Virtual Event Promotion

The findings in our State of the Industry report are more than just statistics; they're a call to action. Let's heed the call and work towards an industry that truly represents everyone.

Don't miss the chance to discuss these vital findings with our program director, Michaela Clubb, and CEO, Kelli Williams, at our report debrief sessions on October 24 and October 31. These sessions are virtual and open to the public!

Employee Recognition

Today, we're celebrating the two-year work anniversary of our incredible Executive Director, Kweku TeAngelo Cargile Jr.! 🌟

Kweku Teangelo's role is vital in shaping our organizational culture and sharing The BrandLab's story within the marketing and advertising industry. His dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment have been instrumental in propelling our mission forward. He's not only a driving force within our organization, but a true community leader in Milwaukee.

Here's to two incredible years of leadership! 🎂💪

Event Retrospective

Last night, the Ignite Gala illuminated the way forward! ✨

What an incredible evening! The Ignite Gala brought together remarkable individuals passionate about diversity, inclusivity, and equity in marketing and advertising. The event was a testament to the power of collective commitment.

From our inspiring speakers to lively auctions, heartfelt conversations, and dancing under the stars, the Ignite Gala was a true celebration of change. We're thankful for every attendee, sponsor, volunteer, and supporter who made it an unforgettable night.

Summer Internship Finale

As we wrap up another incredible summer, it's time to give a high-five to our entire 2023 Summer Internship class!

From brainstorming sessions that doubled as laughter marathons to conquering challenges like marketing superheroes, our interns have rocked the show. To all the creative minds, the late-night idea generators, and the copywriting champions – you've made this summer unforgettable. As we bid a fond farewell to this summer's adventure, let's keep the energy alive and welcome the thrilling journeys that lie ahead!

A special shoutout to our outstanding partner organizations for opening their doors to our interns this summer! Their guidance and collaboration have played a pivotal role in shaping the future of marketing and advertising.

Is your organization interested in helping us shape the next generation of creative talent? Reach out to info@thebrandlab.org and let's chat about partnership!

Safe vs Brave vs Accountable Spaces

“Safe Spaces” have been a buzzword flying around in the DEI&B ether for quite some time now. At this month’s Lunch & Learn, The BrandLab’s internal monthly learning module, we discussed how ‘Safe Spaces’ can be evolved.

In theory, a Safe Space is an environment free from harassment, discrimination, or judgment based on identity. In practice, the intention of these spaces doesn’t always match the impact. We discussed as an organization how traditional ‘Safe Spaces’ in work environments often prioritize comfort over growth. In the articles we analyzed, we were presented with the ideas of ‘Brave’ and ‘Accountable’ spaces. Though the change in terminology might seem tedious, words matter and each of these spaces has unique elements that define them depending on where an organization is on their journey to equity.

The BrandLab & Celarity Alliance

We’re excited to announce a new, expanded strategic partnership with Celarity, an

award-winning recruiting agency with Twin Cities roots and national reach. Celarity and The BrandLab have successfully partnered together since 2013 to address high school and racial and socioeconomic barriers in learning about and accessing jobs in the marketing industry.

Within this new partnership, Celarity will support TBL’s College & Beyond program. Celarity connects open, qualified, and available candidates to marketing/creative/digital careers. Based on this shared alignment, this new partnership is an excellent opportunity for TBL and Celarity to support the next generation of marketing, creative, and digital professionals. The strategic partnership will provide a wide range of resources and support. Learn more about the new strategic partnership with Celarity here (link to the press release on the blog).

Producing Quality - A blog piece written in anticipation of a new product release at Sociable Cider Werks that included Strawberries from a local Minnesota grower.

“Producing Quality” is one of the main pillars of Sociable’s brand. To us, this means putting our full focus behind each project we undertake. It means that we’re never half-assing or cutting corners just to make a quick buck. It is reminding ourselves of the duty we have to uphold the dedication to our products, our brand, our employees and our fans every single day. We’re committed to upholding this standard in virtually every aspect of our business. You can see it in our taproom presentation, in the large scale events we host, in the talented staff we have in every department, in our marketing and design, and namely in the libations we produce.

When crafting our newest infusions, specialty brews, or flagship ciders the process all starts the same; with freshly pressed apples. We could go the cheap route and ground our products in concentrates and artificial flavors, but that’s not what makes us #DecidedlyDifferent. Each time we source a new ingredient to add to our products, we make sure it meets our quality standards and comes from a supplier we trust. We will go to great lengths to uphold our standards. whether that means sourcing gallons of local honey for our Mead, using Minnesota grown wet hops for our special release Hop A Wheelie, or freshly pressing the Road Rash lemons ourselves. Our most recent infusion, an All Pints North exclusive, started with freshly harvested strawberries from a small town farm just an hour north of our taproom.

Rod's Berry Farm has been growing strawberries for 38 seasons near North Branch, MN. Rod and Sara started the farm in 1982, and it's truly a family run and locally supported business. Each of their 5 kids pitched in to the family gig as they grew up, and now return with families of their own. U-pick and ready-picked strawberries are the main focus of their business, but Rod’s Berry Farm has been providing strawberries for local wineries (and now breweries) for almost 20 years! The farm is well known for its friendly staff, kid friendly environment, and most importantly, great strawberries.

Sourcing our ingredients locally not only improves the quality of our products, but it allows us to work #SideBySide with some of this region’s best. Connecting with others in our community and spending time with “the root” of all our products motivates us to bring the most excellent products to life. We can’t wait to debut this collaboration with Rod’s Berry Farm at All Pints North this coming weekend!

Sammy’s Avenue Eatery crew finds a new home in Sociable Cider Werks’ mobile kitchen.

Sociable Cider Werks is proud to present Sammy McDowell, and his Sammy’s Avenue Eatery crew, as our newest resident chef.

Sammy McDowell, Minneapolis chef and restaurateur, will take the place of Union Kitchen and Chef Yia Vang in Sociable Cider Werks’ mobile food trailer. Beginning the week of October 28, he will be serving an array of cafe-style food, including many of his famed soups and sandwiches from the menus of his North and Northeast restaurants.

Sammy describes his style as “simple and fresh”, because “at the end of the day all you really want is a good sandwich.” This winter he’ll be warming you up with hot soups, delicious sandwiches, mouthwatering desserts, and anything else he feels like whipping up each day.

Sammy McDowell, and his Sammy’s Avenue Eatery restaurants, have been a staple of the Minneapolis community for over 8 years. From day one his deli-style restaurant on Broadway has been bringing fresh ingredients and a sense of community to North Minneapolis. He has provided somewhere for locals to find nutritious meals in the middle of a food desert, while also utilizing his space for all different types of Minneapolis residents to come together as one. These successes allowed him to open a second location in neighboring Northeast just last year, and now join the team at Sociable Cider Werks.

For more information and a full menu click here: https://sociablecider.com/food-truck

More on Sociable’s Food Truck Program

Sociable purchased a mobile food trailer in early 2019 to have a space for up-and-coming Twin Cities chefs to show off their talents. The goal of this partnership is to bring recognition to the culinary skills of each tenant, by providing them with a physical space to run their operations. In tandem, this partnership will offer Sociable’s taproom patrons with consistently great food year-round. Sociable plans to host rotating resident chefs for stints up to a year in length.