[508] MTSU students are finalists in national natural-gas advertising contest

Editors: Please note that “Talor Burns” and “Kaela Dalecke” in fourth graf are cq.

MURFREESBORO — A team of MTSU students will be in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 29, as finalists for the America’s Natural Gas Alliance Scholastics Achievement Award in the ANGA Collegiate Energy Challenge.

Eighteen students in a spring advertising and public relations campaigns course in the School of Journalism, taught by Dr. Tricia Farwell, formed an ad agency called “Natural Solutions” to create a special message to tout natural gas as a clean, domestic energy source.

Their ad campaign, “I am a natural,” was one of three announced May 16 as finalists from university entries across the country. The other finalists are from Texas A&M University and the University of Houston.

Five MTSU students will represent “Natural Solutions” in Washington: Lauren Foley, Talor Burns, Lauren Nelson, Kaela Dalecke and Brittany Moyers.

As part of the competition, student teams had to research, create and implement an integrated marketing campaign to educate the identified target market of the benefits of natural gas. Student teams each received a $3,000 budget to implement their campaigns.

The “I am a natural” tagline turned up on campaign posters around campus, culminating in an outdoor music event, the “Naturally Bright Music Festival,” that featured performers from Match Records, MTSU’s Recording Industry Program student-run record label.

At the conclusion of the campaign, students created a final campaign book that detailed their research, events and outcomes. ANGA officials judged each team’s campaign book before choosing the finalists.

“First place is $5,000, second place is $3,000 and third place is $1,000,” said Dr. Dwight Brooks, director of the MTSU School of Journalism, “so our students will be winning some cash award in addition to the trip.”