The move from Macky Auditorium to the Armory may be several months away, but the School of Journalism and Mass Communication has already received a most generous housewarming present -- a $1 million three-year gift from The Omnicom Group to establish the Laboratory for New Media Strategy and Design.

Omnicom Group Inc., the leading marketing communications company in the world, consists of advertising agency networks BBDO Worldwide, DDB Worldwide and TBWA Worldwide. CU students, faculty and industry professionals will work together in the lab on educational programs and research designed to meet new marketing challenges in the Information Age.

"Our intention is to develop ideas and talent for the digital environment," said David Slayden, a journalism professor and director of the new laboratory. "The lab will serve as a crossroads where industry and the University can come together to challenge existing practices and develop new ones for the multimedia Internet-based market." The journalism school will partner with CU's Alliance for Technology, Learning and Society (ATLAS) program in the effort.

Omnicom also includes Goodby, Silverstein & Partners; Diversified Agency Services, or DAS, which operates a number of leading, independently branded companies in marketing services and specialty communications; and Communicade, a division of wholly owned and significant minority investment interests in several leading interactive and new-media companies.

Tom Watson, Omnicom's executive vice president and chief growth officer, said he believes it is critical for all companies to re-engineer their communications in order to address the challenges created by emerging technology.

"We believe that CU's program will accomplish the equally important goal of building a critical base of understanding and training future leaders in the field," Watson said. Top students will have the opportunity to intern at Omnicom Group companies.
CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard L. Byyny said the campus is pleased with this academe-industry partnership.

"Our ATLAS initiative, which is focused on preparing students for careers involving a combination of content knowledge and information technology skills, and the journalism school's expertise in new media, together offer an ideal environment for learning how to use the Internet to solve marketing problems," he said. Slayden said the initial phase of the new media strategy and design program is already under way.