(Release courtesy of Idaho State University; Photos credited to Bethany Baker, ISU Photographer)
POCATELLO – Six Idaho State University advertising students
were awarded $500 each for winning the Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of
Idaho Student Marketing Plan Contest.
The ISU Department of Mass Communication also was awarded
$1,000 from the Farm Bureau for the students’ efforts.
The winning students were Katie Burke, Meagan Milder, Amanda
Shepard, Kristin Foster, Rodrick Rumble and Ryan Bray. They comprised one of
two teams competing in the contest from the ISU mass communications Advertising
Campaigns class, a capstone course for advertising majors. Guest instructor
Richard A. Smith, owner of RAS Productions in Pocatello, taught the course. The
contest was open to ISU students in various disciplines, and included a team
from the College of Business.
Farm Bureau Insurance Executive Vice President and CEO, Phil
Joslin, presented checks to the students and the mass communications department
at a ceremony on Thursday in the ISU Liberal Arts Building.
“Last winter, Idaho State University graduate students
carried out marketing research for and made strategic business recommendations
to Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho,” said Mike Myers, Farm Bureau
Insurance director of corporate marketing. “The company was so impressed with
the research and recommendations that it invited ISU students to use this
material to create a marketing plan for the company.”
The contest offered students the opportunity to use their
ingenuity and creativity to develop a comprehensive and practical marketing
plan. The marketing plan’s objective was to attract new customers to Farm
Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho. The plans were required to give
consideration to all advertising mediums including TV, radio, outdoor, print,
direct mail, mobile, social and Web.
“The Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho became
the students’ ‘client,’” said Smith. “The student teams approached the task as
any real agency would, with research, strategic and tactical analysis, followed
by media planning, creative, and an eventual presentation to a three-member
team of Farm Bureau executives.”
Smith said both of his class’s teams performed well.
“We were all thoroughly impressed with their
professionalism, friendliness, and creativity,” Myers said. “Both teams had
sterling ideas and solid rationales. It was difficult to pick a winning team.
We were impressed, but not surprised by, the level of professionalism
demonstrated by the students.”
ISU officials praised Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance of Idaho
for sponsoring the contest.
"Our students benefited mightily by competing in this
contest. It is a rare opportunity for them to work on a 'real-world' campaign,
and then have it reviewed by professionals in their field," said Timothy
Frazier, ISU mass communication director. "We appreciate the opportunities
and feedback Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance provided the students, and we
appreciate the generous donation of cash to the winning students and our
department."
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| Phil Joslin (CEO, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company), Timothy Frazier (Director, ISU Department of Mass Communcation), Martine Beachboard (Associate Professor, ISU Department of Mass Communication), and Richard Smith (guest instructor, ISU Department of Mass Communication) with the ISU Department of Mass Communication's $1,000 check. |
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| Phil Joslin (CEO, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho) presents Kristin Foster with her $500 check. |
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| Phil Joslin (CEO, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho) presents Amanda Shepard with her $500 check. |
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| Phil Joslin (CEO, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho) presents Ryan Bray with his $500 check. |
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| Phil Joslin (CEO of Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho) presents Kathleen Burke with her $500 check. |
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| Phil Joslin (CEO, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho) and Timothy Frazier (Director, ISU Department of Mass Communication) with the ISU Department of Mass Communication's $1,000 check. |
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| Phil Joslin (Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho CEO) and Kandi Turley-Ames (Dean, College of Arts and Letters) with the ISU Department of Mass Communication's $1,000 check. |
