Whooo is Professor Plum?

During his time with Strother Communications Group, Professor Plum has been quite the head-turner; both his own (as owls do) and manufacturers and service providers across the Midwest. Now, after ten years as SCG’s mascot, Professor Plum has finally agreed to an exclusive interview with the team to answer the burning question: Whooo is Professor Plum?

Born—pardon, hatched—on May 7, 1992, Professor Plum shares his birthday with the inception of SCG (Coincidence? Maybe). Because of his peculiar purple plumage, Plum’s parents—Bubo and Birdie—decided to name him in homage to his great grandfather, Prunus.

Plum’s father, Bubo the Great Horned Owl, hails from the Artic Circle in Norway but emigrated to Idaho in 1987 in search of new opportunities. By (not-so-easily) claiming and renovating an upscale, two-story squirrel nest to accommodate his growing family, Bubo was able to provide a home for his son to grow up in.

In his early years, Plum was homeschooled by his mother, Birdie. He passed all subjects with flying colors (both literally and figuratively), there was no mistaking his early intellect with soaring grades like his.

Birdie enrolled her son at Boise State University at the young age of 15. As a college student, Plum rushed the ATO (All Top Owls) fraternity to find community and make lifelong friends. He was active in the brotherhood and even won the annual mouse-eating contest of 2008, setting an all-time fraternity record of 17.5 mice in just ten minutes—a record that still has yet to be beaten fifteen years later.

Just two short years after beginning his undergraduate career, Plum obtained his degree in Ornithology (with honors!). He subsequently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Creativeatology and, in 2013, defended his dissertation on how purple owl mascots can help establish marketing PR firms as both creative and committed to the success of their clients.

Shortly after finishing his Ph.D. program, a small marketing PR firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reached out to Plum with a job offer. The unpaid position (owls have no need for common currencies, after all) was for a lifelong, non-tenure track position as the official mascot and Assistant Professor of Creativity of SCG. His skills in owl-gebra made him the perfect candidate for the research team, and his keen eye and bright colors won over the graphics team. Plum swooped into floor 41 of the Two-22 building and started immediately. He has been with Strother Communications Group ever since.

Every day, Plum reminds his colleagues that owls can hear 10 times better than humans, so it’s necessary for us to listen more than we speak. This has proven solid advice for all and is just one of the many instances in which Plum has imparted his wisdom upon the team.

In his time with SCG, Plum has enjoyed perching atop our whiteboards and conference reports, as well as making an appearance across our social media platforms. Recently, he underwent a stunning transformation (or, as the youths call it, a “glow up”) and everyone in the office adores his new look.

If you ever find yourself stopping into our office, plan on seeing his friendly face all around!