Industry Faculty, World-Class Community
With 200+ pieces of content including snackable lecture videos, live office hours, professional interviews, case examples as well as academic and industry white papers, certifications represent a solid foundation in why brand storytelling delivers ROI. Check out an example lesson.
Brand Certification Sponsors
New cohorts kick off in January 2023!
Brand Storytelling thanks the following brands for being essential learning partners for our cohort experiences. Sponsor brands issue an RFP for participants to complete as part of the learning experience. Our sponsors also provide certification scholarships to improve DEI access to learning our BSN community.
Brand Film Certification Modules
Brand Storytelling 101
Explore the robust history of brand storytelling in conjunction with what is driving its evolution and modern-day impact. Learn why brands are investing in this content and where the industry is going next.
University-Powered Learning
Your curriculum is taught by world-class industry faculty with academic learning experiences powered by East Tennessee State University.
Purpose-Driven Certification Modules
Purpose 101
This module examines perspectives on purpose and how it drives collective identity as well as how purpose is connected to emotion and logic to drive consumer decision-making for organizational outcomes.
Brand Storytelling Expert Faculty
Our certification faculty have deep experience in brand-funded content.
Marc Battaglia is the co-founder of Story + Strategy and former global Executive Creative Director for Marriott International. He’s an award-winning creative executive and content marketing leader with a proven track record of building and leading internal brand creative agencies and studios.
Brian Newman, founder of SubGenre, consults on content strategy, development, distribution and marketing for some of the top brands in the world. Brian has served as CEO of the Tribeca Film Institute, president of Renew Media and executive director of IMAGE Film and Video.
Marcus Peterzell is the CEO of Passion Point Collective, a leading entertainment marketing agency. A true industry leader in pop culture marketing, he has successfully built and led award-winning agency teams both independently and within Omnicom, one of the largest advertising holding companies in the world.
Dawn Reese is the US President of Mediabrands Content Studio. She is an experienced media executive and integrated marketer who creates and implements digital and social media strategies, branded content campaigns, experiential activations and sponsorship programs for brands to tell their story, engage their target audience and drive ROI.
Jon-Thomas (J.T.) Royston grew up as a military brat, living in Germany, Hawaii, and Southern California. In the fall of 2020 he released his first feature length documentary entitled BLACK BOYS which aired on NBC Peacock. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of the social justice documentary film company Never Whisper Justice, where he oversees production, operations, and impact.
Chad Williamson is a producer for Never Whisper Justice (NWJ) and co-founder of Frontlines of Justice (FOJ). NWJ is a disruptive social justice media company fusing bold storytelling and concrete social impact. FOJ is an online, video-centric eLearning platform designed to create social, racial, and educational justice through compelling content and curriculum. NWJ in corporate partnership with Procter & Gamble /Juniper Networks released its first feature-length documentary entitled BLACK BOYS which aired on NBC Peacock.
Caitlin Boyle is the Director of Filmmaker Development at DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary film festival, and as a project manager at Auburn Media’s Hartley Media Impact Initiative. Caitlin spent a decade as Founder & Executive Director of Film Sprout where she executed 50 grassroots release campaigns and guided more than 300 additional film teams as they brought their films directly to grassroots audiences, on their own.
Sarah Colamarino brings deep expertise in purpose-driven strategy and marketing. Her marketing strategies received multiple industry awards including a Cannes Lion Grand Prix. She has 30+ years of experience at Johnson & Johnson most recently as Vice President, Corporate Brand Equity and Partnerships. Sarah has demonstrable success activating purpose through business, talent, ESG, DE&I, and brand strategies.
Julie Davitz is a globally-connected leader and change-maker with over 20 years of experience in the impact sector. She founded Plus Media Solutions to democratize access to positive social solutions. Julie formerly served as SVP, Head of Impact Solutions for BNP Paribas/Bank of the West’s Wealth Management division, supporting clients in creating nonprofit and for-profit lasting change while pursuing their personal impact and financial goals.
Join BSN to gain access to all certifications
Joining the Brand Storytelling Network (BSN) beta gives you unlimited access to certification content, professional meet-ups, learning resources community, and more through 2023.
$500 USD
Ideal For You
MARKETERS
Strategic business decision makers looking to
bridge the gap to the creative and film spaces
FILMMAKERS
Creatives looking to bridge their talents to
the marketing world of brands and ROI
JOURNALISTS & PR PROS
Storytellers who see the opportunity to expand
their career options working directly with brands
Certification Benefits
LEARN FROM EXPERTS
Our instructors and guest lecturers are world-class professionals from the brand and film industry
DIVERSITY-DRIVEN MISSION
Brands sponsor cohorts to create DEI scholarship opportunities for recruiting diverse
brand storytelling voices
BEST-IN-CLASS LEARNING
Our partnership with the ETSU Research Corporation provides world-class learning experiences
HANDS-ON LEARNING
Our brand partners engage with each cohort with a real request for proposal (RFP) to apply your learning in a capstone project
DESIGNED FOR YOUR SCHEDULE
Our asynchronous online approach provides you the flexibility to learn on your own terms
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY
Certifications happen in our BSN community giving participants the opportunity to network and meet brands looking to recruit from each cohort
Brand-Sponsored Certification Cohort FAQ
New cohorts kicking off in 2023!
Over 4-weeks, your education journey includes expert lecture videos, live office hours, and supplemental content for reviewing at your own pace. All live engagements are via Zoom and recorded for those who cannot attend. No examinations are required.
How do I earn the certification?
You must submit an answer to the sponsoring brand's RFP and provide feedback to fellow students’ RFPs to earn the certification. However, we understand some students may elect not to answer the RFP and all students become part of our closed LinkedIn brand film community.
How much time is required?
Most students spend 4-10 hours a week reviewing our 50+ hours of content and working on their RFP response. Your amount of engagement is up to you!
All certification content is accessible to BSN members
B2B media entrepreneur, founder of InfoText, Digitrends, iMedia and BrandStorytelling. A media junkie and observer, infatuated with the impact of media and technology on culture and society. Producer of over 100 advertising and media events, publisher, and journalist.
Award-winning professor, (digital) marketer and higher education administrator. Marshall consults and trains companies, universities, and students to digitally transform customer experiences to exceed organizational goals.