NSAC District 8 Competition This Saturday

Hello to all in YAYBIAland! Just wanted to let you all know that the National Student Advertising Competition will be in full swing this weekend for District 8. The event will be on the University of Minnesota campus in Willey Hall on the West Bank on Saturday, May 1st.

This year's client is State Farm. Here is the schedule for presentations:

9:00-9:30 St. Thomas (Room 125)
9:45-10:15 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (Room 175)
10:30-11:00 Minnesota State University Moorhead (Room 125)
11:15-11:45 South Dakota State University (Room 175)

11:45-1:15 Break for Lunch

1:30-2:00 St. Cloud Technical College (Room 125)
2:15-2:45 University of Wisconsin - Madison (Room 175)
3:00-3:30 St. Cloud State University (Room 125)
3:45-4:15 University of Minnesota - Duluth (Room 175)

Remember that even if you're a minute late, you will not be let in to the room, so plan accordingly. Doors open 10 minutes before each presentation.

I know that Chariot (U of M - Twin Cities) would love your support (IT'S FREE!), and it should be very interesting to see what such bright young thinkers can come up with for an insurance campaign targeting their age group!

GOOD LUCK CHARIOT! I know you will make all of us Ghosts of NSAC Past proud!

Next on MTV: The 'SAC

Rumors are swirling this morning about AAF president James Edmund Datri's remarks to turn NSAC into a reality TV show.  Its impact on perceptions of the ad industry is debatable, but there are only two ways it could affect NSAC students:

SUPER AWESOME

• Potential employers would see the blood, sweat, and tears students pour into the campaign and would take NSAC seriously when considering job applicants.
  
  
• Speaking of taking NSAC seriously--the case for AIM referred to NSAC as an "exercise," and sometimes I feel like the AAF wants NSAC to exist in its own make-believe world as something "those kids" are working on.  I know NSAC is different from real industry work, but I hope the AAF would realize that NSAC participants view their campaigns in the context of real-world advertising, not just a paper assignment.
  

TOTAL DESTRUCTION

• I don't know about other schools, but the University of Minnesota's NSAC team has seen its fair share of drama that I wouldn't enjoy being broadcast.
  
  
• Teams once comprised of geeky ad kids could morph into attention-seeking actors.  Nothing could be worse for the perception of the ad industry.
  

Of course, selling an NSAC sponsorship as a reality TV tie-in will also attract certain sponsors and deter others.  Any brand to sign on will be bold and unafraid to try new things, which would be fun for students to work on, but not representative of real-world advertising.  Also, the past three campaigns have been targeted to Gen Y consumers, and I don't see this trend shifting if a TV element is added.

I sure wouldn't have minded having my ideas showcased on national TV for agencies around the country to see, though...