Inside Gorgas Library, the future of the advertising and PR industry was on full display as students from across the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS) gathered for A+PR Day. This day-long immersion served as a bridge between the classroom and the professional world. From high-level keynote insights to panel discussions on the rise of artificial intelligence, the event provided comprehensive advice for aspiring advertisers and PR professionals ready to make their mark.
The morning kicked off with a jolt of future-focused energy as Curt Galusha from Creative Capital Management Consulting took the podium. Known in the industry as “Chief Tomorrowist,” Galusha gave insight into the changing outlook of advertising and marketing. Rather than looking back at traditional case studies, Galusha’s keynote focused on the intersection of human intuition and rapid technological shifts.
After Galusha spoke, the event transitioned to the panels. The first one, “AI is Here but What’s Next”, featured Meghan Dorn of OpenAI, Desiree Fulton of Jackson Spalding and Joel Wheat of Salesforce. Rather than zeroing on the fear of replacement, the conversation shifted toward co-creation. The conversation delved deep into the mechanics of the creative process. A major theme was giving advice to students on navigating this new technological component to advertising and PR while emphasizing that curating one’s own creative eye is essential in rapidly changing industries. To get the most out of AI, the panel said you must provide the “strongest input for the best output.”
The last panel of the day was all about entrepreneurship with business founders – Lesley Bruinton (School Spirit PR), Adeliade Matte (AMD Creative) and Laura Beth Oliver-Agee (Swag). The “Is Entrepreneurship in Your Future?” panel explored how they started their businesses, as well as the upside of pairing marketing and advertising with business. The takeaway was clear: whether you start your own business or work within a large corporation, an entrepreneurial mindset is often characterized by curiosity and hard work.
A day like this highlights the opportunities for growth and development that C&IS provides for students and faculty alike. They serve as a reminder that while the tools of the trade, like AI, are constantly shifting, the core of the profession remains rooted in human connection and creative thinking.
