Game Changer
Kelly Amonte Hiller has altered, expanded lacrosse
Give Me a Break
Gap-year students arrive at Northwestern well focused
A Record-Breaking Reunion
Alumni set attendance record at Reunion Weekend
Sustainability Scorecard
University looks to reduce its environmental impact
Allergic Response
Prof has personal stake in fight against food allergies
Voice, Interrupted
An editor finds himself at a loss for words
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Reader Feedback
My father, Vernon Fryburger, ran the advertising program at Northwestern for 35 years, and I am tired of it being trashed. In the cover story in the winter 2012 issue [“You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby”] my father’s program was referred to by professor emeritus Don Schultz as a small, agency-oriented program and a “problem” that needed to be solved. Unfortunately, my father is deceased, but I would like to set the record straight.
As a student myself who went through the program in 1978, I can say that it was state of the art for its time and set the tone for future evolution. It produced plenty of successful advertising professionals, some of whom are quoted in the article. Yes, the ad industry has changed dramatically, but the basic principles have not. Products must still address consumer needs, and the consumer has always been at the center of the message. What is different is how we communicate and seek information in the digital age.
After my father’s retirement, the catchy phrase “Integrated Marketing Communications” was used to rename the department. The program was rebranded as if a whole new concept had been invented, but advertising is still a major part of the marketing mix.
Not all graduates from my father’s day were steered toward the ad agency world. I worked on the client side, coordinating advertising for military recruiting, and was well prepared.
My father was not self-promoting. His interest was in helping his students, and they have not forgotten him. The greatest testament to the success of my father’s program is his students’ success, and it is sad that no one at Northwestern acknowledges this.
Candace Fryburger (WCAS76, GJ78)
Lake Bluff, Ill.
