SDSU students complete campaigns for Sioux Falls businesses

Students in the South Dakota State University School of Communication and Journalism completed several projects for various businesses in Sioux Falls this semester. Advertising students presented their work at Startup Sioux Falls on Nov. 30. 

As part of their Advertising Media Strategies course, students created and pitched individualized social media campaigns to real Sioux Falls businesses. The class included 18 students who were split into groups of two to four. 

The course focuses on media planning and buying skills, according to Heather Solberg, an associate professor of practice in advertising. Learning outcomes for the course include using industry sources to provide audience delivery and cost information, engagement in the media planning process, evaluating paid media characteristics and demonstrating an understanding of the foundation and language of media planning. 

“A challenge we have faced in the past is how to give students the opportunity to develop and run a media plan without having the budget to do so,” Solberg explained. 

Solberg was approached by Carrie Abeling, account coordinator at Flynn Wright and School of Communication and Journalism alum, with the idea, after Abeling met with Amos Buelow, community coordinator at Startup Sioux Falls, this past summer. 

“I thought it was perfect for giving students hands-on experience with planning, executing and reporting on a digital campaign while benefiting local businesses,” Solberg said. 

The new digital marketing initiative “bridges academia and industry” while also showcasing talent and innovation of students and the community. 

Interested businesses applied through Startup Sioux Falls, filling all available slots within days. Participating businesses included: 

• Intoxibakes 
• 4Front Studios 
• Rebrand with Maddie Peschong 
• Executive Drafting Services 
• Terra Shepherd Boutique & Apothecary 

Students were matched with a business with the help of Buelow. Starting with a discovery call, students learned more about their client, including their goals, target audience and budget. From that information, they developed a media brief that included recommendations on platforms to use for the campaign, such as Facebook, Instagram or Google. 

Following the media brief, advertisements were created for a specific platform approved by the client, and the campaign began. Students monitored their campaigns throughout the semester and communicated with the client on the campaign progress. 

After each campaign concluded, each student group created a comprehensive presentation to share with the client to report on campaign performance. These presentations took place at Startup Sioux Falls on Nov. 30. 

Solberg said both students and clients experienced valuable outcomes from these projects. “This project helped students understand how to plan media, define the target audience, develop ad copy and graphics, set up the campaign, monitor the campaign and report the results,” Solberg explained. “This project also helped businesses by helping them reach new audiences, drive traffic to their website, drive in store traffic and more.” 

Students in the class echoed Solberg’s statements on the project value. “The most valuable part of the project was working for someone else,” said Max Baloun, a senior advertising major with marketing and sociology minors from Redfield. “It taught me so much on how to meet with a client, get to know them, and take their visions and goals and apply that to an ad campaign. This was the first time I experienced something like that, and it was extremely valuable to me.” 

Allison Bruns, a senior advertising major with a marketing minor from Madison, said the project allowed her to learn more about the value of a brand. “My favorite part of working with Terra Shepherd Boutique was getting to learn more about the brand and the vision that Sara has for her business,” she explained. “The boutique has a very genuine, niche, positive feel to it, and I thought it was amazing how Sara put her trust in our hands.” 

The School of Communication and Journalism is part of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at South Dakota State University.