History of The BrandLab

2007-2008

John Olson started The BrandLab as a response to the lack of diversity in the advertising and marketing industry.

The program was first piloted in a single classroom at South High School in Minneapolis, MN. Students in this program worked with mentors from Olson’s ad agency and found that they were receiving very positive responses to the program overall.

Teachers, students and volunteers from this first-year program were excited for the program to grow and it quickly became clear that the program would soon move beyond just one agency and classroom.

2008-2009

With support from Target, General Mills and OLSON, the program expanded into two classrooms at  North and South High School in Minneapolis and The BrandLab was awarded status as a 501-c3 nonprofit organization.

Three internships and two scholarships were offered to graduates of these classrooms and The BrandLab continued to receive positive feedback from the community.

2009-2010

Jim Cousins becomes the first Executive Director of The BrandLab. A Program Manager and Volunteer Coordinator are also hired as well to make up the first team of dedicated BrandLab staff.

Staff and volunteers work to develop a richer, semester-long curriculum to implement in a variety of classrooms and in  the 2009-2010 school year, six classrooms at North, South and Henry High School in Minneapolis, Bloomington Kennedy High School and Arlington High School in St. Paul begin The BrandLab program.

Internships were awarded to 12 students from these classrooms and 12 $1,000 scholarships were awarded to students pursuing post-secondary education.

2010 and Beyond

Each year, The BrandLab has had increasing demand for classes, and the 2010 – 2011   school year  is no exception. With plans for 12 classrooms in the current school year and the intention of  growing beyond the Twin Cities in the years to come, the need for community involvement is more imperative now than ever.

Whether you choose to be a classroom volunteer, make a donation, get your company  involved or simply attend an event to hear more about what we do, we want you to be a part of the future of The BrandLab.