Furman University Marketing Students Win National Collegiate “Effie” Competition
May 10, 2011
Students gave winning presentation to Heineken USA executives in New York City May 3
GREENVILLE, SC – May 10, 2011 – A group of Furman University students has won a national advertising competition for their efforts in developing a public service announcement campaign to help Heineken USA promote its relationship with Taxi Magic, a smart phone application that allows consumers to book, track and pay for taxi service.
The three students won the 2011 National Collegiate Effie Competition for their Heineken USA PSA Challenge campaign. The Effie Awards are administered by Effie Worldwide and recognize the most effective advertising efforts in the United States each year.
The Furman students, all of whom graduated this past Saturday, are Stacey Bragg (accounting and business administration) of Belcamp, Md.; Amanda Quinton (business administration and music) of Thomasville, Ga.; and Sara Sanders (business administration) of Byron, Ga. The students created a campaign that, according to Heineken, was to encourage “consumers to learn, understand, download and use the Taxi Magic app as an innovative option to avoid drinking and driving.”
Student groups from Furman and Iowa State University were selected as finalists, and each group presented campaigns to Heineken USA executives in New York City May 3. The Furman group received a $3,000 first prize.
The Effie Collegiate Competition was an integral part of business professor Robert Underwood’s Integrated Marketing Communications class at Furman. Collaborating in groups of three, students worked almost three months on the strategic development of either theHeineken/Taxi Magic App campaign or an integrated brand campaign for MINI and the introduction of its new vehicle, the Countryman. For the latter campaign, three groups from Underwood’s class made it to the top six.
For more information, contact Dr. Robert Underwood in the Business and Accounting Department (864) 294-3552 or [email protected].
