MSU Students Impress Judges with Comprehensive Advertising Campaign

Calling themselves Caldera Collective, sixteen Montana State University (MSU) College of Business and College of Arts & Architecture graphic design students spent two semesters creating a brilliant advertising campaign which earned them 2nd place honors at the regional National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) in Boise, Idaho this April. Moriah Ellig, an MSU graphic design student, won the best female presenter award and the MSU team won the award for the best guerrilla marketing idea.

Each year, a different corporate sponsor provides a case study reflecting a real-world situation to challenge these students. Past advertising class teams have worked with companies ranging from Coca-Cola and Nissan America to Dove and State Farm Insurance. This year’s sponsor was Glidden Paint.

The students put together an extensive integrated communications campaign that included everything from target market research, marketing goals, multi-media and print advertising to guerrilla marketing tactics, in-store promotions, mobile apps and social media. They centered their campaign on the slogan “Paint Fearlessly” and featured ads that showcased cheeky uses of Glidden paint titled “fail temporarily,” “fail fashionably,” and “fail naturally.”

The team of students presented this extensive advertising campaign to a panel of judges, consisting of professionals in the communications industry, during the competition in Boise. Other schools represented at the competition included Boise State University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Idaho State University, Portland State University, University of Idaho, University of Oregon and Washington State University.

A huge thank you goes out to sponsors supporting this group of students: Jim and Connie Alderson, Flying Horse Communications, InstyPrints, KBZK Bozeman, MSU Office of Student Activities, MSU School of Art, O’Berry Collaborative, Walmart Bozeman and MSU Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Left to Right:
(Back) Tucker Kirschner, Peihan Hao, Corbin Hutchinson, Dan Clem, Pierce Ware *and Bryce Tiernan *
(Middle) Michael Bechler, Tina Smith *, Mike Gold, Allie McRae* and Chris Stanick *
(Front) David Driscoll*, Moriah Ellig *, Shayla Preeshl, Mary Louke, Vanessa Swenson*and Gavin Voeller
*denotes graphic design students