How do you fit 5 months into 25 pages and 20 minutes?
For three years I volunteered to lose hundreds of hours of sleep and food money in order to make kickass advertising. That's what the National Student Advertising Competition is all about, and it's what made me join student-run ad agency at Johnson & Wales, Candlelight Communications, during my sophomore year in 2014. I got to work with some of the best young advertisers in the country and do work for real world clients. In 2015, we took on Pizza Hut and placed 2nd in the nation. In 2016, Snapple made us work harder than ever for a second place finish in our district. In 2017, we made University history and became the National Champions. Here's how we did that.
Challenge: When a millennial thinks of Tai Pei Asian Frozen Food, their first thought is usually "who?" We had to figure out a way to make Tai Pei relevant to millennials, 75% of whom were completely unaware of its existence.
Insight: After recording 770 eating circumstances from members of our target, we realized just how much they compromise on their food choices every day. Tai Pei's competitive set made the problem of food compromise even worse by forcing them to choose between value, flavor, convenience, ingredients, and variety.
Strategy: Prove to our target that there is "a Better Way to Food" by introducing them to Tai Pei and their new and improved line of products.
Placement: 1st in the country - National Champions
Challenge: The Snapple iced tea brand is packed with brand equity, but they wanted their good sales in the North East to rub off on their not-so-good sales everywhere else in the United States.
Insight: Our taste and perceptual tests revealed that the product wasn't the issue, it was the presence of so many other options in the ready-to-drink tea category.
Strategy: Tell consumers to beat 'indecisionitis', think a little less and 'Just Grab the Best Stuff'.
Placement: 2nd, District 1 regional level
Challenge: The USA's largest pizza chain needed major help converting their in-store and call-in sales to digital ones through their website and app.
Insight: People get really freakin' excited when they know they're getting pizza.
Strategy: Rework Pizza Hut's digital pain points (like waiting for your pizza to arrive) and own the feeling of pizza excitement.
Placement: 1st, District 1 regional level in Boston - 2nd, national level in Las Vegas