• Site map
• About us
• K-State photo services
• Stock photos
• Inclement weather policy

 

 

Join us on facebook

 

 

Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6415
media@k-state.edu

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Esther Swilley, 785-532-6135, esthers@k-state.edu
Note to editor: Danielle Accurso is a graduate of Blue Valley North High School, Overland Park.
News release prepared by: Katie Briscoe, 785-532-2753, kbriscoe@k-state.edu

Thursday, May 22, 2008

K-STATE MARKETING STUDENTS CREATE MARKETING COMPONENTS FOR LOCAL BUSINESS

MANHATTAN -- Nearly 30 students in the spring 2008 electronic marketing class offered by Kansas State University's College of Business Administration have earned cash prizes in a competition sponsored by KansasStateCars.com.

The competition, to create marketing components for KansasStateCars.com's 2008 marketing campaign, gave the 95 students in the course the chance to compete for $10,000 in cash prizes while getting practical, real-world experience in the rapidly growing areas of viral video and search engine marketing.

Working in teams, students competed in categories including 60-second YouTube videos, 30-second television commercials and Google AdWords campaigns.

Designed and developed by Briggs Automotive Group, KansasStateCars.com was launched in September 2007 as an auto-shopping Web site to help K-State alumni and friends shop for new and pre-owned vehicles from participating dealers in northeast Kansas. Because KansasStateCars.com is a new endeavor, Russ Briggs, chief executive officer and president of Briggs Automotive Group, decided that K-State marketing students would be a great resource for generating new and fresh ideas to reach the Web site's target audience.

"These students are pros on the Internet. They know what catches their attention online," Briggs said. "Because of that, they know what will make successful online campaigns. We're creating marketing campaigns for the consumer, by the consumer."

Teams competing in the commercial and video categories of the competition reviewed current marketing efforts by KansasStateCars.com and developed storyboards and advertising plans. Students participating in the Google AdWords category developed a pre-campaign strategy, set up AdWords accounts and ran a campaign and evaluated its success.

Each student on the winning teams was awarded $350. A panel with representatives from Briggs Automotive Group, the K-State athletics department and New Boston Creative Group determined the winners.

"Briggs Auto Group and KansasStateCars.com have given K-State marketing students an opportunity to create inventive, modern marketing components in the classroom that will be utilized in a major marketing plan," said Esther Swilley, a K-State assistant professor of marketing who taught the electronic marketing course. "The practical experience that this competition gave our students is not only enhancing their educational experience, but making the students more marketable to future employers by giving them an impressive addition to their portfolios. Plus, the cash prize is a great reward for all of their hard work."

More information KansasStateCars.com and its commitment to K-State is available at http://www.KansasStateCars.com

Student winners in the competition, all marketing majors unless otherwise indicated, their hometown, team and category include:

Courtney Sebree, junior, Basehor, Team Awesome, 30-second sports TV commercial; Amber Seglem, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, Cheney, Team Awesome, 30-second sports TV commercial; Sarah Heinen, marketing, Downs, Big Dreams, Google AdWords.

From Greater Kansas City: Christina Pyle, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, and Carolyn Schlagel, senior, both of Lenexa, both of Make Checks Payable To for a 60-second non-sports YouTube video; Mark Mourlam, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, Mission, Team Awesome, 30-second sports TV commercial; Grady Martin, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, and Laura Ross, senior, both of Olathe and both of The Googlers for Google AdWords; Tara Land, senior, The Googlers, Google AdWords, Megan Specht, senior, Team Total Domination, 30-second non-sports TV commercial, Kevin Tadtman, senior, 30-second non-sports TV commercial, and Amanda Timmerberg, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, Team Awesome, 30-second sports TV commercial, all of Overland Park; and Ashton Wright, senior, Shawnee, Team Total Domination, 30-second non-sports TV commercial.

Tyler Reynolds, senior, Hays, Make Checks Payable To, 60-second non-sports YouTube video; Ashley Emmerich, senior, Hutchinson, Big Dreams, Google AdWords; Matthew Junghans, senior in management and marketing, Junction City, The Googlers, Google AdWords.

From Manhattan: Danielle Accurso, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, Big Dreams, Google AdWords; Reid Begnoche, senior, Group 1, 60-second sports YouTube video; Janine Borja, junior in apparel and textiles, Group 1, 60-second sports YouTube video; and Johnna Jones, junior, Team Awesome, 30-second sports TV commercial.

Thomas Rimmer, senior, Salina, Group 1, 60-second sports YouTube video.

From Wichita: David Cotter, senior, Team Total Domination, 30-second non-sports TV commercial; Nick Cribbs, senior, Make Checks Payable To, 60-second non-sports YouTube video; Lauren Griffith, junior, Team Total Domination, 30-second non-sports TV commercial; and Kelly Waugh, May 2008 bachelor's graduate, Make Checks Payable To, 60-second non-sports YouTube video.

From out of state: Erin Parrott, senior, Golden, Colo., Big Dreams, Google AdWords; Julle Payne, senior, Westminster, Colo., Big Dreams, Google AdWords; and Mickenzie Brecht, Group 1, junior, Edmond, Okla., 60-second sports YouTube video.