Mike Wilke, Founder of Commercial Closet Association,
Visits UNL Campus as Guest Lecturer

March 24, 2009 (Lincoln, Neb.) – Business journalist Michael Wilke, who has charted the emergence of gay marketing and advertising since 1992, will visit the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus as a guest lecturer Thursday, April 2, 2009, including a 7:00 p.m. presentation in Andersen Hall titled, "Outing Madison Avenue." The presentation is free and open to the public. Wilke's visit is co-sponsored by the UNL Ad Club, the University Program Council and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Wilke is the founder of the nonprofit Commercial Closet Association, launched in New York City in 2001 to advocate for advertising that respects the diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation, for a more accepting society and for better business results. His work is widely cited by college textbooks and news agencies, and he is credited with coining the popular term "gay vague." Wilke travels frequently across the U.S. and overseas to present advertising training at corporations and universities.

Wilke will give three in-class video presentations in addition to the evening lecture, with all events located in Andersen Hall Room 15. All four speaking engagements are free and open to the public and will last approximately one hour. The class lecture times are 9:30 am, 11:00 am, and 2:00 pm.

Wilke was a business reporter at Advertising Age for four years, won a 1998 GLAAD Media Award, and was one of OUT magazine's OUT 100 in 2001 for his extensive coverage of gay advertising issues. He has worked for NBC, CBS, and has also written for The New York Times, Adweek, and The Advocate. Wilke has appeared widely on national TV news, internationally on CNN and the BBC, as well as "Entertainment Tonight" and VH-1.

Visit www.unl.edu/upc or call Karen Freimund Wills at 402-472-9749 to learn more.

Contact: Amy Struthers, assistant professor of advertising, 402-472-3528 <astruthers2@unl.edu>