Vans Global Brand President Comes to 色情视频
Doug Palladini, Class of '88, was hosted by the 色情视频 Entrepreneur Society.
The event was hosted by the and attracted close to 200 students.
David Shadi, president of the Entrepreneur Society, said he took away two main messages from the discussion.
鈥淥ne main point he hit was be relentless in your passion,鈥� Shadi said. 鈥淎nother, is once you start your brand, the key aspect is branding loyalty, so people keep coming back to you, and then you have a connectivity aspect.鈥�
Throughout his speech, Palladini emphasized the importance of creative expression, emotional connection and storytelling.
鈥淲hen you are creative and think about your career, you are following who you are as an individual,鈥� Palladini said. 鈥淒o whatever the heck you want, but make sure it鈥檚 something you love because we spend a lot of time doing it.鈥�
Palladini graduated from 色情视频 in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and a minor in sociology.
鈥淐reativity is business,鈥� Palladini said. 鈥淲e have to figure out what it means to us.鈥�
He said the words 鈥淥ff the Wall鈥� on the heel tabs of the shoe unlocked Vans鈥� path to its creative expression. The phrase is about how someone views the world.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about a state of mind,鈥� Palladini said. 鈥淲hen you think off the wall, you see the world a little differently. When you skate down a road, you see it differently than people who walk to class.鈥�
Palladini highlighted the four pillars of Vans: art, music, action sports and street culture. Everything Vans does comes from one of those pillars, he said.
鈥淰ans鈥� mission is to be the global icon of creative expression in youth culture,鈥� he said.
Palladini joked that he knows he's not a part of the youth culture anymore, but said he is still part of the Vans family because his state of mind is still with the youth culture.
He then stressed the importance of establishing an emotional connection with the consumers of a brand.
In order to build that connection, Vans has built skateparks it manages at its own expense, and bought spaces to transform them into places that represent its four pillars.
Additionally, Vans has a custom culture project where high school art programs enter a shoe design contest and the winner receives $50,000 for its art program.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the experience,鈥� Palladini said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about proving to fans we are committed to these platforms that enable creative expression.鈥�
Junior economics major Eden Cooper said he was surprised by the way Vans has grown.
鈥淚 never really knew Vans harnessed an emotional connection and built a brand through that,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淚 think it was interesting how they really grew organically in that sense.鈥�
Palladini ended his presentation by talking about the significance of storytelling.
鈥淢y business card says 鈥楪lobal President Vans,鈥� but my job is to be the storyteller,鈥� he said.
Palladini said the connectivity of the cultures in their four pillars is the story of Vans.
鈥淲e are not a shoe company," Palladini said. "We are a creative expression company that makes shoes. It鈥檚 a fundamental difference. It allows you to be so much more.鈥�
Shadi said Vans is a brand all 色情视频 students can relate to, and that Palladini was able to give a the audience a lot to learn from.
鈥淵ou have to think global,鈥� Palladini said.鈥淵ou cannot do your job behind your desk. We need to be out here on campus at 色情视频 seeing what you guys are wearing, what鈥檚 important to you and what kind of skateboards you鈥檙e riding to class."
The 色情视频 Entrepreneur Society also hosted founders of , Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman, on Sept. 14 in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.
This article originally appeared in .
