The Center for Brand Research
The Center for Brand Research (CBR) at the University of Texas at Austin has three basic objectives. First, it provides an opportunity for advanced graduate students to work within the time constraints and objects that represent the advertising industry; an important part of that process in a media agnostic working environment is an appreciation of the impact of new media, blogs, pod casts and the importance of consumer generated content. Secondly, the Center’s approach is designed to improve both the contact and communication between the industry - advertisers as well as advertising agencies - and the academy. Finally, the opportunity that the teams have to perform quantitative and qualitative studies of human behavior - field studies, in-home observations, focus groups, one-on-one interviews, mall intercepts, surveys, SAS, mapping and also secondary research and analysis - demonstrates that the professionals first show how they think and then they write sand draw.
CBR, drawing upon the continuing professional network of its Director as well as the outstanding reputation of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, attracts clients for its services with a financial arrangement ranging from a fee structure to a donation to the student fund within the Department. A list of past clients may be found on the site.