J. Cole’s Dreamville & Apple Partner With MGP for Marketing Bootcamp

J. Cole’s Dreamville Ventures has partnered with Apple and Marcus Graham Project to provide sponsorship for 12 talented individuals participating in the iCR8 Bootcamp, MGP’s flagship program dedicated to shaking up the marketing and media industry.

Dreamville Ventures joins the iCR8 Summer Bootcamp as a first-of-its-kind partner. The multi-disciplinary media organization, co-founded by J. Cole, will provide an opportunity for Marcus Graham Project to continue its efforts to increase diversity and equity in music and entertainment marketing. The two groups will work together closely across a number of Dreamville verticals including music, TV and film, apparel, and live events.

“Our company was built on the premise that dreams become a reality, and we’ve created a home that challenges the industry standards,” said Dreamville  Ventures evp and president of Dreamville Studios Candace Rodney in a release. “Our partnership with the Marcus Graham Project expands the Dreamville  family by creating a pipeline to identify and develop emerging talent; all of whom we hope will leave the program feeling ready to conquer both the industry and their dreams as their true authentic selves.”

The iCR8 Bootcamp will give future marketing leaders the opportunity to learn from industry mentors and bring their unique creativity to industry challenges. Participants will be assigned a specific marketing campaign with both brands and have one-on-one meetings with stakeholders from different layers of the marketing mix to understand channel efforts and see the end-to-end results of their creative ideas. The bootcamp team will function as a pop-up agency and will provide consulting services for a select non-profit organization or minority-owned business, as well as for Apple and Dreamville.

“If the year has shown us anything it’s that the time is now for innovative thinkers. As the Marcus Graham Project looks to our 15-year anniversary, we want to continue to push the boundaries of diversity and more importantly, equity into spaces where the voices of color are most needed,” said Marcus Graham Project chief development officer Larry Yarrell in a release. “To do that, we need partners who walk the walk and champions of diversity, equity and innovation.”

This marks the fourth year Apple has contributed to the mission of MGP. Apple’s participation in the iCR8 Bootcamp comes after their June 2020 announcement of its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative and recent support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through the Propel Center, an innovation and learning center.

The iCR8 Boot Camp launched as an in-person program in Dallas, Texas. Over the past 14 years, it has expanded to Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles. In 2020, it was reimagined as a virtual program due to COVID-19 restrictions. Hundreds of alumni have completed the program and work at agencies including Burrell, Publicis, and Weiden + Kennedy. Alumni have also landed positions at brands such as Foot Locker, Fossil Inc., Google, Pandora and Peloton.

Interested applicants should visit the Marcus Graham Project website for more information about the iCR8 Summer Bootcamp sponsored by Apple and Dreamville. Applications will be accepted until May 1 and the 12-week Bootcamp is slated to begin on June 15.