Using marketing strategies and creative talent, five communications students beat out advertising teams from UCLA, Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine to win first place at the American Advertising Federation regional conference at Chapman University. They now advance to the June AAF contest where they will face teams from across the country.
The students, members of the National Advertising Campaign course taught by David Cooper, lecturer in communications, presented a 28-page integrated marketing campaign and 20-minute oral presentation based on an eight-month long advertising assignment. Terra Breese, Angelo Cushman, Douglas Enfinger, Kimberly Trouville and Christopher Yeo were selected by fellow classmates to represent the class.

“This competition provides college students with nationwide ‘real world experience’ by having students create a strategic advertising, marketing and media campaign for a corporate client,” Cooper said. “I began recruiting students for this course in the fall semester,” added Cooper, who has taught the course for three years and seen students in the class earn fourth and third place finishes in prior competitions. “I sought out students from marketing and visual arts, as well as communications.”

The American Advertising Federation coordinates the annual student competition, which requires students to conduct extensive research and develop a comprehensive campaign designed to meet the sponsor’s objectives.More than 6,500 students on 210 campuses developed a national marketing and communications strategy for building increased awareness of the Toyota Matrix, a crossover utility vehicle.
BY SUSAN KATSAROS