Community / Directory / Event Series, DEI

100 Roses From Concrete is a nonprofit group of people of color developing strategies for long-term success for people of color in the ad/media industries.

Link: https://www.100rosesfromconcrete.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series

With local chapters across the United States, Ad 2 provides young advertising, marketing and communication professionals the contacts, education and leadership opportunities they need to become tomorrow's industry leaders. Ad 2 is a collaborative community of passionate, forward-thinking and motivated professionals that are making a difference in their local communities and their industry. Together with the American Advertising Federation, Ad 2 fosters the professional development for advertising professionals 32 and under through public service and education in order to promote and protect the well-being of advertising.

Link: http://ad2.org

Industry News

Ad Age is your go-to platform for the latest news and trends in advertising, marketing, and media. It offers insights into campaigns, brands, industry leaders, digital marketing, creative strategies, and media analysis.

Link: https://adage.com/

Apply for Roles / Community / Directory / Event Series

AD AGENCY CREATIVES IS AN EMPOWERMENT PLATFORM DESIGNED TO HELP CREATIVES GET HIRED BY AGENCIES IN THE U.S. THEY LEVERAGE THE EXPERTISE OF CREATIVE RECRUITERS TO HELP AGENCIES AND BRANDS SOURCE CREATIVE TALENT.

Created by Erika Udstuen

Click Here: https://adagencycreatives.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

Launched in 2012, the ADCOLOR FUTURES program identifies and nurtures the next generation of leaders who have one to three years of experience in their industry. The program provides training, mentorship and empowerment to selected young professionals with the goal of supporting the talent of tomorrow, today.

Link: http://adcolor.org/futures/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

Adhouse NYC offers advertising classes in New York City. It's a place where you can learn from top industry professionals. They focus on teaching real-world skills to help you succeed in advertising.

Link: https://www.adhousenyc.com/

Skill-building/Tool

Welcome to Advertising and all the quippy shorthand or abbreviated lingo that is ever evolving. Let this Adland Urban Dictionary be a guide to quickly get comfortable learning jargon that either unique to certain regions, offices and departments. This resourceful tool was created by DK Wright.

Link: https://www.dkwrite.com/adlanddictionary

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

AdMagic program (founded in 2020) serves to create direct exposure for HBCU students country-wide to the advertising industry by providing knowledge, access, mentorship and real world experiences.

Link: https://www.admagic-hbcu.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

AIGA chapters around the country provide mentorship programs to local high school students, college students, emerging designers, and seasoned professionals. Learn about how you can take advantage of your local chapter's mentorship opportunities.

Link: https://www.aiga.org/chapter-mentorship-programs

Award Competition

Future Lions is the annual worldwide competition that challenges students to create the future. Five winning teams are granted full access to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and honoured with a limited edition Future Lions trophy. Alongside the individual awards, the school with the most number of shortlisted submissions is recognised as the Future Lions School of the Year.

Link: https://www.futurelions.com/

Awards Competition

The American Advertising Awards Competition: Student Division, is a unique national awards program designed specially for college students. Work entered at the local level can advance to the regional and national judging, just like the work entered by professionals across the country.

Link: https://www.aaf.org/Public/Events/American-Advertising-Awards/AAA-Student-Division.aspx

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

ArtBound Initiative is an internship program for students and recent graduates seeking to launch their career in the creative industries. They offer internships in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Berlin, Melbourne, Sydney, and Virtually.

Link: https://www.artboundinitiative.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series

A community where Atlanta's advertising folks gather. It's a hub for networking, learning, and celebrating creativity in marketing. You'll find events, resources, and a community passionate about all things advertising in Atlanta.

Link: https://atlantaadclub.org/

Podcast/Advice

"Bagley Talks to an Important Person" is your go-to podcast for insightful conversations with ad peeps. Former Wieden+Kennedy Executive Creative Director Jason Bagley (created iconic campaigns for brands like Nike, Old Spice, KFC, Samsung, and more) interviews the world’s top advertising creatives, breaks down their creative process, and reveals the secrets and techniques to doing the best work of your life.

Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bagley-talks-to-an-important-person/id1638583530

Skill-building/Tool

Behance is a social media platform owned by Adobe that allows creative professionals to showcase and discover their work online. It's part of the Adobe Creative Cloud and is used by creatives from around the world to showcase their portfolios in a variety of fields, including graphic design, illustration, photography, and more.

