Awards & Press
The BrandLab x Ovative Group Work to Change the Face of the Marketing Industry
Minneapolis, MN – The marketing industry has long struggled to accurately represent the consumers it serves. Though it is more diverse than ever, at 30.8 percent (Association of National Advertisers), there is still much work to be done. The BrandLab, a local non-profit working to change the face and voice of the marketing industry, has partnered with Ovative Group for the past six years to drive sustained change. This partnership is part of Ovative’s Champions of Change program, created to enable Ovative team members to “just do” and “do more” within and beyond Ovative’s walls. Champions of Change focuses on opportunities for charitable giving, providing pro bono services to social organizations, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) education, and promoting equitable workplace practices. Ovative’s partnership with The BrandLab includes employing their students as interns and full-time analysts, providing professional mentors for students, providing employees fearless training, and raising annual scholarships.
“The BrandLab and Ovative Group’s partnership serves to break down one more barrier for the diverse talent we serve and another way partners can sow seeds directly into participants, their education, and future career paths,” said Koisey Hiama, College + Beyond Manager at The BrandLab. “It is the consistent commitment Ovative made to us year after year that truly helps to support our mission of changing the face and voice of this industry to reflect the world at large. The work is far from done, as we aim to also have equitable workplaces that make our talent feel like they truly belong, but this is an amazing start.”
Ovative Group hosted their first annual golf tournament fundraiser, the Octopus Open, on Friday, May 20, inviting team members, clients, and partners to deepen their involvement with The BrandLab.
Over 250 participated in golf, lawn bowling and volunteering from Ovative Group, UnitedHealthcare, Special Olympics Minnesota, Radisson, Bright Health, Post, Sleep Number, Mason, CH Robinson, Schwan’s, General Mills, Focus Brands, and more.
“The BrandLab is an amazing organization, taking action to change the face of the industry. We are honored to partner on several initiatives that truly make our team, and communities, stronger,” said Dale Nitschke, CEO at Ovative Group.
The impact of the partnership lasts longer than any individual event, by helping students find their place and grow in the industry.
“I am a recipient of the Ovative Group x The BrandLab scholarship. I am originally from Ethiopia. It was never expected that I would go to college. I was lucky to get in touch with The BrandLab and be awarded a scholarship. It changed my life. I am now majoring in Economics and attend college in California,” said Anaa Jibicho who co-founded Didómi, a social enterprise dedicated to combatting the water crisis through reusable water bottles.
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About Ovative Group
Ovative Group is a digital-first media and measurement firm that helps clients drive and deliver measurable marketing performance. Founded in 2009 by Dale Nitschke, Ovative brings media, measurement, and consulting together under one roof to measure the holistic impact of marketing on clients’ total business using its proprietary metric, Enterprise Marketing Return (EMR). Ovative’s team of marketing experts serve as a trusted partner for its national, world-class client base. Ovative is recognized as an industry leader and has received awards including Star Tribune’s Top Workplaces, MSPBJ’s Fast 50, and Inc. 5000. For more information about Ovative, visit ovative.com or follow Ovative on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About The BrandLab
The BrandLab’s mission is to change the face and voice of the marketing industry. We envision an industry that thrives with the creativity and insights of all. The BrandLab works with students to achieve professional greatness in marketing. This includes hiring and placing high school and college level students as interns in marketing organizations, like Ovative, and providing support through industry workshops, experiential skills training, professional development, and career and college guidance. We are driven by our values for exposure, access, opportunity, and equity. For more information visit thebrandlab.org.