The West Texas A&M University Buffalo Advertising team took home first place over all with best media plan and best promotion in the District 10 competition in Dallas, Texas. Each year the WT Buffalo Advising team partners with a major corporation client and comes up with a marketing campaign for them.
“Every year AAF selects a new client for the competition,” Cecy Borunda, Creative Director/Presenter for NSAC, said. “The Client is announced at the beginning of the fall semester and schools have both fall and half of spring semester to create a campaign that fits the needs of the client. This year our client was Pizza Hut.”
The team’s competition included school from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana.
“Before the competition we have to create a campaign and submit a plans book,” Amanda Koontz, NSAC member, said. “After that at the NSAC competition, the teams pitch their campaign to the client, which in this case is a panel of advertising professional judges. Then following that we have to do a 20 minute presentation of our campaign and go through a 10 minute Q&A immediately following the presentation.”
Students on the team said that working on projects like this and competing is not only the most emotional and challenge thing for them, but it is also one of the most positive and the closest real world experience they can get.
“Besides having some incredible work to have on your resume and portfolio what you get out of NSAC is the real world experience that just sitting through a lecture or doing a project could never do,” Borunda said. “Before NSAC I honestly didn’t feel ready to graduate and start working but after going through this experience I’ve never felt more ready for anything in my life.”
“This project has been very satisfying because I have been able to work with my colleagues that are my friends and fellow students,” Koontz said. “NSAC teaches me so many skills through the process and opens doors for us.”
Now back from district, the team is getting ready for the regional competition at the AAF headquarters that is located in Washington, DC.
“Seeing this group put in so much effort and rising above and beyond is the best thing I get to see from them,” Lori Westerman, NSAC advisor, said. “We enjoy all the support from our colleagues and the community. It keeps us motivated throughout the semesters. If we can make it past regionals then our next stop after that will be Las Vegas which we are hoping for.”
