Idaho State University advertising team wins Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Marketing Plan Contest

Six Idaho State University advertising students were awarded $500 each for winning the Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho Student Marketing Plan Contest.

The ISU Department of Mass Communication also was awarded $1,000 from the Farm Bureau for the students' efforts.

The winning students were Katie Burke, Meagan Milder, Amanda Shepard, Kristin Foster, Rodrick Rumble and Ryan Bray. They comprised one of two teams competing in the contest from the ISU mass communications Advertising Campaigns class, a capstone course for advertising majors. Guest instructor Richard A. Smith, owner of RAS Productions in Pocatello, taught the course. The contest was open to ISU students in various disciplines, and included a team from the College of Business.

Farm Bureau Insurance Executive Vice President and CEO, Phil Joslin, presented checks to the students and the mass communications department at a ceremony on Thursday in the ISU Liberal Arts Building.

"Last winter, Idaho State University graduate students carried out marketing research for and made strategic business recommendations to Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho," said Mike Myers, Farm Bureau Insurance director of corporate marketing. "The company was so impressed with the research and recommendations that it invited ISU students to use this material to create a marketing plan for the company."

The contest offered students the opportunity to use their ingenuity and creativity to develop a comprehensive and practical marketing plan. The marketing plan’s objective was to attract new customers to Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho. The plans were required to give consideration to all advertising mediums including TV, radio, outdoor, print, direct mail, mobile, social and Web.

"The Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho became the students' 'client,'" said Smith. "The student teams approached the task as any real agency would, with research, strategic and tactical analysis, followed by media planning, creative, and an eventual presentation to a three-member team of Farm Bureau executives."

Smith said both of his class's teams performed well.

"We were all thoroughly impressed with their professionalism, friendliness, and creativity," Myers said. "Both teams had sterling ideas and solid rationales. It was difficult to pick a winning team. We were impressed, but not surprised by, the level of professionalism demonstrated by the students."

ISU officials praised Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance of Idaho for sponsoring the contest.

"Our students benefited mightily by competing in this contest. It is a rare opportunity for them to work on a 'real-world' campaign, and then have it reviewed by professionals in their field," said Timothy Frazier, ISU mass communication director. "We appreciate the opportunities and feedback Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance provided the students, and we appreciate the generous donation of cash to the winning students and our department."

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