May 28, 2014 · 3 min read

Journalism team competes for national title

by Marilyn Hahn | Journalism and Mass Communications

Courtesy photo

UNL's National Student Advertising Competition team celebrates after winning the district competition on April 25. The team will compete in the national event on May 29.

Students from UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications make up one of eight teams that will vie for a national title in the National Student Advertising Competition. The event, held at the American Advertising Federation’s national conference, is May 29 in Boca Raton, Fla.

UNL, which took first place in its district competition for the sixth year in a row, competed against 15 districts with an additional 16th “virtual” district in a semi-final round on April 25. More than 150 colleges and universities take on the NSAC challenge each year. UNL won the national competition in 2012.

Professionals in the communications industry judge the competition. Judges at the national level are selected from the client and their advertising agencies.

The National Student Advertising Competition required American Advertising Federation college chapter members to develop a 26-page marketing campaign and 20-minute presentation in response to a real-world case study co-authored by the Mary Kay marketing team and the AAF Academic Division as it relates to expanding its footprint with the 18-25 year old market with the launch of products designed especially for this age group.

The AAF Education Services department and the AAF Academic Division, a group of advertising educators and practitioners from across the country, who oversee the policies and procedures of the competitions, govern the competition.

Michael Goff and Rich Bailey are the UNL team advisers. Goff is a professor of practice in advertising and public relations. Bailey is an adjunct professor and NSAC adviser with the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

The 2014 NSAC team members by hometown and the roles they play:

Nebraska

Elkhorn: Jolene Dreier, project manager.
Eustis: Lea Keller, research/planning.
Lincoln: Lauren Bejot, social media director; Lauren Geisert, copywriter; Brendon Henning, copywriter; Andrew Keohane, music/audio; Kathryn Pauley, copywriter; Grant Weber, copywriter; Waring Wiley, photographer and videographer; April Zhang, graphic designer.
Omaha: Rhett Muller copywriter.
South Sioux City: Rachel Leitschuck, account executive.
Valentine: Quentin Orr, videographer.
Waverly: Jacob Strange, research/planning and media assistant.
York: Matthew Heng, social media.