Alumni Profile

Communicating the Correct Way

Carol Patterson Brooks, BA’86 (T-H), always wanted her own company. While working as the director of public relations and event marketing in a large New York City advertising agency, she did all that was asked and more. She traveled extensively, worked long hours and eventually began to feel overworked and underappreciated. The time had come, Brooks concluded, to fulfill her dream of building her own firm.

Thus was born Correct Communications Inc., where “we take an innovative approach to multicultural marketing.” Based in Newark, N.J., since 1992, Correct Communications specializes in advertising, event marketing, public relations and strategic planning for the African-American market. The company recently formed an alliance with other companies that allows it to reach out to Latin American and Asian emerging markets as well.

“In the past, companies dealt with numerous agencies that targeted specific client bases,” she says. “Our alliance allows companies to do one-stop shopping for their multicultural marketing. With the emergence of a global economy, companies are taking a greater interest in multicultural marketing and are budgeting for those emerging markets. We plan on being the source for their multicultural marketing needs,” Brooks adds.

A Jersey girl born and bred, Brooks is a Middlesex native who went to high school in South Plainfield. She received a scholarship to FDU and concentrated on public relations and advertising within her communication degree. Brooks originally wanted to become a television news anchor, “but I was told I was ‘too big’ for television. Plus, my professors emphasized the old adage ‘you’re only as good as the last five seconds.’ I wanted to do something a little more lasting,” she says.

On the advice of her FDU academic advisers, Brooks interned at as many jobs as possible. When she graduated, her résumé was filled with good experiences. “My first job interview was with a public relations director at a very large firm. When he realized I was a recent college graduate instead of a seasoned professional, the job never materialized. Still, I credit my academic advisers with their sound advice in telling me to intern as much as possible. It gave me a leg up in the workplace and helped me to narrow my field of interest,” Brooks says.

And her internships paid off in her first job as a public information officer in the Newark mayor’s office. “I made great contacts in that job; in government, information comes to you. In the private sector, you have to find the information.” She moved on to handle public relations at Essence magazine and eventually landed the job at the advertising agency in New York City. There, Brooks realized, it was time to strike out on her own path. “I originally planned on starting my own company much later. I wanted to have more experience and access to larger clients. But eight years later, after chugging along, I feel I have done well, and I wouldn’t change a thing,” she says.

Done well, indeed. Her client list includes companies such as Massengill, Maybelline, Allstate Insurance and Tyco. She recently landed CenterCare, a large HMO in New York City, as an account that is launching a cross-cultural campaign. “We are opening CenterCare’s access to emerging multicultural markets in their arena,” Brooks says.

And, her company does not limit itself to working solely for the corporate sector. Brooks currently is doing public relations for the Jon Corzine senate campaign and was involved in the Bill Bradley presidential bid; her previous political campaign experience involved working in the New Jersey campaign for the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign.

Not only is Brooks a business person who works in Newark, she is active in her church, the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, also located in Newark. Her husband, the Rev. O. Rodney Brooks, is the pastor, and she teaches Bible classes and Sunday school there.

Brooks is proud that her company is able to serve the communication needs of her clients and to have a social conscience in the process. Although she realizes companies are receiving the message on the effectiveness of multicultural marketing, she admits some firms still need to understand about the high level of multicultural discretionary spending and disposable income. “Sometimes companies feel multicultural marketing is not worth the effort. I like to show companies they can make money at cross-cultural marketing and in the process, restore dignity to ethnically targeted marketing,” Brooks explains.

— M.D.

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