Education
B.A., Journalism, Rider University
M.A., Communication, William Paterson University
Background
A New Jersey native, Karen Mallia joined the faculty from The City College of New
York, where she taught copywriting, advertising principles, and advertising management. Before that, she spent five years teaching in the Advertising and Marketing Communications
Department at FIT/SUNY, while running a creative consultancy. Mallia spent two decades as a copywriter and creative director with New York advertising
agencies: TBWA/Chiat/Day; Scali, McCabe, Sloves; Ogilvy; Saatchi & Saatchi; Rosenfeld,
Sirowitz, Humphrey & Strauss — to name a few. She won numerous awards for creativity
and effectiveness. Besides writing and producing every kind of advertising, she’s
done voice-overs, conducted focus groups, and done whatever it took to make great
work.
Research
Mallia's research interests include exploring creativity, the creative process, and
creative work in advertising, as well as the evolution of advertising platforms. She
is internationally recognized for her research on the relationships between gender
and creative work and leadership in the creative industries. Personal passion led
her there — and to cause and advocacy communications. CreateAthon@USC is her brainchild,
a 24-hour pro bono marathon developing marketing communications for nonprofits. The
fifth CreateAthon@USC in 2017 engaged 73 students, 20 professional mentors—among them,
alumni, faculty, staff and local talent—working on behalf of seven South Carolina
nonprofits. In 24-nonstop hours, they delivered websites, videos, radio spots, billboards,
brochures, logos—all told, close to $200,000 worth of marketing communications. CreateAthon
is a platform for skills-based community service, and service-learning on steroids.
Teaching
Mallia teaches what she knows best: creative strategy, copywriting, and building integrated
advertising and marketing campaigns. She pioneered service-learning courses in Cause
Communication for both South Carolina Honors College and the School of Journalism
and Mass Communications, and in Creative Leadership. She won the top prize at Creativibe
2019, was a 2015 finalist for AEJMC's Advertising Division Distinguished Teaching
Award, and won the university’s Outstanding Service-Learning Award as well as an Excellence
in Teaching Mortar Board Award in 2012.
Recent Publications
Mallia, Karen L. (2019). Leadership in the Creative Industries: Principles and Practices. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell. ISBN: 9781119334002.
Mallia, Karen L. (2017). The Creative Career Dilemma. No Wonder Ad Women Are Mad Women.
In K. Golombisky and P. Kreshel (Eds.), Feminists, Feminism and Advertising, Vol 1. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Rowman, 117-206.
Mallia, Karen L. and S. Mo Jang (2015). Examining Media Coverage and the Global Awakening
of Creative “Women’s Movement” In Advertising. In F. Hauchtmann (Ed.) Proceedings of The American Academy of Advertising Global Conference (16-27). Auckland, NZ: AAA.
Windels, K. & K. L. Mallia. (2015). How Being Female Impacts Learning and Career Growth
in Advertising Creative Departments. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 37(1), 122-140.
Mallia, K.L. (2014). How to get ahead in advertising even if you are a girl. [men:
Read this. it’ll do you good.]. In L. Minsky & B. Bendinger (Eds.), The Get a Job Workshop: How to Find your Way to a Creative Career in Advertising,
Branding, Collateral, Digital, Experimental and More (pp. 284-294). Chicago: The Copy Workshop.
Service
Founder and Mastermind of CreateAthon@USC
Division Head, 2014-15, Advertising Division of the Association for Education of Journalism
and Mass Communication, and seven-year veteran of the Executive Committee
Contributing organizer, The 3% Conference
Leader of several community service endeavors
Volunteer and lifelong Girl Scout
Personal
Mallia enjoys exploring the novel and interesting, travel anywhere, and hopelessly
homey pursuits like cooking and gardening, as well as relaxing with her husband Bruce
Bakaj.
