Thats' Dr. Alexander Bogusky, LHD

Congratulations Alex...

Last year when I hosted Alex for lunch with my students here in Toronto, Alex told us about his college professor that would not grant him the opportunity to complete a "real" client project in place of a school project, forcing his hand and deciding that "this college thing just wasn't for me". And look who's got the last hurrah.

I reminded Alex of Jeff Spicolli (1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and his relationship with his teach Mr. Hand, indeed there were similarities.

Today, the University of Colorado at Boulder will hold its spring commencement ceremony beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Folsom Field, where 5,282 degrees will be conferred, but only one really stands out for me, CP+B's Alexander Bogusky (that's how they referred to him in the UCB newsletter) will be awarded an honorary degree, called Doctor of Humane Letters. Here's hoping they didn't expect the Advertising grads to there for that early wake-up call.

The UCB media release makes the understatement of the century, "Bogusky is an influential and creative advertising and marketing innovator and pioneer in the field of social marketing. Time magazine listed him among the "Visionaries of Tomorrow" in 2004. He is chairman of the Crispin Porter + Bogusky advertising agency, an award-winning agency with offices across the globe, including in Boulder. Bogusky will receive the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters."

According to Wikipedia, "The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (Latin: Litterarum humanarum doctor; D.H.L.; or L.H.D.) is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science. But advertising is a science, no? So maybe Alex should receive the Doctor of Science. How about the way he has turned the art and craft of writing in creative, certainly it has become some fo the greatest advertising literature, these individuals often receive a Doctor of Letters degree. And least we forget the Church of Alex Bogusky and the Latter-Day Advertising Saints (I am personally a holder of a Cardinalship), Alex has made advertising a religion and should indeed receive a Doctor of Divinity degree.

So I leave you with this; congratulations Alexander Bogusky, Esq. LHD, DS, DL, DD, BFF.

(Okay, the BFF, kinda of... he has been a good friend to my program and has personally helped guide curriculum and added to my teach significantly)

PS: As for the picture, it is a much more fitting look for a college guy!