A Fifteen-year Legacy of Coloring Outside the Lines

The BrandLab’s Ignite 2024 was poetic in its reflection and return to origin story. The evening brought the audience back in time to 2009, when John and Cindy Olson co-founded The BrandLab. Also co-founders of Olson advertising agency (1992), this husband and wife duo shared a personal and professional life together. As Cindy unfolded their story on stage, honoring the late John Olson, one had to assume such deep connection and purpose shaped The BrandLab’s vision and action-oriented work.

Reflection and Commemorative Panel

This year’s annual gala intent focused on looking back to The BrandLab’s past, celebrating this year’s progress, and moving the organization into the future. To reflect, The BrandLab’s CEO Kelli Williams and Cindy Olson revisited their meet up in Spring 2024. Prior to 2024 and after the loss of John in 2013, Cindy’s relationship to the The BrandLab was more of following and supporting its growth. After a coffee meetup with Kelli, that relationship changed. Cindy noted being re-introduced to The BrandLab through fresh eyes (Kelli’s, of course) and stepping into a new perspective on legacy that the passage of time and two young adult daughters brought forth.

The room full of nearly 400 guests at the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Park acknowledged the Olson family, Cindy, Ava, Zellie, and the late John Olson, as The BrandLab founders and welcomed their renewed commitment to the organization. Cindy took us all back through history detailing how the agency was founded on the idea of energetic and forward thinking. She recalled reading nationally published articles circa 2008-09 citing issues with disparity in the advertising world and profession. In context of the Twin Cities and its birth and rise of prominent creative agencies in the eighties, the Olson duo were compelled to not only create action to initiate change, but to open it up for all agencies to participate.

Given the highly competitive nature of these agencies when it came to winning work, it caused pause for all agencies invited in to form what would eventually become The BrandLab. There were skeptics. But as the panel selected to address the why behind The BrandLab’s 15 years noted, those involved in pitching it told a compelling story. The BrandLab’s first CEO and panel moderator, Ellen Walthour, cited panel member Mark Addicks’ brilliant letter as the message that secured the initial yeses from early-adopter agencies: set competition aside, this initiative is one that can have great community impact and promote diverse and collaborative thinking. And so it was. The BrandLab was established.

In addition to Ellen and Mark, Cindy Olson, Brenna Smithson, Christine Fruechte, and Kevin DiLorenzo rounded out the reflection session. Cindy touched on John’s drive to move beyond the idea of diversity and put it into action, noting that he was a force of nature with vision to make something educational and fueled by industry. Kevin outlined the early challenges the initiative was met with, being struck by the generosity of John and Cindy to push The BrandLab (or the academy, as it was initially referred to), out of the nest. Mark remembers thinking we’ve absolutely got to do this and when it became reality, it got really fun. The inertia around this initiative can be great, Brenna recalled. It was too exciting to say no to. Christine closed with a nod to the over 30 interns they’ve cycled through Colle McVoy courtesy of The BrandLab, affirming that learning from students is highly gratifying and seeing their impact in the world, profound.

A Progressive Year

Thanks to leadership with a solid marketing mindset, this is one gala you’ll walk away from always understanding the mission: The BrandLab exists to transform the face and voice of marketing and advertising. It was woven into the language of the evening, the alumni panel member’s shares, and Kelli’ poem: Coloring Outside the Lines. An excerpt reads, “In places where stories tend to blend, and voices sound the same, my friend, The BrandLab’s voice begins to rise, changing our world, opening our eyes…”

As story ebbed and flowed with data throughout the evening, we went from poems to percentages and partners. With a vision to keep growing The BrandLab’s impact, Kelli competitively assessed 2023 to 2024 stats. She shared The BrandLab’s impact in making over 1500 young people aware of the organization and its role and mission. She cited a successful summer that moved 80 interns through agency experiences and exposure in the Midwest. Ninety-seven percent of interns were happy with the program and 100% of the partner agencies that worked with The BrandLab to offer internships were pleased with their interns and the program. In 2024, The BrandLab was able to break down barriers to help interns access and secure work using almost $100K in scholarships. And in a look forward, goals have been set to have 300 fearless conversations inside of corporate and ad agencies in the next three years.

The Future Found in an Alumni Fireside Chat

There’s nothing like hearing directly from those who’ve benefited from an organization’s work and service. The alumni fireside chat with Will Xiong (2016 alumni), Mia Jennings (2023 alumni), and Vlad Gaetan (2013 alumni), demonstrated the why behind the work. Essential voices to hear from, all three shared their perspectives to help young people in moving forward in an internship, and help established professionals and agencies find avenues to see the value in bringing on an intern.

Vlad said he’s excited about the different voices entering the industry and Mia said she received awareness about positions and careers she didn’t know existed, when asked about the future of the marketing and advertising professions. All talked heavily of the value of mentorship, which helped in overcoming imposter syndrome, feelings of not fitting in as the only BIPOC professional in the workplace, relating to peers, and navigating relationships with managers. When asked about diversity’s impact on culture, Mia noted that having diverse faces in leadership helped her feel more welcomed and comfortable. The alumni panel members dropped tips to keep learning and ensuring you’re supported by your boss (Will), figure out your unique value and be persistent (Vlad), and the cliché but truth-filled reminder that whatever opportunities you don’t go after, you’re definitely not going to get (Mia).

Recognition and Significance

Throughout the evening, emcee Miss Shannan Paul brought vibrant energy to the speaker intros and live auction to raise funds for The BrandLab’s work. Michael Wurth, The BrandLab’s development director, presented the sought-after auction items. Sponsors were recognized and thanked including presenting sponsors Capella University and Target; platinum Land O’Lakes, Inc., Stearns Bank, and Quad; gold Best Buy, broadhead., Colle McVoy, Fallon, Folklore, General Mills, KNOCK, Inc., Ovative Group, Rise and Shine Partners, SiriusXM Media, The Minnesota Star Tribune, and UnitedHealth Group; silver EcoLab, Minnesota Vikings, Shinebox, and VDX.tv; bronze Applied AI, Cargill, kpCompanies, and Schermer; and In-kind Irish Titan, Quad, Storylink Creative, and Yamamoto.

The audience heard from Mary Beth George, Chair of the board; and recognized the board of directors and the six 2024 Rise Scholarship Winners. Significant in 2024, the first gift to the first ever Olson Family Scholarship and a foundational gift was awarded and the funding and fun just built on that over the gala.

Legacy and Lines

The commemorative panel’s shares rounded out BrandLab’s insights to carry forward. On DEI&B, Kevin noted that the job has hardly started, meaning we’re still in the infancy of real change and we need to stay connected and keep moving. Cindy talked about living consciously and embracing opportunities for growth and impact. There is urgency around privilege, Brenna touched on, as she encouraged the audience to think about the internal work around DEI&B they’ve personally done, always asking of an organization: Are we good with ourselves? Are we the right welcoming committee? Mark wrapped it by sharing how The BrandLab can be proud of taking action and what’s been accomplished in 15 years. No other community nationally is making an action-oriented impact in the marketing and advertising world like The BrandLab.

The night ended on this high note with Ellen reminding everyone to give money to the cause and hire a BrandLab intern; and Miss Shannan’s instructions to celebrate past successes and drive positive change in the profession. On cue, the musicians rolled into the dance portion of the evening with the popular tune by Earth, Wind, and Fire ensuring all would remember The Twenty-sixth Night of September.