Link: https://www.behance.net/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

BLAC is a twelve-week, paid internship for creative thinkers that takes place at ad agencies across the country. Interns participate in shared experiences with shared resources and projects, and upon completion of the program become part of a network of peers and agency leaders who will continue to provide support throughout their careers. We are a champion for the more diverse and inclusive advertising industry of the future and seek to inspire and be inspired by a new generation of Black talent. BLAC is committed to providing safe and comfortable environments where all voices are respected and heard.

Link: https://www.blacinternship.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

book180 is a 6-month online advertising portfolio program. It helps aspiring copywriters and art directors worldwide build an agency-ready portfolio in 180 days. The curriculum offers a new approach to portfolio school, making professional creative careers more accessible.

Link: https://www.book180.com/

Skill-building/Tool

Boords is a website that helps you create storyboards. It's easy to use and lets you plan your videos or animations. You can draw scenes, add notes, and share your work with others.

Link: https://boords.com/

Industry News, Podcast/Advice

An advertising platform sharing industry news through podcast conversations, video shorts, and quick breakdowns of what’s happening across marketing and communications, while spotlighting today’s advertising trailblazers.

Link: https://www.breaking-entering.com/

Skill-building/Tool, DEI

A Linkedin hack to help recruiters find and hire talent of color."How it works: Add c0ffe3 as a past employer on LinkedIn. List the next role you want as your job title at c0ffe3. From there, you'll effortlessly appear in LinkedIn or Google results when recruiters or hiring managers looking for diverse talent add ""c0ffe3"" to their searches. For additional visibility, you can include c0ffe3 on your portfolio (i.e., as site copy, a tag, etc)."

Link: https://www.linkedin.com/company/c0ffe3/about/

Industry News

CampaignLive is an online hub for marketing and advertising insights. Stay up to date with the latest trends, expert analysis, and creative inspiration here.

Link: https://www.campaignlive.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

A certificate programme designed to catapult younger creatives to the next level of their careers

Link: https://www.canneslions.com/initiatives/academies/creative-academy

Skill-building/Tool

Launched in 2013, Canva is an online design and visual communication platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere.

Link: https://www.canva.com/

Podcast/Advice

Confessions of a Creative Director tells the stories behind the ideas as told by some of today's best and brightest Creative Directors. Hosted by veteran CD Jaime Cabrera, the show features in-depth interviews, fun segments and of course a confession or two, all over a few cocktails.

Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/1oG26cKswG2XRvp0dRS5WB

🎨 Portfolio Program / Talent Development Program / Mentorship

The rich legacy of The Creative Circus lives on, with virtual courses, all taught by advertising industry professionals. We’re dedicated to inspiring and training the next generation of creative marketers to innovate and lead in the ever changing landscape of advertising.

History

Since 1995, The Creative Circus has been a powerhouse in the advertising industry, earning its reputation as a top-tier training ground for creative talent. Founded by five visionary faculty members from the renowned Portfolio Center, the school has become synonymous with a scrappy, lighthearted approach to teaching creative advertising, interactive development, design, and photography.

Link: https://creativecircus.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series, DEI

The Creative Lady Directory is a resource by Creative Lady Collective. It promotes the work of creative women through a directory, interviews, and a popular Instagram page. The directory helps women find support, motivation, and new clients. It aims to boost client outreach, foster creative collaborations, and build friendships.

Link: https://www.creativeladydirectory.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series

Creative Week by The One Club for Creativity is a week-long, city-wide creative festival bringing together the global creative community to celebrate the best in advertising and design in New York City. The visual identity would, above all, capture the notion of celebrating the gathering of diverse creative voices.

Link: https://creativeweek.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series

The world's largest face-to-face creative community; hosting local events every Friday, virtual FieldTrips every week, and jobs via the CreativeGuild.

Link: https://creativemornings.com/

Award Competition/Event

The D&AD New Blood Awards are yearly awards for students and new creatives in design and advertising. They work on real projects given by top brands. Industry experts judge the work, and winners get trophies, job opportunities, and recognition. It's a great way for new talent to get noticed and start their careers.

Link: https://www.dandad.org/en/d-ad-new-blood-awards/

Podcast/Advice

The world's first podcast about design and an inquiry into the broader world of creative culture through wide-ranging conversations with designers, writers, artists, curators, musicians, and other luminaries of contemporary thought.

Link: https://www.designmattersmedia.com/designmatters

Skill-building/Tool

Dribbble is where designers gain inspiration, jobs, feedback, join online courses and is your best resource to discover and connect with designers worldwide.

