NEWPORT, R.I. – A team of Salve Regina University marketing students won first place from among 80 worldwide entries in the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation’s Collegiate ECHO Challenge, a competition sponsored by Microsoft.
The team, all students in Traci Warrington’s marketing communication class, includes seniors Elizabeth Carrier, Sarah Small, Elise LaPenta and Gina Mascia.
The competition required the teams to develop a marketing communications plan for Bing Cashback. The Salve Regina students’ plan was judged the best of all entries, including entries from Drake University (second) and Pace University (third).
“I was so thrilled to learn that a team from Salve Regina’s marketing communication class had won Gold in the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation’s Echo Competition,” Warrington said. “Each team developed a marketing communication plan including a situation analysis, research, big idea, objectives, media plan, budget, creative pieces, and a short video as part of their submission to the competition.”
The students worked on a campaign to promote Bing and Bing Cashback using a “My Bing” theme which demonstrated how Bing could solve problems individual to each customer.
There were approximately 80 total entries worldwide in this year’s competition. Experienced direct/interactive marketing professionals judged the entries, including Microsoft marketing team members in New York City and Seattle.
Salve Regina will receive an ECHO trophy and the winning team will split a cash prize of $2,000.