Advertising students test lessons in marketplace

Valenti School students from Larry Kelley's advertising class are competing in a national contest based on a campaign they designed and implemented for an American automaker. In the photo, they're holding T-shirts and flyers that they designed for the campaign.

Top Row: Atarhe Clarke, Yuliana Rivera, Taylor Smith, Ashley Jones, Stephanie Villacorta, Vanessa Hernandez, Yulim Kim, Louis Banks
Bottom Row: Jennie Lane, Maha Nagra, Rachel Williams, Vallan Joe, Professor Larry Kelley, Kelly Groce, Emilio Ventura, Shara Musa, Juan Tejeda

It's time to test drive the case study.

Valenti School of Communication students are participating in a nationwide competition to develop and implement advertising campaigns for Chevrolet vehicles.

The 17 students roll out their work and four Chevys Thursday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Center.

The event is a culmination of the class project which requires gauging reactions of potential consumers.

"The final campaign we developed, 'A New Tradition of Excellence,' tied in the University and Chevrolet's objectives," said the project's account director Stephanie Villacorta.

"Unlike other campaign classes where the projects are theoretical, here we actually have a client relationship with Chevrolet where they are paying to produce and run our program," said advertising professor Larry Kelley. "Like all clients, they expect us to deliver results."

Other students with leadership roles in the project include:

• Jennie Lane, the creative director
• Juan Tejeda, public relations manager
• Maha Nagra, research manager
• Ashley Jones, events coordinator
• Rachel Williamson, plans book editor
• Vanessa Hernandez, finance director