Ideas with Impact
UNB Faculty of Management

Two teams of UNB Fredericton business administration students have been selected to be among the top ten finalists in Canada's Next Top Ad Executive "Face the Fear" Competition, taking place in Toronto March 30-April 1.

Volkswagen Canada, the leading sponsor of the competition, is the client; the student teams are the ad executives who must develop a marketing plan to promote the new Volkswagen Routan. The best campaign wins.

Mitchell Bernard and Laura Noseworthy, both BBA students in their fourth year, form one of the teams from UNB's faculty of business administration, while MBA students Elizabeth-Anne McCleave and Matt Daigle make up the second. Both teams, chosen from among 143 teams representing 36 different universities across Canada, were coached by Dr. Kirby Shannahan who teaches marketing courses at UNB.

Operating within a shrinking minivan market and a shrinking minivan segment, students in the competition are tasked with the challenge of creating a marketing campaign to promote awareness of the new Volkswagen Routan. The theme of the marketing campaign students develop has to be consistent with Volkswagen Canada's positioning strategy for the Routan, and the marketing campaign budget must stay within $250,000.

The top ten finalists will deliver a 30 minute presentation to a panel of academic and industry experts. All of the top ten finalists will be offered internships with advertising agencies; the two members of the winning ream will each receive a new Volkswagen Golf, in addition to an internship.

Organized by engineering management and commerce students, Canada's Next Top Ad Executive Competition aims to promote learning through active participation in service experiences, provide opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world situations, and extend learning beyond the classroom into the community.