao-Patel talk about how the dynamics in their marriage have shifted since quarantining together.Because of the pandemic, the Naked Love team could not produce the episode as it normally does, so this episode feat...2020-06-2625 min
Sweathead, A Strategy PodcastBecoming Who You Are (Despite And Because Of The Industry) - Genie Gurnani, Creative HeadGenie Gurnani is Head of Creative, Asia-Pacific, at Vice Media. Genie grew up near Yosemite National Park, a relatively isolated part of the States before then attending UC Berkeley and VCU Brandcenter, and working in agencies such as David&Goliath, TBWA\Chiat\Day, and Leo Burnett. In this chat, we discuss Genie's push from a small town to elite schools, from planning to creative, from the US to Asia, and from behind the camera to in front of it.
This episode is for everyone who's been told to bring themselves to work but doesn't know what this means, and for a...2020-03-0946 min
Cultural StandpointsTchaikovsky, Michelangelo, & Uzoamaka: The Power of Names | Caitlin RussellTune in to the strategist formerly known as Caitlin Suarez - now legally known as Caitlin Russell.
In this episode she’ll unpack the role of names in shaping identity, understanding, and empowerment.
Check out her other work at hellocait.com2019-05-0613 min
Cultural StandpointsDoes Hip-Hop Get a Pass? | Julian Grimes and Kyle StolcisExploring the intersection of hip-hop, toxic masculinity, and artistic freedom through the lens of those within the space.
Check out more of our work!
Kyle Stolcis
kylestolcis.com
Julian Grimes
grimesjulian.com2019-05-0212 min