Twenty undergraduate students from the Texas Advertising Group spent a week in San Francisco to learn about the city's advertising expertise. The trip took place Jan. 6-12 and was a collaboration between three University of Texas organizations: Texas Advertising Group, the Department of Advertising, and Communication Career Services.
The group visited eight agencies: DDB San Francisco; Cutwater (formerly TBWA Chiat/Day San Francisco); Grant, Scott & Hurley; Butler, Shine and Stern; Avenue A/Razorfish; AKQA, McCann Erickson, and Venables Bell & Partners.
Agencies presented case studies, trends in the industry, and information about employment and internship opportunities. Students like Kendra Newton, Vice President of Special Events for the Texas Advertising Group, hope to make the most of the networking: "I hope to return to San Francisco to look for a job in account services in April."
Almost half the students who attended are enrolled or interested in the Texas Creative sequence and many had their portfolios reviewed by agency creatives.
"The San Francisco trip was an incredible experience. I have always thought that the New York advertising market was the innovative and hot market, but I quickly learned that San Francisco was a better ad market with more creative and inspirational ad agencies," said Newton.
Professor John Murphy and students Kendra Newton and Barrett Rogers planned the trip, while Communication Career Services sent adviser Debbie Kubena to recruit employers for the job and internship fair.
The group also met with 30 Texas Exes at a happy hour hosted by Greg Bell of Venebles Bell & Partners, which included attendance by Department Chair Isabella Cunningham and Professor Neal Burns, Director of the Center for Brand Research.
The Texas Advertising Group regularly visits New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston. This is the second year the Group has gone to San Francisco.
To learn more about traveling with the Texas Advertising Group contact Kendra Newton. For more information about The University of Texas Advertising Program contact Gary Wilcox, the graduate adviser.
1/28/2008