Canadas Next Top Ad Exec Announces Top 10 Finalists
TORONTO March 15, 2011 After months of preparation and competition Canadas Next Top Ad Exec (CNTAE) has announced its top 10 finalists from universities across Canada. This year, CNTAE partnered with leading sponsor Chevrolet to challenge Canadian business students to create a strategic marketing plan for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic.
As the importance of experiential education increases in Canadian post-secondary education, Canadas Next Top Ad Exec allows students to participate in a business competition with real-world results. Participants are asked to develop a marketing campaign for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic using non-traditional platforms, such as online and social media. Campaigns are judged by a panel of industry experts in marketing, advertising, public relations and human resources, along with educators from Canadian business schools.
At CNTAE, we see the best and brightest compete against one another, said Meghan Brennan, co-chair, CNTAE. This years competition has been exceptional, with a high number of quality campaigns. The top 10 finalists really set themselves apart in terms of innovation and professionalism. We are excited to see their final presentations.
The competition allows students to benefit from public/private sector partnerships in education, bringing together industry experience and classroom creativity. Students compete for prizes including two Chevrolet Sonics, paid internships with sponsoring organizations and other companies, two $2,500 scholarships from Chevrolet, two $1,000 scholarships from Chevrolet and four Fujifilm camera packages.
Chevrolet’s partnership with Canadas Next Top Ad Exec has generated excitement, enthusiasm, and most importantly, ideas from students across the country that have the opportunity to contribute directly to our marketing and media strategies, said Kevin Williams, president and managing director of GM Canada. Chevrolet is redefining expectations for small cars like the Sonic, and we highly value the fresh look and innovative thinking that students are bringing to this competition.”
The next and final step for CNTAEs top 10 finalists is the Pitch or Perish presentations and awards gala on Tuesday, March 29 at Torontos Thompson Hotel. Students will pitch their final campaign presentations to the judging panel and a winning team will be announced. The Pitch or Perish event will also feature author and brand consultant Bruce Philp as a guest speaker.
Top 10 Teams and Finalists
Acadia University: Chase Ellestad
Laurentian University: Matthew Marcuccio and Patrick Barsalou
McMaster University: Ryan Martin and Brandon Greenspoon
McMaster University: Patricia Wozniak and Joanna Periversoff
Queens University: Michelle Yee and Ben Richards
St. Francis Xavier University and University of Victoria: Kelsey Cole and Paul King
Simon Fraser University: Isaiah Balderissa and Carolina Dubanik
University of Alberta: Michael Holmes and Maya Ciesznyka
University of Lethbridge: Brittany Miller and Amanda Miller
York University: Deven Dionisi and Kathryn Savoie
About Canadas Next Top Ad Exec:
Canadas Next Top Ad Exec is a national business case-study competition based out of McMaster University. 2011 sponsors include Chevrolet, MacClaren McCann, GCI Group, Fujifilm, Cascades, Creative Niche Inc. and PepsiCo. Now in its fifth year, the competition is entirely student-run with the generous support of sponsoring organizations.
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