May 3, 2002

From tires to travel to finance Loyola student teams are in the national spotlight

by Caitlin Rull, A'03, Intern, Offices of Public Affairs and Publications

The student marketing team rolled into a first-place finish at the American Marketing Association (AMA) International Collegiate Case competition. The team finished ahead of the seven other university teams from across the country to walk away with the national championship, the second for the marketing team and the College of Business Administration.

The AMA asked all of its collegiate chapters to develop a marketing program for Sullivan Tires that took into consideration the changing face of the American consumer: more minorities with greater ethnic diversity, and more females who are heads of households and make decisions about tire purchases and auto service. Goodyear and Sullivan Tires and Auto Service sponsored the competition. On the strength of its 25-page marketing report, the team was selected to go to the finals.

The team worked on the campaign since November, meeting for long hours of brainstorming and research development. As part of its data analysis, members handed out 650 questionnaires at tire stores around the city to determine buyers' priorities and expectations. The data helped the team to establish promotional objectives. The key to their campaign was a strong focus on building customer relationships. And they executed it right down to the smallest details, including when and how to advertise; how to strengthen the company's existing relationships; and how to attract more customers, especially females and minorities.

The marketing team received feedback on their 25-page report from business faculty and local business professionals, as well as students in the Capstone Marketing course. However, the report was due the day after Mardi Gras and "this made it very challenging" says team adviser and Professor in Business Administration, Dr. Caroline Fisher.

At the competition in Orlando, Florida, four members of the seven-member team made the 30-minute presentation, followed by 15 minutes of questions. Loyola's team was randomly selected to present third. "I was very nervous," says case team leader Dennis Coughlin, "but the entire team went in with confidence.

"After we played our first radio commercial, the judges' laughter really relaxed the team," recalls Coughlin. With the positive reaction from the reviewers, Coughlin says he knew, "at that point we were going to win."

It was a lot of hard work, but great payoff in the end for team members Jason Cook, Lucas Jason Cuccia, Karla Fennel, Rafael Torres, Toni Varnado and Tanya Wattigney. And when the results were in, "We were elated," says Fisher, "The group did a great job and the comments after were really encouraging."

Bateman team

Another Loyola team is off to a national competition. Loyola's Bateman team made it to the PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) Bateman finals for the third consecutive year. They were chosen from 68 colleges and universities that entered into what is recognized as the most prestigious competition for public relations students in the country.

Under the direction of Associate Professor of Communications and Loyola PRSSA advisor Dr. Cathy Rogers, the four-member team created a public relations plans book for client, Contiki Holidays, a world-wide travel company for 18-35 year olds. The book, "Travelers Wanted," described their research, outlined their objectives and strategies, and showed how they executed their campaign. A critical point of their entry was their evaluation of their outcome by using the objectives they had set forth.

The group has worked on their entry throughout this school year. Team director, Ashley Riley, feels two important things pulled the group through long hours of hard work: "positive attitude and Hawaii." The competitive judging for the three finalists will take place in Honolulu May 1-5 with all expenses paid by Contiki.

But before putting on their leis, the team has more hard work ahead. The first round of judging was conducted by PRSA members and based solely on their entry. In the final round, Contiki representatives will judge solely on the competition. Team member Ana Gonzalez says this adds to her anxiety, "It is frustrating that the judges will not have seen our plans book."

They have learned that success comes with frustrations. Vanessa Rodriguez reflects on the computer's inability to cooperate at essential times and a "Kinko's clerk who bonded the book backwards in the final stages." Even finding an open FedEx to send the plans book away became an unexpected frustration for Gonzalez. But Rogers reminds the students, "attention to minor detail and willingness to go the extra mile is what got us into the top three."

The entire team agrees that Bateman has been a fulfilling experience. Amanda Padalewski credits the experience as an opportunity to "put lessons from communications classes into real life experience." The girls also found that previous internships provided them with the tools necessary for making it to the finals. And they all credit Rogers' advising for their success. Gonzalez says Batemen gave them "the opportunity for more personal instruction."

"Campus support is what makes us stand out each year," says Rogers." It is the nature of our campus to be supportive and the active participation is obvious in our final results."

Riley also adds that beyond times of hard work and frustration, "it was fun. We really liked the campaign and enjoyed brainstorming ideas and conducting research for such a youth-oriented client."

"I pick students very selectively [for the team]," says Rogers who pays close attention to ambition, competitiveness, and capability of juggling many tasks. "A strong group is easy to inspire. Well," she jokes, "that, and putting a free trip to Hawaii on the line."

Ad team

Although Advertising Team members were not vying for a trip to Hawaii, they still managed to trounce their competition to finish in first place in the Seventh District National Student Advertising Competition. The American Advertising Federation brought together students from 11 universities in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Georgia to prepare an advertising campaign for Bank of America Investment Services, an investment branch of Bank of America.

Under Professor of Advertising Teri Henley's tutelage, the students developed an integrated marketing communications campaign to target the 45 to 65-year-old affluent market. "This was one of the biggest struggles," says team member Lauren Alsop, "that and the amount of time we spent in the Donnelley Center." They prepared a 40-page campaign plans book and a 20-minute multi media creative presentation. The competition was held in April in Atlanta. The national finals will be held in Bal Harbor, Florida in June.

The winning group credits their ability to work as a team for their success. "We all cried when we won at districts," says Alsop, "I can't imagine the feeling of winning nationals. For me," she adds, "it's not about competing against other schools, it's knowing that our hard work is recognized and that all of our time and energy was worth something."

The winning campaign from Loyola was developed as part of a semester-long course in advanced advertising campaigns and included 16 communications students. The team consists of Derika Legg, Molly Glaser, Lauren Alsop, Meghan Becnel, Jaime Bulot, Dana Delle, Lori Schultz, Katherine Bany, Lauren Cofield, Guy Schaafs, Lyndsey Young, Christine Poist, Loni Vinturella, Shea Bryant, and graduate advisor Lisa Boe. Team members Legg, Glaser, Alsop, Delle and Schaafs made the presentation.