There is a real critical and urgent need to address the challenges of diversity and Inclusion in advertising. Creating a workforce that is diverse and inclusive is essential not only for attracting talent but also for delivering the best work to reach multicultural target audiences.
Hanson Dodge (HD) firmly believes in the principle of diversity and inclusion. Currently, approximately 20% of their staff identifies as representing minority groups. However, they acknowledge that there is still much work to be done.
Fortunately, HD doesn’t just talk about their commitment; they back it up with action. One of their efforts to attract more diverse talent involves an ongoing partnership with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) and their BIPOC student program.
HD played a role in designing this program, now in its third year. This year, the program was expanded to include 60 students working with eight local businesses. Remarkably, HD alone hosted 13 interns, an impressive number considering the agency has fewer than 50 full-time employees.
The two-week program took place in June and offered students the opportunity to gain insights into agency operations while working on a real project for a local client with a twist – The Milwaukee Pretzel Company. Their task was to create a campaign that would generate awareness and social media buzz for the company leading up to Oktoberfest, with a focus on highlighting the German heritage behind its high-quality pretzels.
Below are examples showcasing some of the students’ work. Allie Halloran from the Milwaukee Pretzel Company expressed immense satisfaction with the ideas presented, saying, “We were beyond delighted with what we saw and extremely impressed with how quickly the students understood our brand. They have such bright futures ahead.”
REELated:
Stacie Boney, president of Hanson Dodge and one of the architects of the MIAD partnership, added, “Our hope for the interns was to provide them with a genuine understanding of life and work at an ad agency. A diverse workforce in the future requires exposure and opportunities like this—now.”
Alanna Gazian, one of the participating interns, summed up her experience by saying, “Through this internship, I not only discovered that this career is a perfect fit for me, but it also fueled my passion and interest in graphic design.”
