From Spreadsheets to Art Direction: Niani Patterson’s Journey to the Brandcenter
Among many Graduate programs at VCU, the Brandcenter, a School of Business graduate program is a beacon of innovation and creativity in the world of advertising, marketing, branding, and beyond. Niani Patterson is on an exciting journey pursuing her Master of Science in Business with a concentration in Art Direction at the Brandcenter, all while bringing her unique set of experiences and stories to this innovative community. Niani's journey to the program was preceded by years of experience as an account manager and digital producer, at media companies such as Gannett, U.S News & World Report, Essence, and NYC’s HOT 97 radio station, where she worked in the sales and later in the digital department.
As an account manager, Niani was responsible for the daily tracking of impressions and click-through rates, among other duties. “I felt creatively suppressed. I wanted to use my imagination to think and solve problems.” It was during this time that Niani developed an interest in visual storytelling. Whether it was creating presentation decks for clients, designing original social content, or pitching ideas for the look and feel of brand campaigns, this was a space she relished.
Niani's new passion led her to the One School, an online portfolio school, where she created conceptual ad campaigns.
After graduating from that program, she enrolled in the One Club Bootcamp, which was a one-week sprint where she was challenged with getting Gen Z’ers interested in the Lexus brand. She and her team won first place out of ten teams, earning her a trip to Playa Vista and an internship with Team One.
Eager to further enhance her skills and learn more about art direction, Niani took a train from New Jersey to Richmond to visit the Brandcenter’s open house session. Despite some misgivings– leaving a full-time job, moving out of her cozy apartment, and moving to a new state (one in which she would have to pump her own gas)–Niani ultimately decided to apply.
Approaching the tail-end of her first year, Niani is proud to have made the move. The former volleyball player has found numerous advantages to being a student at the Brandcenter. She says “Being at the Brandcenter so far, just in the first semester, it really challenges you to think conceptually and provocatively.” Niani recounts, “Even when you are outside, just shopping, the way you look at advertisements is completely different after being in this program. I am now looking at the packaging of things on the shelves at the store, the color, the hues and the label, the scale, the pictures they use, the typography.” She also wonders about the choice of branding for products and asks herself why one approach was taken versus another., “It alters the way you look at things”. A recent accomplishment that she’s proud of is filming and directing a skate documentary from her Visual Storytelling class, which earned her an award at the Passaic County Film Festival.
At the Brandcenter, for the art direction concentration in particular, it’s important to be familiar with the array of software programs. Niani shared that she’s swapped her roller skating sessions to watch tutorials on Illustrator and After Effects. She says “It’s an ever-evolving industry that is also competitive” so it’s important for her to stay abreast of all the latest trends and tools.
To date, her projects have included creating brand commercials, brand identities, out-of-home billboards, and building new community platforms. She hopes to use what she has learned to make compelling content at an agency or brand. As Niani continues to thrive at the Brandcenter, her story serves as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring creatives, reminding us all of the transformative power of embracing change and following our dreams.