Link: https://dribbble.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

D5in10 Academy is a 10-week program by Droga5 that helps aspiring creatives develop skills in advertising and marketing through workshops, mentorship, and real-world projects led by industry experts.

Link: https://droga5.com/d5in10/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

Established in 1989, the Emma L. Bowen Foundation is dedicated to creating career opportunities in the media industry for youth of color through programs that focus on scholastic achievement, direct work experience and professional development. Together with its more than 50 corporate sponsors, the Foundation currently supports approximately 250 students each year through a multi-year internship program for students of color working at media companies across the country.

Link: https://www.emmabowenfoundation.org/

Community / Directory / Event Series

FuseATL is a community group in Atlanta for marketing professionals to connect, learn, and grow together. They offer free membership and provide a space for networking, sharing ideas, and fostering partnerships. It’s all about bringing local marketers together to inspire each other and innovate.

Link: https://fuseatl.org/

Skill-building/Tool

General Assembly is a pioneer in education and career transformation, specializing in today’s most in-demand coding, data, and design skills.

Since 2011, General Assembly (GA) has launched the technology careers of tens of thousands of diverse individuals and cultivated emerging tech talent pipelines for hundreds of the world’s leading employers.

GA offers online full- and part-time courses as career onramps into today’s most in-demand jobs in web development, data, design, and more. Through our corporate training programs, we also help companies compete for the future by sourcing, assessing, and growing their talent. All of these offerings are developed and led by industry experts.

Link: https://generalassemb.ly/

Skill-building/Tool

Analytics Academy helps you learn about Google's measurement tools so that you can grow your business through intelligent data collection and analysis.

Link: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/

Podcast/Advice

Copacino Fujikado, Seattle’s foremost independent advertising agency—have some audio stories to tell.
They touch on a variety of topics from in and around the marketing and ad agency world, starting with “How I Fucked Up,” a series telling the tales of failure with special industry-leader guests (which means tales of UTTERLY GARGANTUAN F*CK-UPS, naturally).

So strap your headphones on, settle in, and let the sweet sounds of the CF Podcast Series take you away.

Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ICUt8LHznWrMizsqaIkXx

Community / Directory / Event Series, DEI

Ladies, Wine & Design is a global non-profit started in 2015 by Jessica Walsh. It has over 285 chapters worldwide. The initiative supports women and non-binary creatives, especially those from BIPOC backgrounds. They offer free mentorship, portfolio reviews, talks, and meetups to promote diversity and leadership in the creative industry.

Link: https://ladieswinedesign.com/

Industry News

Little Black Book (LBBOnline) is a global community and resource hub for advertising professionals. It offers the latest industry news, showcases creative work, and highlights award-winning projects. The site also features job listings, company profiles, and insights from industry leaders, making it a comprehensive platform for anyone involved in advertising and creative industries. Explore the creative library, join the community, and stay updated with trends and developments in advertising.

Link: https://www.lbbonline.com/?edition=usa

Talent Development Program

The Marcus Graham Project is a non-profit organization that holds a variety of programs and workshop to train, mentor, and provide the experience needed to the next generation by connecting and collaborating with individuals from all backgrounds in the fields of marketing and media. 

Link: https://marcusgrahamproject.org/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

The 4A's Foundation Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) connects 120+ aspiring diverse entry-level professionals with over 75 prestigious advertising and media agencies nationwide annually. It is a 22-week national fellowship program for aspiring diverse entry-level advertising professionals.

Link: https://foundation.aaaa.org/maip.html

Podcast/Advice, DEI

Eavesdrop as Kai and Simeon bring the silo’d and uncomfortable conversations about diversity equity & inclusion in creative industries to the forefront, so everyone can participate. They'll say all the things you never hear in mixed company.

Link: https://www.mixedcompanypodcast.com/listen-to-the-show

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

ONE School is an online portfolio school for Black creatives that was co-founded by Oriel Davis-Lyons and The One Club. Students are taught by the industry's top creative talent and the program is supported by the best agencies and brands in the world. 16 weeks. 10 briefs. 1 dope book. Are you ready?

Link: https://oneschoolus.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series, DEI

SheSays is an award-winning organization running free mentorship and events for women in the creative industry.

Link: http://weareshesays.com/

Podcast/Advice

Hear from, Ashley Rutstein, Freelance Creative Director & Copywriter, as she share videos about ad campaigns, industry happenings, ad career tips, copywriting and concepting techniques, and portfolio support.

