Liberty Team Shines at Effie Collegiate Competition: Runner-Up Pitch to Amazon Executives
A dynamic trio of graduate students from Liberty University recently captured attention—finishing as runners-up at the Effie Collegiate Competition. The team, comprised of enthusiastic minds from the School of Business and the School of Communication & the Arts, represented their university with exceptional creativity during a high-stakes presentation to Amazon executives in Seattle.
A Journey Through the Effie Collegiate Competition
The Effie Collegiate program is a doorway for aspiring marketers to dive deep into real-world challenges. Students are tasked with researching, conceptualizing, and executing comprehensive marketing strategies that address professional-level scenarios. This year, in a competition aimed at fostering future marketing leaders, teams from across the nation were challenged to design an integrated marketing campaign to engage the vital Gen Z demographic on the multitude of benefits offered by Amazon Prime. The result? The innovative “For Whatever’s Next” Campaign.
Meet the Team
The Liberty University team featured:
- Bailey Teague, pursuing a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication: Public Relations.
- Abigail Hickman and Grace Mayes, both working towards their Master of Business Administration degrees.
These talented individuals traveled to Seattle, showcasing their campaign to an audience of esteemed Amazon executives spanning various departments, including brand, marketing, creative, and media.
A Unique Opportunity for Aspiring Marketers
For Hickman, this experience was not just a competition but an invaluable chance. “Targeting consumers close to my own demographic was a unique task,” she explained. The significance of engaging with high-level executives at Amazon was a motivation that fueled the team’s hard work throughout the year.
“Being able to meet Amazon clients and share our work was a privilege that people our age don’t usually get,” Hickman said. “It was motivating to know we were working on a big brand and that we would meet those people if we advanced in the competition.”
Liberty’s Track Record
This marks Liberty’s fourth time participating in the Effie Collegiate Competition. The university previously scored victory in 2024 against the digital financial services company Ally and finished as runners-up in 2023 with a campaign for Bose. Each competition has enhanced their skills and deepened their understanding of marketing dynamics.
Valuable Lessons Learned
Bailey Teague, who is poised for a bright future in marketing, reflects on the experience as a learning journey. She notes the delicate balance between crafting messages that resonate emotionally with the audience and generating tangible business outcomes for the brand.
“I’ve learned what it means to create a message that not only has emotional significance but also drives business results," Teague shared. "This competition forces you to achieve both, and it’s really grown me as a marketer and communicator.”
Positive Feedback from Amazon Executives
The team’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed. They received glowing feedback from the Amazon executives, highlighting just how competitive the field was this year. "They loved what we had to say, and it was a very close call with the other team," Hickman mentioned, underscoring their successful representation of Liberty University.
“We can’t thank Liberty enough for equipping us and helping us grow as professionals, and we were excited to represent Liberty well in this competition,” she added.
Conclusion
The Effie Collegiate Competition not only serves as a platform for aspiring marketers but also exemplifies the robust educational framework provided by institutions like Liberty University. As this talented team embarks on their professional journeys, their engagement with industry titans like Amazon is sure to inspire future students and set a precedent for excellence in the marketing field.
For more insights into effective marketing strategies and inspiring student achievements, check out resources like Effie Worldwide that highlight the impact of innovative marketing solutions.
