Collective Measure spotlights the BrandLab, an impressive Minneapolis non-profit
The BrandLab is a Minneapolis-based non-profit that is committed to changing the face and voice of the marketing landscape. They empower young talent from Indigenous, Black, Brown, AAPI and Hispanic/Latinx backgrounds to become marketing and advertising leaders. As a part of Collective Measures’ Commitment to Change, the agency has been a six-year partner with the Brand Lab and strives to change the narrative within our own walls in the agency. To truly highlight all of the BrandLab’s accomplishments, Collective Measures sat down with Sonja Simpson, Senior Director of Impact + Programs at the BrandLab, to shine a light on this impressive organization.
Q: How did the BrandLab become the influential non-profit organization it is today?
A: The BrandLab was founded in 2009 with the focus of growing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the marketing and advertising landscape. We want to empower young marketers to join this industry and become leaders within companies across the U.S. We currently serve the Twin Cities, Kansas City, and Mikwaukee communities. Our organization is built off of our four pillars: exposure, access, opportunity, and equity. By using those pillars as our guiding light, we are able to drive real change within the marketing and advertising community through scholarships, events, opportunities, and resources.
Q: How does the BrandLab drive change within the marketing and advertising landscape?
A: Our efforts are supported with a two-fold approach. We partner with human resource professionals to connect and share resources that assist in building out practices that support diversity from within. We believe that change should come from the ground up. By hiring and promoting diverse individuals, companies are able to create a real impact in their own organization.
Secondly, we empower young talent to join this industry. We have created two key programs that offer new opportunities for diverse individuals. Our Spark program focuses on raising awareness among high school and college students about the opportunities within the marketing and advertising industry. On the other hand, our Lab Fellow program continues to support diverse talent through college. This program matches college students with top companies to open the door to diverse talent. This allows these college students to experience the marketing and advertising industry first-hand at top rated organizations.
Q: With diversity being such a focus for many organizations today, how does the Brandlab define diversity?
A: Diversity has many layers. It is not just a quick answer that people can throw out to others. It is a broad spectrum of identities. At the BrandLab, we recognize diversity as a ‘backpack’. Everyone carries many different identities in their own ‘backpack’. Sometimes it is easy to see what people are carrying, and other times it is hard to recognize the identities people are carrying. Race is a common identity that people carry in their ‘backpack’, but how people think, their working style, personality, and life experiences are also important to recognize in building diversity. This is why the BrandLab is so passionate about building equity within organizations.
Equity allows everyone to unpack their ‘backpack’ and not feel any judgment. It means everyone has the same opportunities available to them. However, companies must create an inclusive environment to allow everyone to unpack their ‘backpack’ of identities. So as you begin to see, each piece goes hand-in-hand with each other. Companies must take an expansive approach to diversity because diversity means so many different things. And to create real change, we all have to recognize each person’s ‘backpack’ looks a bit different from each other’s – and that is how we build strength within organizations. Bringing different backgrounds and identities together allows new perspectives and opinions to join the conversations. This enables organizations to recognize new opportunities, change their approach, and create new success from within. It is truly a strength to have a diverse workforce. With many different voices, the opportunities are endless for companies.
Q: How can others support the BrandLab and its mission?
A: There are many ways to support the BrandLab’s efforts. Generating awareness of our organization is always an easy step to take. With more people knowing about the work we do, we are able to create more opportunities and open more people’s minds to creating a diverse marketing and advertising industry. Another way to support our organization is by donating. By giving donations, it helps fund the crucial programs that drive change within the communities that we support. Lastly, volunteering is a great way to get involved. We always need help running or attending workshops or participating in conferences that we host. We always appreciate any support we receive. It allows us to expand our efforts and drive real change among our community.
