Karen L. Mallia
Associate Professor
Advertising and Public Relations Sequence

B.A. Journalism, Rider University
M.A. Communication, William Paterson University

A New Jersey native, 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 as part-time instructor in the Advertising and Marketing Communications Department at FIT/SUNY in New York, in addition to managing her own freelance advertising consulting firm.

Professor Mallia teaches what she knows best: developing creative strategies, copywriting, and building integrated advertising and marketing campaigns. She pioneered service-learning courses in cause advertising and public relations both in the Journalism School and the South Carolina Honors College.

Prior to teaching, she spent two decades as a copywriter and creative director with several New York advertising agencies, from major multi-nationals to smaller creative boutiques: TBWA Chiat/Day; Scali, McCabe, Sloves; Ogivly; Saatchi & Saatchi; Rosenfeld, Sirowitz, Humphrey & Strauss—to name a few. She was the recipient of numerous industry awards for advertising creativity and effectiveness. Her client experience is one of unusual depth and breadth, from fashion and fragrance to food and financial services, from direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising to packaged goods, home products and automotive. In addition to professional experience writing and producing for print, radio, television and the worldwide web, she has done voice-overs, conducted focus groups and done whatever it takes to get the job done.

Her research interests include exploring creativity, the creative process, and creative work in advertising, as well as the intersection between writing and the ever-evolving nature of what is called “advertising."

Outside of her passion for advertising and feminism, Mallia enjoys hopelessly traditional pursuits like cooking, gardening, hiking, and spending time with her husband, Bruce Bakaj, and daughter Emily.

E-mail: kmallia@mailbox.sc.edu

Office:
Phone: 803.777.1154
Fax: 803.777.4103
Room: Coliseum 4019A

Hours:
T/1 – 4 p.m., W/10 a.m. to noon, 1:30 to 2:30, and by appointment

Syllabi:
On Blackboard