The next phase of George Brown Polytechnic's OWN campaign is being shaped by the people the message aims to inspire: the students themselves.
In a collaboration between George Brown's marketing team and mrkt x a student-powered, faculty-led internal marketing agency learners stepped into real industry roles to direct, style, and produce the campaign's newest creative assets. The shoot brought together talent from academic areas across George Brown while working under the guidance of industry pros, including George Brown's Design Manager, Derek Jensen; the mrkt x leads, Nicole Gallucci, Faculty and Industry lead; and George Brown alum and Industry Lead, Amy Menachery.
A partnership that mirrors industry experience for students
Mrkt x was designed to bridge classroom learning with real-world execution, giving students from across George Brown the opportunity to work with real clients, timelines, and deliverables.
For Gallucci, that is exactly what makes this campaign authentic. "mrkt x is our true manifestation of bringing to life the OWN campaign," she said. "It's our students who are in the content, creating it behind the scenes in every way, shape or form, and showing the world that we are living up to what we say and delivering on our curriculum."
Students' input leads creative vision
Lauren Schirrmacher, a Graphic Design student in her final semester, joined the project as art director and was entrusted with influence over the shoot's creative direction an experience that enhanced her skills as she prepares to graduate.
"George Brown has honestly given me confidence I'm graduating in a couple of months, and I feel very ready to leave this program and join the workforce. This campaign encapsulates how I feel."
Representation on and off camera
The shoot brought together current students from culinary, marketing, welding, architecture, early childhood education, social work, and performing arts to be the newest faces of the campaign.
Victoria Lordanic, a current welding student, saw this as an opportunity to represent women in a male-dominated trade and expressed the pride she feels in becoming a welder.
"I'm stepping into a traditionally male welding world and proving that women belong here. I hope that future students, especially women, will see the campaign and feel inspired to pursue welding or any path they want knowing that it's possible."
Makeup artistry students Saylah Strnad and Alexa Asper Woo worked behind the scenes to showcase the skills they've developed in their program, helping on-camera students look their best.
"What I love about my program is that it feels like real industry work, but with room to play, experiment, and really develop your craft," shared Saylah. "To me, Own Your Tomorrow' means embracing creativity and never holding back from what makes you feel the most like yourself."
"Every experience in this program opens another door," said Alexa, reflecting on her time in the program and her work on the shoot. "It's giving me the skills and confidence to explore many different career paths. The hands-on training surprised me the most we practice constantly. You're on your feet, you're learning, and you're building real skills every day."
Where learning meets real-world production
This phase of the OWN campaign reflects George Brown's commitment to experiential learning in action, with students collaborating to create polished, professional assets that showcase the tangible skills they've built in their programs.
At George Brown, students aren't waiting for someday to gain experience. They're doing the work now by stepping into industry roles, refining their craft, and taking control of their future.
This is only the beginning. The OWN campaign will continue to evolve, introducing new students, fresh perspectives, and representation from across our learning community. With each update, it will capture a community that is always growing, creating, and confidently owning its tomorrow.
