IPG Launches Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship Program

Detroit, MI, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) announced the Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship, a jobs program associated exclusively with IPG’s Detroit-based communications and marketing companies that support General Motors, including Weber Shandwick, MRM, McCann, Jack Morton Worldwide and Commonwealth//McCann. The Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship recruits applicants solely from two Detroit-based schools: Wayne State University and the College for Creative Studies.

“As we create campaigns and experiences that connect with GM's diverse customer base, we also want to build inclusive agency teams that reflect these customers," said Bill Kolb, Chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup. “We’re fortunate to have these great universities in Detroit, and they will be a terrific source of talent." 

Different from an internship, the two-year fellowship program provides broad and deep experience across multiple disciplines and expertise, giving recruits a chance to understand the full spectrum of communications, marketing, creative, experiential and relationship marketing that bring the automaker’s campaigns to life.

Fellowship candidates will have the opportunity to support multiple vehicle brands, including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac, and adjacencies like GM Customer Care and Aftersales and OnStar.

How the Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship works:

• The two-year program structure: Candidate(s) will work at four different agencies over the course of two years; each rotation at an agency is six months in duration
• Each agency has a specialty, and the candidate could participate in communications, design, data analytics, relationship marketing, copy writing, PR, marketing, experiential programs, video and film production and related creative fields; wherever their skills apply or in the discipline they’d most like to gain experience
• Candidate(s) will participate in agency-related client meetings and client programs
• Candidate(s) will partner with an agency mentor
• Candidate(s) must be near graduation or have recently graduated from undergraduate or graduate school
• The fellowship offers competitive pay and full benefits
• Application portal now open: ipgdetfellowship.com

General Motors, an IPG partner for nearly 100 years, believes cultures shape today’s global economy and can give GM a competitive advantage in a global marketplace.

“At GM, we recognize the power of diversity, equity and inclusion and the role multiple perspectives play in sparking ingenuity and creativity,” said Hina Baloch, GM director, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Sustainability, Data Analytics and STEM Education Communications. “By bringing together diverse teams, including those of long-time partners like IPG, we can help solve today’s toughest global transportation challenges and work toward a world of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.”

Creating pathways for young talent to enter and cultivate a career in the marketing industry is a priority across IPG, with a focus on collaborative learning.

“We’re very proud to join forces with our sister IPG agencies and GM – one of the most innovative brands of our time – to help students find their place in, and bring their diverse viewpoints to, our business,” said Weber Shandwick President and CEO Gail Heimann. “The longstanding partnership between GM and IPG’s agencies is rich with imaginative and ground-breaking work, led by some of the industry’s most creative minds. I have no doubt they will bring inspiration and valuable knowledge to emerging young talent.”

Mid-2021 is the target start date for the candidates.

"We are delighted to partner with Interpublic Group to create this wonderful opportunity for our students,” said Matt Seeger, dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University. “Detroit is a car town and a communications town, and this program allows us to build on our legacy of great opportunities for the next generation of communication professionals.” 

The program encourages creative applicants as well. Creative needs vary from film, video, art direction, graphics, print and more.

“Teams creating advertising campaigns must be as diverse as the communities they represent,” said Ryan Ansel, associate professor, department chair, advertising, College for Creative Studies. “Equity and inclusion are core values of the College for Creative Studies, which is why we are especially proud to partner with the Interpublic Group on such a bold initiative and amazing opportunity for our students.”

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About Interpublic
Interpublic (NYSE: IPG) (www.interpublic.com) is a values-based, data-fueled, and creatively-driven provider of marketing solutions. Home to some of the world’s best-known and most innovative communications specialists, IPG global brands include: Acxiom, Craft, FCB, FutureBrand, Golin, Huge, Initiative, Jack Morton, Kinesso, MAGNA, Matterkind, McCann, Mediahub, Momentum, MRM, MullenLowe Group, Octagon, R/GA, UM, Weber Shandwick and more. IPG is an S&P 500 company with net revenue of $8.06 billion in 2020.

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses and organizations in major markets around the world. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, we have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Weber Shandwick was named to Ad Age’s Agency A-List in 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also honored as PRovoke’s Global Agency of the Decade in 2020 and PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The firm earned 25 Lions at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Data-led, with earned ideas at the core, the agency deploys leading and emerging technologies to inform strategy, develop critical insights and heighten impact across sectors and specialty areas, including brand and B2B marketing, healthcare marketing, change management, employee engagement, corporate reputation, crisis management, data and analytics, technology, public affairs, social impact and financial communications. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit www.webershandwick.com

About McCann Worldgroup
McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global marketing solutions network whose professionals are united across 100+ countries by a single vision: To help brands earn a meaningful role in people's lives. McCann Worldgroup was named "Global Agency of the Year" by Adweek magazine, “Network of the Year” by the Cannes Lions, the world's most creatively-effective marketing services company by the Effie Awards (for three consecutive years), "Global Network of the Year" by Campaign magazine and “Network of the Year” by The Webby Awards. Fast Company named McCann Worldgroup to its list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies. The network comprises McCann (advertising), MRM (science/technology/relationship marketing), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (production), Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design).

About Jack Morton
 Jack Morton is an award-winning global brand experience agency. We’re driven by the fact that the world’s most successful brands deliver proof on their brand promise at every touchpoint. It’s what inspires our team each day to help clients “Be extraordinary.” For over 80 years, we’ve strengthened the relationships between brands and the people who matter most to them, through live, virtual and hybrid experiences, brand acts, integrated campaigns, sponsorship marketing and employee engagement. Jack Morton is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG). More information is available at www.jackmorton.com.
  
About MRM
MRM creatively engineers total human experiences. Through purposeful, dynamic intersections between strategy, creative, technology and data sciences, MRM operates in a borderless, integrated way, to allow for greater collaboration and velocity—all to the service of helping businesses grow meaningful relationships with people. MRM has 35-plus offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.
  
About Commonwealth//McCann
Commonwealth//McCann is an award-winning global advertising agency founded in 2012 as a division of McCann Worldgroup. Headquartered in Detroit, CW has offices across 16 countries around the world. We're creatively led and operationally managed, which means everything we do is in support of stronger, smarter ideas that work for our client. Like handling the basics brilliantly, taking care of the simple things every day. Planning for the future and exceeding client expectations. 

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Contact Information
Tom Cunningham
(IPG Press)
Tom.Cunningham@interpublic.com
(212) 704-1326

Alyssa Hadrych
(Weber Shandwick, Media Relations, Detroit)
AHadrych@webershandwick.com
(248) 462-4895