USF'S Zimmerman Advertising Program Aims to Take University to a New Level

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine an educational program that boasts 100% job placement upon graduation and 25% higher salaries than other grads.  That's exactly what Zimmerman Advertising's founder and chairman, Jordan Zimmerman, envisions one day for University of South Florida's Zimmerman Advertising Program (ZAP).

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ZAP is unlike any other educational program. It extends across two schools at USF and is the only program in the country that offers separate business and mass communications tracks for students pursuing an advertising degree.

"ZAP isn't about just showing students how advertising is done," says Zimmerman, a USF grad himself. "It's about presenting real-life marketing problems and solutions, so students have a better understanding of what business is like outside of the classroom," he adds.

Part of this real world experience means giving students direct access to key influencers in the business world. To do this, Zimmerman has put together an advisory board of some of the biggest names in retail. The list includes: Jason Holleman from Publix Super Markets, Jay Dunn from Lane Bryant, Manny Kadre from Gold Coast Beverage Distributors, Brian Fuhrer from Nielsen Company, Mark Wentley from Nintendo of America, and Senator Victor Crist, among others.

Once on the advisory board, members take an active role in promoting ZAP, many heading into the classroom themselves. From serving as a speaker or panel member for ZAP student organizations to one-on-one sessions with individual students, board members are an integral part of the ZAP curriculum. Their involvement is paramount to the effectiveness of the program.

Zimmerman recently named his agency's Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer, Michael Goldberg, as ZAP chairperson.

"ZAP prepares our students for the workplace in a way that no other program does. They're being exposed to privileged insights from the experts, and that's something they will take with them into the workforce," says Goldberg. "ZAP is the poster program that will contribute to the success of USF's students at a level that's nationally prominent and distinctive."

About Zimmerman Advertising

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Zimmerman Advertising, an Omnicom Group™ company, is the country's leading national retail brand builder, and the 14th largest advertising agency in the United States according to Adweek, with more than 1,100 full-time associates and offices throughout the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta. For information on the agency, visit http://www.zadv.com.  To learn more about Jordan Zimmerman, his business philosophies and opinions, visit his blogspot: www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com

About Omnicom Group

Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. 

SOURCE Zimmerman Advertising