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Denver Ad School And Cactus Join Forces To Close Colorado’s Creative Diversity Gap With “Black Creativity Matters”
Initiative Brings Colorado Advertising Community Together With A Goal To Fully Fund Scholarships For Future Black Creatives
DENVER, CO -- Looking to lead with real action, the Denver Ad School (DAD), in partnership with Cactus, the Denver creative agency known for its award-winning work in the mental health and wellness space, have launched Black Creativity Matters, an annual scholarship fund that’s designed to remove one of the biggest barriers of entry for young Black creatives into the advertising industry. The initiative also aims to provide Colorado-based agencies with a consistent pipeline of Black, portfolio school-trained talent who are ready-to-work and looking to begin their careers in the state.
The scholarship is being funded by a collective of Colorado advertising agencies, including Cactus, Fact & Fiction, CPB, TDA, Madwell, Fortnight Collective, Vladimir Jones, Motive, LRXD, and Karsh/Hagan. Agencies have committed to covering half the tuition for a Black student and Denver Ad School is matching the agency contributions dollar-for-dollar, with the goal of providing full-ride scholarships per year. Currently, they have raised nearly $160,000, enough for 10 students, but that’s a number they hope to grow.
“We started DAD with the goal of making a quality, comprehensive portfolio program that was attainable for every student regardless of race, gender, orientation, or privilege,” Jesse Alkire, Founder of the Denver Ad School, says. “But right now, the Black community needs our help the most. Together with these great local agencies, we’re saying enough is enough — it’s time to remove the biggest barriers to entry for Black students and dismantle any ad agency’s tired excuses for not hiring more Black creatives. Colorado is committed to making an actionable difference and I hope the rest of the industry takes notice.”
Heather Vanisko, Director of the Denver Ad School, notes that initiative isn't about getting a pat on the back for a job well done, but rather trying to change a big part of our business that’s long overdue for a change.
“Different voices expose us to new ideas, which in turn allows us to be more thoughtful in our approach and messaging,” Vanisko. “It’s time for ad agencies to listen to what many of us have been saying for years — Black creativity matters because it makes the work better.”
Adds Jeff Graham, Cactus President + CMO, “Our industry has a real diversity problem nationwide, and it's especially pronounced here in Colorado, a state with a four percent Black population. We are a creative market in desperate need of the stories, skills and influence of Black creators. Instead of sharing well-meaning platitudes on social media, the Colorado creative community wanted to lead with real action, while acknowledging this is just a first step. It’s a chance to put Colorado on a national stage and show aspiring creatives that our state is a welcome and nurturing place for Black creativity.”
Click here for the scholarship application.
About Cactus:
Cactus is a Denver-based creative agency that’s dedicated to growing the brands that help people thrive. With a staff of 50, Cactus is built on the belief that small agency creativity and ingenuity can actually help solve the world’s biggest problems. Our size gives us the freedom to work only with the companies, causes and products we truly believe in - the ones that make the world a better place to live, work and play. Celebrating 30 years in 2020, Cactus has developed deep expertise in the area of shaping consumer belief & behavior - combining principles of behavioral psychology with creativity and innovation to design for clients’ desired business outcomes.
About Denver Ad School
Denver Ad School is an advertising portfolio school, designed to help post-grad students learn about the advertising industry, craft a creative portfolio, and then get their first job at an agency. DAD offers programs in Art Direction, Copywriting, and Strategy. Structured like an ad agency, all classes are led by working agency professionals and are designed to produce spec campaigns for real brands. Students will finish with agency-ready portfolios showcasing their conceptual and creative abilities, giving them an awesome book along with the connections and confidence to land their first job in advertising.
www.instagram.com/denveradschool
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