Link: https://www.tiktok.com/@stuffaboutadvertising

Podcast/Advice

The "Talk to a Creative Director" website connects you with top creative directors. It's a place where you can get advice, feedback, and support for your creative projects. Whether you're a designer, writer, or artist, this site helps you improve your work with expert guidance.

Link: https://talktoacreativedirector.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

The Academy at GSP is a year-long portfolio program based in San Francisco and is completely tuition-free. You'll be guided by award-winning professionals and gain access to the resources of Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

Link: https://theacademy.goodbysilverstein.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

An 8-week group coaching program led by Jason Bagley, a former Executive Creative Director. With small class sizes of up to 18 students, this program offers personalized mentoring to help creatives at all levels excel in their careers. Participants get access to detailed video lessons and weekly live Q&A sessions with Jason. This program is designed for ambitious creatives who want to improve their work using real client projects, not portfolio assignments.

Link: https://schoolofastonishingpursuits.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series

The Avail List is a platform designed to connect talented professionals with opportunities in the advertising industry. It features a curated list of creative talent, spotlighting individuals who are currently available for new projects. The site serves as a resource for agencies and companies looking to find skilled creatives, providing detailed profiles and showcasing recent work of the listed talent. It's an essential tool for both job seekers and employers in the advertising field.

Link: https://www.theavaillist.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking to get a job on the creative side of advertising and win some awards on the way to doing it! We offer creative concept classes for those interested in becoming Copywriters and Art Directors, which will help you to build a portfolio (otherwise known as “your book”) of ads so that you can go out and get a job at an ad agency, big or small! We’ve had thousands of students go through our program and have been guiding students to finished portfolios and great jobs for 35 years. In fact, hundreds of former Book Shop students are working at some of the top agencies, in jobs that have taken them all the way up to Creative Director and Executive Creative Director levels.

Link: http://thebookshopads.com/

Talent Development Program

The Creative Ladder is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit co-founded by Ryan Reynolds, Dionna Dorsey and David Griner that helps students from all backgrounds learn about creative careers and offers leadership training for those beginning their journeys. This organization offers a wide array of programs and services for students and rising creative talents to open up career options in marketing, advertising, design, and commercial production.

Link: https://www.creativeladder.org/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

The Inturnship connects emerging creative thinkers with industry mentors to solve challenges for small businesses. In turn, junior talent get to begin their careers behind the screen, and small businesses get affordable solutions to drive their brands forward.

Link: https://theinturnship.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship, DEI

The LAGRANT Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing, and public relations by providing scholarships, career & professional development workshops, mentors, and internships/jobs to African American, American Indian/Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students.

Link: https://www.lagrantfoundation.org/Home%20Page

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

Global creative boot camps that are designed to provide college students from diverse backgrounds with an opportunity to work with the best agencies and creatives, and showcase their creative talents. During this four-day bootcamp, participants are introduced into the advertising industry, learn about the creative process, and how to create and present a campaign for a real client. The creative boot camp is a pipeline program into the advertising industry. Accordingly, there is no cost for students to participate and the application process is simple.

Link: http://www.oneclub.org/one-id/bootcamps/

Industry News

The Drum is a global media platform that covers the latest trends, news, and insights in marketing, advertising, and media.

Link: https://www.thedrum.com/

Portfolio Program/Talent Development Program/Mentorship

A 100% free and fully remote creative mentorship program for those making a career pivot into art direction and copywriting.

Link: https://itstws.com/

Community / Directory / Event Series, DEI

Where Are All The Black People? (WAATBP) is The One Club For Creativity's annual diversity career fair and conference for advertising professionals and students of all levels.. Since 2011, WAATBP has helped Black talent upskill, network, and find jobs.

Link: http://www.oneclub.org/one-id/haatbp/

Community / Directory / Event Series, DEI

Women Who Create is a community of talented multicultural women with the goal of increasing retention, gender/ethnic diversity, and number of women in leadership positions in creative industries.

Link: https://www.womenwhocreate.org/

Podcast

That’s Probably an Ad features co-hosts David Griner and Ko Im debate the highs and lows of creativity, advertising, marketing, media and technology. David and Ko are joined by Adweek’s news team every week in deep dives into a wide range of topics, including diversity and inclusion, social media influence, streaming media, women empowerment, etc.

Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yeah-thats-probably-an-ad/id1148183191?mt=2

Award Competition

Young Ones is The One Club for Creativity's competition for students and recent graduates across creative disciplines. Young Ones is home to four unique competitions — Young Ones ADC, One Show, Portfolio, and TDC.

Link: https://youngones.org/