By Nina Tabios
Evolving with an ever-changing industry, the Schools of Advertising (ADV) and Web Design & New Media (WNM) have announced a new partnership effective for the Fall 2018 semester.
While class sharing between the two majors is not new and each department will maintain its individual identities and goals, aligning its efforts provides both ADV and WNM students with additional support from department administration and the new co-directors, Andrea Pimentel and Ryan Medeiros.
Both Pimentel and Medeiros believe the combined leadership can lead to greater opportunities and continue to position Academy grads “at the forefront of the industry.” Formalizing this partnership came about due to the increasing need to stay on top of the innovating industries swirling around tech, advertising, entertainment and more.
“Our students work together in the industry where there isn’t that clear line between two industries,” Pimentel emphasized. “With advertising, we have our hands in a wide variety of mediums, and we’re really interested in getting deeper into what web-new media is exploring right now.”
On the new media side, Medeiros believes the partnership fosters a new opportunity for WNM students to apply an advertising-based approach to their work.
“With advertising, we have our hands in a wide variety of mediums, and we’re really interested in getting deeper into what web-new media is exploring right now.”
Andrea Pimentel, Co-Director
“We share so many of the same skill sets—concept development, visual design and market research. And we deliver using many of the same digital tools and methods,” he said. “I see an opportunity for web-new media students to learn and apply an approach to design that iterates on research and concept development more rapidly.”
Additionally, ADV will be moving into 180 New Montgomery, where WNM is currently located. By moving classrooms, 180 NM now becomes the centralized hub for all the resources and technologies for both programs.
Both co-directors assure that student degree plans and their day-to-day experience won’t be affected, the difference will be the additional support from the combined leadership, more opportunities to network, and additional exposure to the industry. They also foresee more collaborative projects and classes as well as opportunities within the student-run ad agency Young & Hungry and WNM’s semesterly Ideate Conference. When it comes to taking electives, students can contact either director to advise them on options for “building out a tool box,” said Pimentel, pointing to the diverse classes available for students to round out their skill sets.
“We’re really trying to push the envelope and let our students showcase portfolio pieces that can compete with some of the most cutting-edge designers today.”
Ryan Medeiros, Co-Director
“[Within advertising], we’re noticing all emerging technologies offer new and interesting ways to reach people,” she explained. “Within that context, we’re looking at how we can deliver big concepts, big ideas, and connect with audiences through technological design … With technology, students learn new ways to talk to, and reach people.”
With ADV and WNM, the joint existence promises to allow students from both departments to explore technology and innovation (such as AR/VR, Internet of Things, project interfaces, high-quality motion graphics), thus preparing them for a highly-competitive, boundary pushing workforce.
“Web-new media students will benefit from applying their skills to agency projects and advertising students will benefit from the exposure to new technology and WNM facilities,” Medeiros said. “We’re really trying to push the envelope and let our students showcase portfolio pieces that can compete with some of the most cutting-edge designers today.”
Featured photo: (L–R) The Co-Directors of the Schools of Advertising and Web Design & New Media, Ryan Medeiros and Andrea Pimentel.