Ninteen juniors and seniors in Pitt’s projects in marketing course took center stage this afternoon when they unveiled their Honda Civic Coupe campaign in the Schenley Quadrangle. Entitled, “You’ve Arrived”, the entire campaign was created, planned and carried out by the class taught by Dr. Robert Gilbert.
“The enthusiasm they bring to what they’re doing is very positive and contagious. I’m very pleased with what’s happening so far,” Gilbert said of his students’ efforts.
Honda works with edVentures Partners to create a semester-long, nationwide competition consisting of 20 schools based on each university’s location and market. This year, Honda approached the University of Pittsburgh to compete. The team’s assignment was to create and implement a marketing campaign for the Honda Civic Coupe that targeted generation Y; all on a $3,000 budget. Lauren Loughnane is a senior in the class is in charge of the group’s public relations.
She explains the title “You’ve Arrived” as a pivotal moment that speaks to the generation about to enter the working world.
“You’re going to buy your first big car. It’s kind of like saying, ‘You’ve Arrived’. That’s a big moment in your life,” said Loughnane.
The students were broken into 6 different departments where they conducted research, marketed themselves through blogging, YouTube videos, Twitter and Facebook, and planned several events throughout the entire semester. During their “Ambush Week”, the team chose Pitt students who were tweeting and posting on the campaign’s Facebook page to ambush with a surprise. The group planned freeze mobs where they walked around campus with a cardboard cutout of the car and stood frozen in crowded areas. It all culminated in the Honda Civic Coupe showcase event in the Quad with food from T-Rav’s BBQ, games and prizes. Account manager from edVentures Partners, Natalie De Leon, flew in for the showcase from Miami, FL to see the progress.
“They really hit the mark,” said De Leon. “They thought out of the box. From the guerilla advertising with the ambushes to the project as a whole, it’s great.”
The group’s final presentation is set for April 20th. If Dr. Gilbert’s class is chosen as one of the three finalist teams, they will fly to California to present a semester’s worth of research, ideas, planning and implementation to the Honda executives in early May. The winning team will receive a cash prize of $5,000. Senior agency coordinator, Dana Schaufert is excited for the outcome. “Just seeing it all come together, with all the planning and time it took, is awesome,” said Schaufert. “Pitt has a really great reputation in this competition. It’s a lot to live up to.”