University of Nebraska–Lincoln finishes in the top eight in national advertising competition

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 - 7:00pm

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln finished in the top eight in the 2014 National Student Advertising Competition in Boca Raton, Fla., on May 29. Hosted by the American Advertising Federation, the NSAC taps into the mindset of Millennials by challenging undergraduate advertising students across the United States to think creatively and strategically on behalf of the country’s most recognizable brands each year.

Mary Kay Inc., the 2014 NSAC sponsor, engaged more than 140 AAF College Chapters to develop a $10 million proposal for a national, fully-integrated marketing campaign targeting women 18-25 years old and potential Gen Y Independent Beauty Consultants.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln won its AAF district competition to advance to the semi-final round where they were one of eight finalists selected to compete at the national competition. University of Nebraska–Lincoln has won its regional competition six years in a row. University of Nebraska–Lincoln won the national championship in 2012.

Additional teams that competed in the NSAC finals included Purdue University Calumet; the University of Miami; Texas Tech University; Johnson and Wales University-Providence; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; the University of Texas at Austin; and the University of California, Berkeley.

Purdue University Calumet was selected as the 2014 national champion at the NSAC with their “Beauty Goes Soul Deep” campaign. The University of Miami and Texas Tech University finished second and third in the competition, respectively.

Outside of the national title, two other finalist teams were awarded prizes from the NSAC research partners for their exceptional work throughout the competition. Ad-ology rewarded the University of Texas at Austin for its superior use of market research and Experian Marketing Services recognized 2014 runner-up, the University of Miami, for the Best Plans Book. The AAF District 7 Bolton-MacVicar Best Presenter Award went to Katherine Vreeland of Johnson and Wales University-Providence. 

Senior marketing executives from Mary Kay judged the national title competition. They were Sheryl Adkins-Green, Chief Marketing Officer; Michael Glassmoyer, Design Director, U.S. Creative Marketing; Paul Jones, Vice President, Brand and Digital Marketing; Jamie Schott, Director of Corporate Digital Marketing and Innovation and Shannon Summers, Director, Corporate Brand Integrated Marketing. 

About Mary Kay
Irresistible products. Positive community impact. Rewarding opportunity. For more than 50 years, Mary Kay has offered it all. With 3 million Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants and $3.5 billion in global annual wholesale sales, Mary Kay is a top beauty brand and direct seller in more than 35 markets around the world.

About the American Advertising Federation
The American Advertising Federation (AAF), the nation’s oldest national advertising trade association, and the only association representing all facets of the advertising industry, is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and acts as the "Unifying Voice for Advertising." The AAF’s membership is comprised of nearly 100 blue chip corporate members comprising the nation’s leading advertisers, advertising agencies, and media companies; a national network of nearly 200 local clubs representing 40,000 advertising professionals; and more than 200 AAF college chapters with more than 5,000 student members. The AAF operates a host of programs and initiatives including the Advertising Hall of Fame, the American Advertising Awards, the National Student Advertising Competition, the Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism, and summer AdCamps for high school students. 

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