Several Stephen F. Austin State University students proved to be among the best in advertising, marketing and graphic design during the annual American Advertising Federation-Houston Student Conference and Competition. Students from the Department of Mass Communication, Department of Management and Marketing, and School of Art were on the first-, second- and third-place teams.
This conference, which brings together the advertising, marketing and communications disciplines, challenged students with creating an advertising campaign for a real client. This year students created a campaign for Mattress Firm.
Many SFA students from the Department of Mass Communication, Department of Management and Marketing, and the School of Art were on the first-, second- and third-place teams.
SFA marketing students Grant Knight, Aubrey junior; and Clayton Howard, Richmond junior; mass communication students Haleigh Haupt, Kingwood senior; and Robert Breitenstein, Beaumont senior; and art student Julie McSwain, Center senior; placed first.
Mass communication juniors Coby Ward, of Logansport, Louisiana; and Jade Contreras, of Red Oak; placed second. Third-place winners include Joshua Cliffe, Huffman mass communication senior; and Elyse Guerra, Austin marketing freshman.
Drs. Marlene Kahla, professor in the Department of Management and Marketing; Seth Bradshaw, assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communication; and Daniel Anguiano, assistant professor in the School of Art, worked with students during the semester to prepare for the competition.
On the day of the conference, student teams spent the day at Houston-based advertising agencies and were given eight hours to complete an advertising campaign, which included creative, research, marketing and media plans. Teams were then given 20 minutes to present their project to a panel of judges comprising Houston advertising professionals.
“This event teaches students to effectively work with people from diverse educational backgrounds in new surroundings for a client that requests specific plans in a timely manner,” Kahla said.
Some of the host agencies included Freed Agency, Skyline, Lopez Negrete, iHeartRadio, CBS, Cox Media Group and Love Advertising.
During the second day of the conference, students attended résumé and portfolio review sessions with advertising, marketing and public relations professionals and a panel discussion about how to start in the industry.
By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.
