Brainco

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Brainco is the name of the Minneapolis School of Advertising, Design and Interactive Studies.

1 History
2 Course of study
3 References
4 External link

[edit] History

It was founded in 1994 by Ed Prentiss. It is one of few "portfolio schools" in the United States, and it trains people for jobs in advertising, design and media arts fields.

For over a decade, the school went thru several incarnations starting as a once a week workshop, and eventually becoming a full-time portfolio school. All classes are begin in the evening. Brainco moved to Hopkins, Minnesota, a suburb located Southwest of Minneapolis in the spring of 2006. The school moved on accord that the block that the small school was located on, was bought out.

In a contraversial move, Prentiss moved Brainco from Minneapolis to Hopkins, away from the epicenter of the advertising industry, and into a small, quaint western suburb. The school is significantly smaller, as well as finished, than the old warehouse space that their old location existed in.

Currently the enrollement at the school is roughly 80 students. The school runs on a trimester system, though students have a couple months off during summer. The copywriting, art-direction, graphic design, and photography programs all together takes 7 trimesters to finish. That being said, the ultimate goal of the school for students is to produce a portfolio worthy of attaining employment in the advertising/communications industry, and students can, have and do leave school early. The drop out rate is realativley high.

[edit] Course of study

Students learn and develop conceptual thinking skills through practical work assignments, critique and interaction with industry professionals.

The Art-direction and Copywriting programs make up a bulk of the student population. The school also offers photography, film and video, interactive, media planning and account management programs.

The school focuses highly--more so than other portfolio schools--on strong, original concept and strategy.