Sugandha Gaur

Product Manager

Toronto, Ontario, Canada12 yrs experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

16+ years of experience in advertising and education.
Ph.D. in Media Arts with a focus on social change.
Passionate about Indigenous knowledges and creative problem-solving.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a creative educator and advertising strategist with a focus on social impact.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

AdvertisingCreative StrategyGraphic DesignCreative DirectionVisual Communication

Other Skills

Design ThinkingIntegrated Marketing CommunicationIllustrationCommunity EngagementCollaborationCurriculum DevelopmentSyllabus DesignFeedback ManagementCommunication CampaignStorytellingCreative ThinkingCampaign PlanningGroup SessionsCreative AwardsPortfolio Building

About

As an advertising actionist with 16+ years of experience, I transform ideas into actions with the support of communities and potential collaborations. I am currently an Associate Professor in the Advertising Program at OCAD University, where I lead classes across four years that foster inclusion, social change, and decolonization. I hold a Ph.D. in Media Arts, which enhanced my knowledge and skills in applying creative and unconventional communication approaches to address social and environmental issues. I am passionate about building pedagogies and practices that value Indigenous knowledges and lands, and I am inspired by the power of creativity to solve problems. I am also an avid learner and practitioner of yoga, tribal and folk art, and multilingualism. I respect and acknowledge the original custodians and cultures of the land I immigrated to.

Experience

12 yrs

Total Experience

3 yrs

Average Tenure

7 yrs 5 mos

Current Experience

Ocad university

5 roles

Associate Professor

Promoted

Jul 2024 – Present · 1 yr 9 mos

Acting Chair – Advertising, Faculty of Design

Sep 2023 – Sep 2024 · 1 yr

Assistant Professor - Advertising, Faculty of Design

Jul 2022 – Aug 2023 · 1 yr 1 mo

Interim Co-Chair – Advertising, Faculty of Design

Promoted

Jan 2020 – Jun 2022 · 2 yrs 5 mos

Assistant Professor - Advertising, Faculty of Design

Aug 2018 – Dec 2019 · 1 yr 4 mos

Conducting and executing lectures for students of Under Graduation level in Advertising. Responsible for creating and conducting lessons related to Advertising Concepts, Design Thinking, Integrated Marketing Communication courses. Appointed as one of the committee members on Research Ethics Board. Actively participate and lead in collaborative projects between the industry and University. Volunteering at the University Fairs, Open House Sessions, Portfolio Reviews.

Mit institute of design

2 roles

Head Of Department & Associate Professor - Graphic Design

Promoted

Jul 2017 – Jul 2018 · 1 yr · Pune/Pimpri-Chinchwad Area

Setting up department with respect to facilities, equipments, laboratories studios, etc. Getting reports/feedback on various activities from the faculty and other non-teaching members working with the department.
Setting the syllabus, tuning it further as per the need of the industry. Finalising the time-table in consultation with the other departments and implementing it. And, Ensuring that the faculty is fully occupied and utilised.
Attending subject related Seminars and Conferences and ensuring the participation of respective Jr. Faculty Members.

Assistant Professor

Jun 2015 – Jun 2017 · 2 yrs · Pune/Pimpri-Chinchwad Area

Conducting and executing lectures for students of Under Graduation and Post Graduation level in Graphic Design. Responsible for creating lessons related to Semiotics, Communication Campaign, Story Telling, Corporate Identity, Brand Design, and various other design oriented and conceptual thinking exercises.

Intuit.lab - ecole de design & communication visuelle

Visiting Faculty Member

Feb 2015 – Apr 2015 · 2 mos · Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Teaching students using a creative approach on idea building and campaign planning. Delivering lectures to students and conducting group sessions. Conducting ideation exercises to students of Under Graduation level and brainstorming with them on their campaign projects.

Miami ad school

Creative Mentor

Sep 2013 – Sep 2014 · 1 yr · Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Adapting and setting up the entire curriculum for the Portfolio Program in Art Direction and Copy Writing. Conducted various lessons on Ideas Creation, Portfolio Building, Creative Awards, for students of Post Graduation level in Art and Copy. Taught in the midst of Visiting Industry Mentors, like - Sachin Talwalkar, Rajiv Rao and Josy Paul to name a few.
Worked as a Tutor on the Silver Pencil Nominated project ‘Chatty Charger’ for D&AD’s n-power brief 2014.
http://www.dandad.org/awards/new-blood/2014/npower-give-control-to-energy-users/2509/chatty-charger/

College of art

Lecturer

Sep 2010 – Apr 2011 · 7 mos · New Delhi Area, India

Conducted basic design and ideation exercises to students of Under Graduation level. Worked with students on their final communication campaign projects and guided them to understand the importance and relevance of communication in advertising.

Tbwa\worldwide

Visualizer

Jun 2008 – May 2010 · 1 yr 11 mos · Gurugram, Haryana, India

From Art intern to Visualizer. Learned Media Arts by doing. Huge exposure to international clients such as Adidas, National Geographic Channel, Pedigree, Michelin.
Other clients: Mail Today, Meow 104 FM, Zigwheels.com, etc.
Developed the strong understanding of ‘Media Arts’ as a communication tool.

Ad action collective

Advertising Actionist

Jan 2008 – Present · 18 yrs 3 mos · Toronto, Ontario, Canada

— I am an illustrator, educator, researcher, currently practicing advertising actionism – transforming ideas into actions, with the support of communities and potential collaborations.