Discover five ways an Advertising and Brand Responsibility Master’s will propel your career.

Have you ever purchased one jacket over another because one of the brands supports the environment? Or chose a pair of socks because the company donates a second pair to people in need? An advertising campaign probably made you aware of the brand’s devotion to social responsibility.

If you're interested in a career in socially responsible advertising, a Master’s in Advertising and Brand Responsibility (ABR) may be for you.

There are many ways to make a difference in the world through brands and advertising. Interested? Here are answers to five questions that delve into how an ABR degree can help you turn your dream job into a reality.

1. What jobs will an Advertising and Brand Responsibility Master’s prepare me for?

How would you like to work as a marketing director for a fashion brand focused on sustainability? Or as a creative at an agency where you have a say in how to market responsibly to underrepresented populations? Or create a campaign around reducing the wealth gap? These are all projects graduates of the ABR program have completed. An ABR degree qualifies you to work as a creative, strategist or account manager at an agency. Or you can work for a nonprofit or city organization campaigning for a particular issue.

“Our graduates leave with a new perspective on advertising,” said Chris Chávez, director of the Advertising and Brand Responsibility Master’s program. “That perspective is not only how advertising can work, but also how advertising can be applied to social good.”

2. What skills will I get with an Advertising and Brand Responsibility Masters?

Good marketing is all about amplifying a client’s voice in the marketplace. To do that effectively, you must know the basics, like telling your client’s story in a compelling way to the right audience. If you graduate with an ABR degree, you will have the skill set to do just that. And you won’t just have the skills, you’ll also have a terminal project that demonstrates your ability.

For the program’s terminal project, you’ll use advertising and branding skills to address a social issue of your choice. One student wanted to address Asian representation in advertising. He designed a coffee table book that depicted the problematic ways Asians have been used in advertising historically. Another student created a 20-minute video on capitalism and the problems with consumption.

“They find ways to bring that cause to life and make a creation out there in the public realm,” Chávez said.

3. How will an education in socially responsible advertising help me lead with integrity?

The most effective leaders are those with integrity. Through three seminar classes, ABR students get a thorough background on how brands work and what makes advertising effective. At the same time, students learn and research social problems and how advertising has been complicit in exacerbating these issues. Most importantly, you’ll learn how socially responsible advertising can help solve some of these issues. You’ll have the knowledge and skills to be a leader on issues that reflect your values.

If you are a creative, your project might reflect your ability to use visuals and copywriting to address an issue. If you’re a strategist, you’ll demonstrate your ability to think through an issue and solve it through messaging.

“We want students to be critical scholars of their work and to think about how it could address an issue they care about,” Chávez said.

4. How will an ABR Master’s connect me with industry leaders?

ABR students emerge from the program with a project demonstrating their skills and passion. Students have many opportunities to discuss that project with industry leaders and future employers.

Students connect with an active network of former ABR students, many based in New York or Portland. Plus, professors have connections to a broader network of advertising professionals in the San Francisco and Los Angeles industries.

“They are really generous in giving their time and insight,” Chávez said. “I have students connect with the alums who can advise them on thinking about their terminal projects and considering best practices. We want to ensure graduates know what the process of seeking a job looks like and how they can navigate the system.”

5. How can an ABR Master’s degree help me make a positive impact through socially responsible advertising?

Recent grad Carmelli Hess BA '23, MA '24, noticed very little representation of Latinx and Filipinx communities in advertising despite the fact that they are the fastest-growing communities in the United States. For her terminal project, she wrote a white paper for industry leaders about authentically representing these communities. The marketing director at Chanel asked to look at her paper.

Chávez says Hess is an excellent example of a graduate using her voice to shape the future.

“Be a student of your craft, become proficient and able to develop a message, then apply it toward a goal,” he advised. “We use the terminal project as an opportunity to have a public voice. Think of yourself as a public scholar because you are an authority on this topic.”

–By Jennifer Snelling 

Jennifer Snelling is a Eugene-based education journalist. She graduated from the SOJC with a master’s degree in journalism in 2001.