AUD students launch advertising agency

Students majoring in Marketing Communications and Advertising at the American University in Dubai (AUD) have launched ‘The Agency’, a student lead organization that aims to promote the interests and activities of current, past, and prospective Marketing Communications (Marcom) and Advertising students.

It is AUD’s official marketing communications and advertising student club, and it will be benefiting the university by providing a meaningful link between the student body, academia, and industry. ‘The Agency’ was founded by AUD Students Omer Tom and Disha Pagarani, with the help of Dr. Sara Kamal Assistant Professor of Marketing Communications at AUD, as the Advisor.

AUD firmly believes in the education and development of the whole person. Extracurricular activities, events and out of classroom learning experiences are considered vital in developing a student’s social skills, leadership abilities and character. They also provide a great opportunity to bridge cultures, make lifelong friends and explore new interests. In particular, AUD Departmental Clubs, such as ‘The Agency’ serve as professional organizations that address the special needs and interests of students in specific areas of study. They encourage members to explore their interests and talents and organize major specific activities such as lectures, seminars, professor’s lunches, competitions, exhibitions, workshops and field trips. The clubs also serve as a liaison between the student body and faculty of each department.

President of ‘The Agency’ Omer Tom explains how it all started: “The concept of ‘The Agency’ was introduced at the end of last semester, Fall 2010, when Dr. Kamal and myself were discussing the use of social media in marketing communications plans. This sparked the idea of starting an official Marcom Student Club, which would also include students from the Department of Visual Communication. We created The Agency to be able to apply our classroom training in a real agency setting while still studying at AUD”.

The Agency members have now established themselves on campus as the official Marcom and Advertising club of AUD’s student community, gaining awareness among their peers. They are currently organizing a Slogan Competition. They have a Facebook page setup, as well as a Twitter account; they are also starting a blog. The Agency’ has a creative team of six led by AUD Student Manolia D’Souza, as the Creative Director.

The word has spread incredibly fast among the students; other clubs are already hiring ‘The Agency’ for their event campaigns and logo development.

The Agency’s future plans include: organizing a Movie Night, creating a campaign for the Business Student Association Awards, creating a campaign for the Buzz’s event known as “AUD’s Birthday”, working on AUD Idol’s campaigns promoting their events, and rebranding the Vibe Dance Club.

Dish Pagarani, Vice President of The Agency comments on the future plans: “Apart from the work we will be doing with other student clubs, we are planning on organizing visits to agencies in the UAE, inviting speakers from the industry as well as AUD Alumni who are well established in the industry. We especially want to bridge the gap between freshmen, seniors, alumni, and academia members of the Marcom department, and assist freshmen in better understanding Marketing Communications. We are all now dreaming of becoming a real agency one day!”.

Notes and media contacts
About AUD
The American University in Dubai (AUD) is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning founded in 1995. It serves UAE nationals and international students who seek world-class career-oriented education. AUD, as an international institution of higher education, encourages global understanding by providing an atmosphere of cultural diversity and opportunities for an international education.

- AUD is accredited by the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
- AUD is officially licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry has accredited the university’s programs in Architecture, Business Administration (both undergraduate and graduate), Communication and Information Studies, Engineering, Information Technology, Visual Communication and Interior Design, in addition to a Certificate in Middle Eastern Studies program.
- AUD is approved to operate by the State of Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (NPEC).
- AUD has received specialized accreditation for its Bachelor’s of Business Administration (B.B.A.), and Master’s of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree programs in business through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The university’s undergraduate concentrations in Marketing Communications and Advertising (Creative) have been accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA) in New York.
- The Civil, Computer, and Electrical Engineering Programs of AUD’s School of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Technology (B.S.C.I.T.) program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Rim Ibrahim
Marketing Communications Coordinator
American University in Dubai

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