March 24, 2017 · 3 min read

Student advertising team to compete in KC on April 14

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 2017 National Student Advertising Competition team will compete in the American Advertising Federation District 9 Regional contest in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 14.

Each year, the AAF partners with a national corporate client experiencing a marketing challenge. The competition gives college students across the country a chance to create a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign complete with research, creative concepts, public relations, media planning, social media and graphic design.

The teams will pitch their campaigns to industry professionals during 20-minute presentations. Nebraska’s team is one of more than 150 college teams vying for a shot at nationals. Winning teams at each of the 15 district competitions will compete for eight spots in the 2017 AAF ADmerica National Conference in New Orleans in early June.

This year’s corporate client is the frozen Asian-style cuisine Tai Pei.

In the past eight years, Nebraska has earned six first-place and two second-place rankings in the regional competition, which includes teams from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. Five of the six first-place regional winners finished in the top 10 in the national finals, and the 2012 team finished No. 1 in the nation.

The Nebraska team is led by faculty advisers Michael Goff, professor of practice in advertising and public relations, and Rich Bailey, adjunct professor.

“This year’s team has a challenging problem to solve, but the team possesses a wealth of talent and boundless energy,” Goff said. “Students met without academic credit in the fall semester to gain a solid research foundation, and that extra effort is paying off handsomely. It’s a privilege to work with this band of overachievers.”

Nebraska’s 2017 NSAC team members, listed by hometown with their year in school, academic major(s) and college, are:

NEBRASKA:

Alma: Austin Christensen, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Bellevue: Leila Tatby, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Fremont: Casey Venema, graduate student, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Holdrege: Bailey Williams, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Hooper: Elliot Janssen, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Lincoln: Sam Cejda, junior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications; Bonnie Wittstruck, senior, art, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts; Craig Zimmerman, junior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Omaha: Carson Collins, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications; John Ficenec, junior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications; Emily Gauger, junior, art, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts; Sumit Jagdale, freshman, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications; Rachel Quint, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Riverdale: Carleen Glenn, junior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Scribner: Linsey Armstrong, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications; Kourtney Muller, junior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Wahoo: Kaylynn Knuth, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Wakefield: Hannah Paxton, senior, advertising and public relations, College of Journalism and Mass Communications.