Brand Innovation During Times of Crisis

Lindrea Reynolds, a graduate and now instructor for the Digital Marketing and Integrated Communications (DMIC) certificate, discovered her passion for brand development several years out of college. Having majored in graphic design, she started her working life as a designer and went on to set up a firm of her own. But as her focus began to center more and more around developing her own brand, her enthusiasm for marketing revealed a new and exciting path into her future.

“Brand marketing was where my heart was,” she says. “I’d always been fascinated by the creativity behind brand development, but it wasn’t until I started focusing on building brand strategies that I realized how personally and professionally rewarding it could be.”

The Cutting Edge of What’s Trending Today

Looking to expand her skillset and advance in the field of marketing, Reynolds began searching for programs that might help build her credentials. Already impressed by the University's DMIC certificate, a colleague who had studied at the University of Chicago gave her the encouragement she needed and told her she wouldn’t regret it.

“It was an amazing experience for me,” she says. “Compared to my courses in college, everything I learned was directly relevant. The marketing industry veterans who taught the courses had tremendous expertise and were on the cutting edge of what’s trending today.”

Fast Track to Career Goals

Equipped with an array of powerful new skills as well as the connections she made while a student in the program, Reynolds quickly found herself on the fast track to meeting her career goals. In addition to becoming the marketing and brand director for the non-profit After School Matters, a spectrum of new opportunities emerged that allowed her to share what she’d learned about brand development and strategy.

“I realized that I was in a position where I could help others by sharing the knowledge I now had,” she says. “I started getting speaking opportunities. I was asked to write articles. And I also had the opportunity to serve as a mentor. When the program staff invited me to give the keynote at the annual Career Day Event, that was a wonderful honor.”

Lessons to Use Immediately

As a co-instructor with Sherri Maxson-Goodlove for Inclusive Brand Marketing, Reynolds sees the venue of the classroom as the next step to sharing what she’s learned. By drawing on her experience using innovative and socially-impactful marketing strategies, she hopes to impart to students practical lessons they can immediately use to help brands inspire change and increase profitability.

“Inclusive brand marketing has always been really important to me,” she says. “Whether it’s through my work with small businesses, or the projects I’ve done for non-profits and universities, I’ve seen firsthand the results clear messaging can achieve when it comes to breaking through and reaching audiences across different backgrounds.”

Fighting to Survive

Reynolds is particularly excited to teach the class at a time when so many of the traditional rules for branding and marketing are in flux. In fact, a focus of the class will include strategies brands can use to stay relevant and visible at a time when many businesses are fighting to survive. 

“We’re in a unique position to explore and start thinking about what’s possible in the new environment,” she says. “That’s a really exciting challenge. We’re at a time when brands need to innovate their marketing models to access a wider audience and the class will be about effectively using technology and socially-compelling values to do that.”

Note

The Digital Marketing and Integrated communications certificate is no longer being offered. Please see our other programs and courses.