SFA advertising students earn accolades at Houston advertising competition

SFA Ad Hoc advertising members represented the university well at the AAF-Houston Student Advertising Conference and Competition. Front row, from left: Zack Dickey, Carolyn Whitney, Vicente Marrero, Meagan Bonnin, Iris Favela, Zach Welch, Shauntel Barron and Ranel Gallardo. Second row, from left: Taylor Grimes, Catherine Dorsey, Katie Stamy, Milana Davis, Symantha Dickens, Amber Juarez, Corey Harvey, Delaney Bentley, Jocelyn Stephens, Jordan Allen, Rachel Gee and Alexis Morgan.Third row: Alicia Sanders, Drew Ryals, Josh Pingenot, Austin Pullin, Rachel Hinsken, Jonathen Ruesch, Krystal Williams, Benjamin Dodson, Terrance Coleman, Ian Iversen and Aaron Montilla. Photo by Bruce Partain

NACOGOCHES, Texas - SFA's Ad Hoc advertising club had students on the first-, second- and third-place winning teams at the American Advertising Federation-Houston Student Advertising competition Nov. 8-9.

Thirty-three Ad Hoc members competed alongside students from 17 universities at the annual competition. The students had eight hours to create campaigns for Midtown Houston, a newly incorporated area of the city that is beginning a promotional advertising campaign.

SFA students on the first-place team were Ranel Gallardo and Katie Stamy, second-place winners were Aaron Montilla and Terrance Coleman, and third-place team members were Meagan Bonnin and Vicente Marrero. The first-place team created a campaign that positioned Midtown Houston as "the heartbeat of Houston."

Competitors were sorted into groups with students from universities from Texas, Louisiana, Kansas and Oklahoma. They spent Friday working at Houston television and radio stations, ad agencies, and other media firms. Each 10-person group had to create a plans book that included research, traditional advertising, social media, promotional events and a video presentation of their campaign.

On Saturday, the students attended portfolio and résumé sessions, roundtables with potential employers, and talks and panels about creativity and career advancement. Faculty advisers Danny Anguiano of the SFA School of Art and Dr. Linda Thorsen Bond of the Department of Mass Communication attended academic workshops and tours organized by the American Advertising Federation.