ON CAMPUS
Stirring The Imagination
And Questioning The Answers
When not consulting clients and creating campaigns, Atomic Tango Founder Freddy Tran Nager can be found on the University of Southern California campus, where he has taught grad-level communication courses since 2012.
Dubbed “Professor Freddy” by his students, he is officially a full-time Lecturer and Co-Director of the Master of Science in Digital Media Management program at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
(Fun fact: Freddy’s father and uncle graduated from Annenberg back when it was just called the USC School of Journalism. Freddy teaching there decades later was never part of the plan… or so he thinks.)
On The Curriculum
Freddy has developed and taught multiple courses in marketing communication (click for syllabi):
Every course emphasizes critical thinking and (naturally) creative strategy. He encourages students to not just answer the questions, but to also question the answers, while developing distinctive ideas and solutions.
Beyond The Classroom
In addition to teaching, Freddy has held several administrative roles at Annenberg:
- As Co-Director of DMM, the 100% online STEM program launched just last year, Freddy oversees admissions, academic development, and faculty recruitment.
- In addition, Freddy recently served on the committee to develop the diversity leadership program, Managing Complexity in Diverse Organizations.
- From 2019-2021, Freddy held the full-time role of Entrepreneurial Communication Expert in Residence, which involved promoting entrepreneurship at the school and directing the Annenberg Agency, a student-staffed communication consultancy serving nonprofit organizations.
- Last but far from least, Freddy voluntarily supports the USC football team by attending recruiting functions and teaching workshops on self-promotion and Name, Image & Likeness (NIL). Having cheered on the team since he was a kid, Freddy considers it the best fringe benefit ever.
Before USC
- UCLA Extension: Developed and taught multiple courses, from one day seminars to full courses with 50+ students, on such topics as integrated marketing communication and ad copywriting.
- Emerson College L.A.: Taught social media marketing to entertainment professionals.
- Antioch University Los Angeles: Developed and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in marketing and social entrepreneurship.
- Robert Kennedy College of Zurich Switzerland: Taught MBA marketing courses online in collaboration with three British universities (Wales, Cumbria, Salford).
In The Boardroom
Need training on the latest marketing tech, trends, and tactics?
Freddy also coaches executives and their teams on topics ranging from integrated communications to influencer marketing to innovation. Training takes place either inworkshops or one-on-one sessions. For more info, fill out the form below.
RECENT FEEDBACK
What do we do with this line of text?
"It has been more than a whole year since I took Freddy's course and it was still an absolutely wise decision for me to have him as my professor. His lecture [style] is interesting, insightful and practical. At the same time, the course material consistently challenges us to think outside the box. Freddy is not only an excellent professor but also a mentor and a friend, who's always very supportive of his students."
"Freddy is an outstanding teacher because he brings his extensive professional experience to the classroom. The material he presents is at a graduate level and at the same time it is practical and useful professionally. His ability to bridge theory with the real world makes Freddy unique and very valuable as an instructor. But what really sets Freddy apart from other teachers is his passion for teaching and the relationships he fosters in the classroom. He is an innate networker and he goes out of his way to make sure every student is getting as much as possible from the lectures. Freddy is one of the best teachers I’ve had in my extensive academic experience and I hope that he continues to enlighten many more future generations."
"Professor Nager was one of the best professors I had in my graduate education at USC Annenberg. His energy and enthusiasm had every student excited to attend class each week. His expertise in marketing, social media, and business are incomparable. Professor Nager went above and beyond to help me create a business plans for my entrepreneurial project to help community college students. His efforts will always be appreciated and never forgotten."
"Professor Nager is definitely a top candidate for the best teacher I have had both as a student in Denmark and in the United States. With his impressive knowledge, expertise and big enthusiasm on marketing, he manages to keep his students spellbound for 3 straight hours in the classroom, knowing everything about what goes on in media platforms in the world of today. Practical examples and a critical approach to the ways of doing marketing resulted in a much bigger foundation for understanding marketing, than any other marketing-courses I have participated in. Finishing his course I felt much more educated and able to think strategically in the field of marketing myself. Besides being a fantastic teacher, Professor Nager also took his time to help and discuss with students about their ideas, startups and personal plans for becoming entrepreneurs."
"I was a doctoral student/teaching assistant for Freddy’s Influencer Strategies… I was often amazed by the splendid guest speakers Freddy brought in and the rich and in-depth discussions he then moderated. Through a set of carefully designed assignments, Freddy prepared students professionally with hands-on experience and individualized takeaways. More important for me is Freddy’s energetic and empowering style. He always makes himself available to help me and other students address various career challenges, sometimes proactively. Freddy is a wonderful teacher, consultant, and mentor. I hope more people would have the fortune to work with him. "
