BROOKINGS, SD (KELO-AM) South Dakota State University advertising students won the District 8 National Student Advertising Competition held in Minneapolis April 12.Ten universities from South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin competed in the regional competition through the American Advertising Federation.
Second place went to the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, third went to Minnesota State University, Moorhead and fourth place went to University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.Mary Kay sponsored the annual competition and asked students to create a campaign to increase awareness and consideration for its cosmetic line.Thirty-one senior SDSU advertising students in the integrated marketing communication and campaigns course participated.Spark, SDSU’s student agency, presented its 20-minute “Better Than Basic” campaign before a panel of judges. Presenters were Aubree Cheadle, Minneota, Minn.; Laura Hieb, Brandon; Jade Possail, Tyler, Minn.; Todd Western IV, Sioux Falls; and Rachel Wilson, Huntsville, Texas.“We spent the entire semester working on this campaign with the end result being the competition,” said Jesse Widemark, Brandon. “Winning first place made the whole thing worth it. It was an amazing feeling.”Originality and creativity set the team apart. The campaign focused on video elements, digital and traditional media, webpage design, package redesign, a mobile app, a value reward system, and collaboration with Caribou Coffee.The overall concept for the “Better Than Basic” campaign stemmed from the idea that millennials challenge the expectations and limits the world places on them. Millennials view themselves as bold, driven, funny and responsive—but never basic.Using this concept, the advertising students highlighted millennial women who are leaders and take initiative in their daily lives.“Preparing for the competition was a learning experience—from working as one voice, to pulling all-nighters, to revising and more revising,” said Kayla Hoover, Sioux Falls. “The moment our school was announced as first place winner reflected months of hard work and commitment toward our campaign, and it was the most incredible feeling.”The competition is part of the SDSU Department of Journalism and Mass Communication capstone advertising campaigns course, which was taught by Didem Koroglu this semester.Roxanne Lucchesi taught the media research and planning course preluding Koroglu’s campaigns course. Students involved in the research course conducted a national survey with 365 respondents, 20 in-depth interviews, five social media audits of Mary Kay’s competitors and three focus groups.The competition is the most prestigious competition in the industry and is highly regarded among professionals as an opportunity to gain real-world experience.Other team members were Rena Berg, Mitchell; Caleb Bruynes, Luverne, Minn.; Megan Cutler, Groton; Shannon Doughtery, Sioux Falls; Alec Droptiny, Baltic; McKenna Dyer, Plymouth, Minn.; Erin Harris, Sioux Falls; Nick Hartness, Fargo, N.D.; Shawn Hilton, Mitchell; Marian Hooks, Aberdeen; Christian Huber, Sioux Falls; Brady Krumwiede, Watertown; Auston LaBlance Jr., Kansas City, Mo.; Luke Majerus, Owatonna, Minn.; Amanda McShane, Central City, Iowa; Danae Meinerts, Sioux Falls; Kassandra Nyreen, Alcester; Macy Pekas, Sioux Falls; Taylor Roehr, Britton; Erin Safley, Peterson, Iowa; Paige Shafrath, Hampton, Iowa; Rachel Speiser, Brandon; Emma Struwe, Watertown; Jonathan Treiber, Beresford; and Laura Wolbrink, Marion.Historically, the advertising students within the SDSU Department of Journalism and Mass Communication have placed among the top teams in the competition. They have ranked among the top four teams in 20 out of 23 competitions since 1991.