Ever wonder what it takes to succeed in the field of advertising and promotion? Colorado State University apparel and merchandising alumna Kelly Olech (’04) will be on campus to give a public presentation titled “Advertising at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, in Clark A102.
Olech is currently an account supervisor at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) in Boulder, managing the Kraft Mac & Cheese account. As an account supervisor with more than eight years of experience, she has worked with top brands like Microsoft, Coke Zero, Kraft, Old Navy and Best Buy.
“I have been very fortunate to work on some incredible brands where I have learned and experienced more than I thought possible; have met and worked with incredibly talented people, some very well-known and even celebrities,” Olech said. “I have traveled the world to places such as Warsaw, Poland; Zurich, Switzerland; Barcelona, Spain; and many more.”
Olech’s public presentation is a part of her visit as this year’s Executive in Residence for the Department of Design and Merchandising. The purpose of the program is to enrich the student experience by inviting individuals who have established successful careers in fields that directly relate to one of the department’s majors to interact with students on campus. As the Executive in Residence, Olech will visit classes and engage students in discussion on various topics based on her expertise in advertising and promotion as it relates to course content.
“Do what you love, you are passionate about, and makes you happy,” Olech said she advises students. “Liking your job is so vastly important and is huge for your success. The rest will come with time.”
In her presentation, Olech will give an overview of her career and experiences, share what it is like to work at CP+B and their philosophy, explain what she does, show some examples of her work, and share the realities of advertising along with some tips and advice to “make it” in the industry.
“The combination of learning and understanding the fundamentals of the industry and the general and overall experience of going through college at CSU prepared me for my career,” said Olech. “Learning to work with others, building relationships, and figuring out how the system works and adjusting your ways to make it work for you allowed me to succeed.”
Olech’s career is impressive not only as it stands, but also because she did not obtain an advertising or marketing degree at CSU. Although some students in the apparel and merchandising program take courses in advertising and promotion, it is not common for students to pursue careers, and to achieve such success, in the field.
“I remember Kelly being an exceptionally motivated, engaged, and hardworking student,” said Karen Hyllegard, associate professor in Apparel and Merchandising.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Funding for the Executive in Residence Program is provided by the Kotsiopulos Education Enhancement Fund. The Department of Design and Merchandising is part of the College of Health and Human Sciences at CSU.
