By Elizabeth Teitelbaum
A team of students from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business won the local division of the District 2A American Advertising Federation (AAF) advertising competition after spending two semesters putting together an elaborate and multi-faced marketing campaign for AOL Instant Messenger, competing against 10 other schools, including Penn State, Ithaca College and Georgetown University.
The victory in AAF’s “National Student Advertising Competition NSAC: College World Series of Advertising” was the first win in this competition ever for the University, and the team will compete at the national competition in Atlanta in June.
“We combined online, television and various other mediums to ensure we reach different objectives all under the theme of our campaign,” said James Gilligan, a junior who was one of the five team members who presented the campaign.
The program at the University is run by Charles McMellon, an assistant professor in the department of marketing and international business. “He encourages all students interested in advertising to participate,” said John V. Terrana. a junior marketing major.
Terrana stressed the collaborative effort and team work that went into the competition. The competition is not just open to marketing majors: graphic design and publishing majors were encouraged to join as well.
“Everything you can possibly imagine related to advertising and marketing is involved. Graphic design majors end up being a vital part of the team,” Terrana said.
Five out of the 15 members, including Gilligan and Terrana, presented the marketing campaign in front of five judges, including executives from AOL and other advertising executives from major ad agencies.
“AIM is your social solution” was the tagline of the team’s campaign for AOL Instant Messenger. The students focused on the demographic of 18- to 24-year-olds.
“It was such a great feeling just to win and to get the feedback from the judges,” Gilligan said. “This is a competition in which Hofstra has never sent a team to the national level before. It’s the first time our school has won the district.
“The judge said we truly captured the feeling of the brand and personality which is great to hear going on to the national level,” Gilligan said.
The program attracts more than 3,000 students from across the country to compete in a “real world” situation requiring a strategic advertising/marketing/media campaign for a corporate sponsor.
The national competition in Atlanta pits the University team against 15 other teams from across the United States.
“Dr. Charles McMellon supported us all the way, Gilligan said. “He’s the reason we won and are able to do this. He was always pushing us and inspiring us to be as creative as possible.”
(University Relations)