A record number of entrants — ten teams from colleges and universities in the Mid-Atlantic area — competed in the 2016 Fall Collegiate MAXI competition. The team from James Madison University took the Gold $600 prize.
While only five prizes were awarded, everybody won, including the judges. DMAW/EF President Rick Powell noted, “The future of direct marketing is in good hands.”
Sponsor DirectMail.com and venue sponsor Quad Graphics made the DMAW Educational Foundation event possible.
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) submitted challenges designed to test understanding of direct and integrated marketing concepts.
Eight teams competed in the undergraduate competition. Prizes were awarded as follows:
Gold ($600 prize) – James Madison University – HSUS case
Nicole Carothers, Briana Cifelli, Bryce Pangman, and Lynn Radocha
Silver ($400 prize)
Virginia State University – MADD case
Rick Powell, Paige Brown, Brittany Bunch, Jasmine Mason
Bronze ($200 prize) – Split prize
American University – HSUS case
Lauren Cullen, Olivia So, Sophia Quirch, Kianna Gousby
American University – MADD case
Rafiat Animashaun, Jennifer Yu
Two post-graduate teams competed from Johns Hopkins University.
The $300 prize was awarded to the team of Fabiana Beltran, Aatmaja Desai, and Amanda D’Luhy. Shown here with Professor Sylvia Long-Tolbert (left) and Rick Powell , the JHU team tackled the case from MADD.
After hearing each of the presentations, the judges delivered accolades like “tangible creative with great samples,” “methodical with good benchmarks,” “good supporting data,” “strong appeal with a variety of samples,” “excellent background research,” “great SWOT,” “showed knowledge of direct mail,” “video and audio touched on all the strong points,” and “excellent presentation connecting advocacy to mission.”
The Fall 2016 College MAXIs pointed to a new generation of achievers, but the process also was a learning experience, as the judges succinctly outlined where competitors came up short. Judges Katy Jordan, CDR Fundraising Group; Joanne Wilson, HSUS representative; Dr. Marilyn Liebrenz-Himes, The George Washington University; Rick Powell, Production Management Group-PMG; Jaime Grams, The Engage Group; and Paul Manion, Merkle, sliced and diced everything from data analysis to creative flair.
Watch for announcement of the 2017 Spring Collegiate MAXI awards!