ONE School was launched in 2020 by The One Club.

The club is the world's foremost nonprofit organisation whose mission is to support the global creative community, as the first free alternative to costly ad schools for a new generation of Black creatives, and a way to make creative departments more diverse.

Top Black creative professionals at ad agencies and brands serve as tutors and mentors to teach creative skills and help students bring their authentic voices into their work.

Referred to as the most significant social change program in United States advertising history, the results-oriented programme has already made a tangible difference: an 84% hire rate at top agencies and brands to date for its 128 graduates, 66% of whom are women.

The program has had cohorts in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles and just expanded internationally with the launch of ONE School United Kingdom this month.

WoW Studios' sponsorship will help ensure that the high cost of portfolio schools — often running in the range of USD$40 000 — does not get in the way of giving Black creative talent entry into the industry.

The partnership also aligns with Whirlpool Corporation's multi-year racial equality and fairness pledge announced in 2020.

"We are incredibly excited to partner with One School, not only in the form of the annual sponsorship, but being hands-on with their talented, black creative students," says Otto Linwood III, head of production and studio at WOW Studios, Whirlpool Corporation's 250-person next-gen in-house agency for advertising, storytelling, and experience.

"We must have a diversity of voices within the creative population of WoW Studios, so our work reflects and resonates with the diverse households where our products are used day in and day out," adds Linwood III.

Beyond the annual sponsorship, WoW Studios is planning to host students at the company's Chicago studio and develop meaningful, ongoing mentorship programmes in addition to those already in place for the students, and contribute to the school’s upcoming curriculum with special projects and creative briefs.

Launched last summer, WoW Studios is an in-house brand experience organisation designed to transform the home appliance end-to-end consumer journey into immersive consumer experiences.

Located in the heart of Chicago at the iconic Reid Murdoch building, the multi-disciplinary creative team works across Whirlpool Corporation's North American brand portfolio, including the following brands:
  • Whirlpool
  • KitchenAid
  • Maytag
  • JennAir, and
  • Amana.

For more information, visit www.oneclub.org. You can also follow The One Club of Creativity on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.