Draftfcb’s Simon El Hage to Teach First Cross-Cultural Media and Marketing Course at DePaul University

With today’s minorities expected to make up the majority of US population numbers by 2050, the exploding growth of multicultural consumers across the country is bringing a demand for cross-cultural marketing knowledge, understanding, and empathy, making multicultural expertise one of the fastest-growing specialties in the marketing industry.

Reflecting that fact, Simon El Hage, Senior Vice President, Group Management Director of Multicultural Marketing at Draftfcb Chicago, will, on March 23, begin teaching the first cross-cultural media and marketing course at DePaul University.

Created by El Hage, the pioneering new course will afford students the chance to explore the past, present and future of multicultural marketing, critique existing industry standards, develop contemporary marketing expertise and envision new practices.

“We believe that this innovative graduate course reflects the kind of cutting-edge professional education that distinguishes DePaul, and we are delighted to have an expert of Simon’s caliber joining the ranks of our adjunct faculty,” said Carolyn Bronstein, Associate Professor and Director of the Undergraduate Public Relations and Advertising Major in the College of Communication. “DePaul has been recognized as having one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation, and this course will give our students the opportunity to apply their cultural knowledge and curiosity, leverage their skills, and build campaigns and content for contemporary media.”

According to El Hage, a native of Lebanon and citizen of Mexico who joined Draftfcb in 2008, the goals of the course include reformulating “multicultural” marketing—which is founded solely on exaggerated cultural and ethnic differences. “The Cross-cultural model, a total market approach developed and practiced at Draftfcb, uses diverse ethnic points of view in a way that appeals across cultures. We understand and use the truth that people of all cultures experience life through three commonalities that we all share: Hope, Needs and Desires,” said El Hage.

“Students will be taught a new way of thinking about multicultural marketing, i.e., to address segments beyond cultural boundaries,” he said. “This has not been done before and in effect it will establish a whole new area of expertise.”

An internationally recognized professional with 30 years of experience in the multicultural space, El Hage formerly served as Director of Strategic Marketing and Client Service for Lopez Negrete Communications in Houston, and as President and Director of Account Services for Acento Inc. in San Antonio. He holds a B.A. in Architecture and a B.A. in Mass Communications from Université Laval, Québec, Canada. Fluent in Spanish, French and Arabic, El Hage is also an accomplished photographer and painter.

The new 10-week, graduate level course will be taught at DePaul’s Loop Campus at 14 East Jackson Boulevard, Chicago.

About Draftfcb
Draftfcb is the first holistic, global marketing communications agency to operate against a single P&L, with a network that spans 96 countries and employs more than 9,500 people. The agency is driven by The 6.5 Seconds That Matter, a creative expression recognizing the brief period of time marketers have to capture consumers’ attention and motivate them to act. With nearly 140 years of combined expertise, Draftfcb has roots in both consumer advertising and behavioral, data-driven direct marketing. It firmly believes there is no way to separate creativity from accountability, which it refers to as Return on Ideas. The agency is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG). For more information, visit www.draftfcb.com.

Primary Contact:
Karah McGeown
(312) 425-6057
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