SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
An advertising campaign for State Farm Insurance earned first place for journalism and marketing students at the Regional Student Advertising Competition in San Jose, Calif., April 17. The regional award secures a slot for the 27-member team to compete for the coveted national title in Orlando, Fla., in June.
“This impressive outcome comes as no surprise to the Reynolds School faculty and University community,” said Jerry Ceppos, dean of the Reynolds School. “The Integrated Marketing Communications team is upholding a tradition of sustained excellence. The University has won this award six of last 11 years.”
The American Advertising Federation sponsors regional competitions annually across the U.S. requiring students to research a product and its competition and devise an integrated communications campaign for a national client. Each student team “pitches” its campaign to a panel of judges, comprised of advertising professionals. Then, the regional champs and one wildcard advance to the nationals.
This year’s client, State Farm Insurance, challenged student teams to change perceptions about automobile and renter’s insurance among young adults.
“We received a difficult problem State Farm wants to solve because competition for market share is intense. Everything is important and students must bring their best effort throughout the preparation process,” said Bob Felten, assistant professor of advertising and public relations and the team’s faculty adviser. “Their win underscores quality thinking, dedication and hard work lead to success in a discipline that we teach.”
Following the win Kaitlin Godbey, senior journalism student, celebrated the team’s accomplishment.
“I haven’t been that happy in a long time. We had such strong dedication, working upwards of 40 hours a week.” The Integrated Marketing Communications class was basically was like a job and the most beneficial class I have ever taken,” Godbey said.
The University students will offer their only public presentation of the winning entry at an A2N2 luncheon meeting in Harrah’s convention center, May 4. More information is available at A2N2.com.
