NFL as a Client: Clarke is competing in National Advertising Competition

Next April, after years of abstinence, Clarke University will compete in the National Student Advertising Competition once again. The preparations have begun in the form of a class that is working on creating an advertising campaign for this year’s real-world client: The National Football League.

Advertising is everywhere, from billboards, to TVs, and all over people’s phones. Sometimes it feels like the world wouldn’t run without them, and honestly, it probably wouldn’t. The National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) is run by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). It’s a competition for college students that gives them real-life experience in creating and presenting an advertising campaign. This year, Clarke will be participating.

The NSAC began in 1973 and has grown into one of the world’s largest advertising competitions. Their mission is to help college students gain real-life experience in the world of marketing and advertising. Each year, a client or sponsor provides a case study for schools to work with. They spend the school year working through the case study and developing a marketing plan to address the problem the case study aims to solve.

This competition is great for any student here at Clarke. It provides hands-on experience and the opportunity to work with real-world clients. It also provides students with the opportunity to work as a team to showcase creativity and strategy. Majors that may benefit include programs such as graphic design, communication, digital media, business, English, and even sports management. Faculty advisor for this competition is Eric Wold, professor of Art and Design at Clarke. He will be joined by assistant advisor Chrissy Bartels, professor of Communication. Some students will be using this as theircapstone; however, it is open to any Clarke students interested in participating. Some of the areas students are focusing on for this competition are research, strategy, creative execution, and media planning. Currently, there is a class where students are currently beginning research on the case study. Next semester, there is another class where students participating will focus on turning the research gathered from the class being held in the fall semester into a presentation, which will be presented in Kansas City, Missouri, in late April.

This is a valuable opportunity to help students grow their skills in time management, collaboration, and brainstorming techniques. Students will also have the chance to connect with industry professionals. In addition, this will help Clarke gain some recognition for their programs and give future students more opportunities. Students will compete in districts first, which will be held toward the end of April in Kansas City, and then the first-place team will advance to the national competition at the end of May in Houston, Texas. This experience can provide strong additions to participants resumes and portfolios. There will also be a fundraiser taking place at Pancheros on Wednesday, October 15, from 4-8 p.m. Ten percent of sales will go to support the students in Clarke University’s NSAC team. 

The NSAC is more than just a competition; it’s a chance for Clarke students to take the advertising around them and learn how to shape it with their personal skills and creativity. With the support of Clarke'sfaculty, classmates, and community, the NSAC team is excited to showcase the creativity and dedication that defines Clarke University.