The Virginia Commonwealth University

The Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter in Richmond, Virginia
is an innovative, two-year Master’s program that brings the creative, strategic,
business and technology sides of advertising and branding together. Our
purpose is to develop the best creative problem solvers in the world.
(www.brandcenter.vcu.edu)
The Brandcenter offers a highly creative environment for students concentrating in five tracks: Copywriting, Art Direction, Strategy, Creative Brand
Management, and Experience Design. Students earn a Master of Science
degree in Business/Branding.
VCU Brandcenter alumni work at some of the best agencies in the world,
like TBWA\Chiat\Day, Barton F Graf 9000, Droga5, and Wieden + Kennedy,
as well as on the client-side helping to build brands like Target, Apple,
Urban Outfitters, Google, Nike, Coke, Facebook, and UnderArmour.
Many of our alumni go on to launch their own businesses, which often
start out as side projects and turn into full-time endeavors. The following
are several examples where our alumni identified a problem, developed a
creative solution, and turned that idea into a successful business.
PROBLEM
The traditional online learning model doesn’t
work for creators.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
Skillshare is a global learning community for
creators. With over 2500 classes and one million
students worldwide, Skillshare empowers creators
to do the work they love today by teaching them
the skills needed in tomorrow’s world. Many
Skillshare classes are taught by leaders in their
fields. You can take a lettering lesson with Jessica
Hische, who’s worked on the opening sequences
of Wes Anderson movies, a marketing class with
bestselling author Seth Godin, and learn how to
make the perfect cup of coffee from Blue Bottle
Coffee’s barista-in-chief.
CREDIT
Mike Karnjanaprakorn (ST, 2006)
PROBLEM
Driving to the ABC store takes time and effort.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
Klink is an app that provides beer, wine and spirits
delivered in under an hour. Klink is in 6 major
markets and recently partnered with AB-InBev.
CREDIT
Geoff Castillo (AD, 2015)
Welcome to TIME’s annual round-up of the best inventions making the world better, smarter and—
in some cases—a little more fun.
PROBLEM
Toys focused on encouraging S.T.E.M.
learning aren’t very fun for kids.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
Hackaball is a smart, responsive (and, most
importantly, fun!) ball kids can program
to invent and play their own games. It
encourages kids to learn about technology,
play together and be physically active.
TIME magazine named Hackaball one of
the top 25 best inventions of 2015.
CREDIT
Rachel Mercer (XD, 2012)
Hackaball / $85
Available for preorder at Hackaball.com
At a time when demand for computer scientists is skyrocketing,
most Americans get little or no exposure to coding during their
formative years. Made by Many, a New York City–based digitalconsulting firm, is trying to change that. Its Hackaball toy syncs
with a mobile app, allowing users to program how and when it
lights up—and then to see how those programs affect their lives
in the real world. During one test, for example, kids set the ball to
change colors at random intervals, then used it to play a hot-potato-style game. Enabling social scenarios—rather than a more isolated, screen-based introduction to coding—is the point of Hackaball, says William Owen, a strategy
director at Mavde by Many. Its concept appears to be resonating: some 2,800 people backed the
project on Kickstarter, raising $240,000. The first units ship in January. —Lisa Eadicicco
PROBLEM
It’s hard to get a wetsuit on and off.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
WETSOX get you in and out of your cold
water gear quickly and easily, wet or dry,
while eliminating unnecessary wear and
tear on your equipment. So, you can spend
more time in the water and less time
wriggling in and out of your wetsuit.
CREDIT
Bryan Marville (ST, 2008)
Patrick Lorentz (ST, 2008)
PROBLEM
Beer growlers are functional but not
beautiful.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
Shine Craft Vessel Co. creates beer
growlers (and other barware) with
great functional and aesthetic design
sensibilities.
CREDIT
Jordan Childs (CBM, 2009)
PROBLEM
People are addicted to their cell phones.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
NoPhone is the world’s most technologicallyregressive phone. It’s designed to mimic the
sensation of a smartphone device in your hand
without any of the actual phone’s distracting
features (Wi-Fi, emails, texts, Instagram, etc.)
helping users break their cell phone addiction
and engage with the physical world around
them. Over 4000 people have purchased a
NoPhone to help them kick their cell phone
addiction.
CREDIT
Van Gould (AD, 2012)
Chris Sheldon (CW, 2012)
PROBLEM
When Joel and Lauren started dating while
students at the Brandcenter, they’d try to outdo
each other by trying to find the coolest greeting
cards. Funny, sarcastic, well-designed greeting
cards were hard to find.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
Old Tom Foolery is a stationary company known
best for their witty, sarcastic, and beautifullydesigned greeting cards. You can find them in
specialty boutiques across the country as well as
national retailers like Nordstrom, Paper Source,
and Target.
CREDIT
Lauren Weinblatt Gryniewski (AD, 2005)
Joel Gryniewski (CW, 2005)
PROBLEM
Matt’s brother, Dustin, has autism and can’t speak,
so it’s hard for him to communicate with his mom
and family.
CREATIVE SOLUTION
Dustin’s Words is a device designed to give people
who can’t communicate the power to express their
needs at the push of a button. Thanks to the device
Matt built, Dustin can now tell his mom when he has
a headache, when he’s hungry or when he simply
wants to say “I love you.” Dustin’s Words is customizable, affordable and life-changing.
CREDIT
Matt Reamer (XD, 2014)
A DEVICE DESIGNED TO GIVE PEOPLE WHO CAN’T SPEAK
THE POWER TO COMMUNICATE
PUSH A
BUTTON
TEXT SENDS
OVER WIFI
CAREGIVER
RECEIVES TXT