Experiential Education

ADTEAM’s Ad-venture to the Big Apple

Hillary Thilavong
16 November 2023

Author Hillary Thilavong ’23 is a Media & Communication Studies major and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News, video content and social media.

ADTEAM recently traveled to New York City for the annual Student Advertising Career Conference hosted by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Students from many different majors, including media & communication, graphic design, marketing & advertising, and design your own, work together as researchers, strategists, designers and producers on ADTEAM. As a registered chapter of AAF, JWU students on ADTEAM were invited to participate at this conference to learn about the advertising industry and connect with real industry professionals.

Professor Gail McCarthy, Edison Calle, Cyrell Faraon, Emme Romanelli, Shannon Tapley, Caroline Kornberg, Kyra Northup, Hillary Thilavong and Professor Oscar Chilabato at the World Trade Center.

Each year, ADTEAM competes at the annual National Student Advertising Competition. We review the case study assignment, which features a different client and campaign request, work to develop an innovative and successful strategy and compete against other universities across the U.S. As a member of ADTEAM for three consecutive years, I’ve worked on campaigns for Meta and Indeed. This year, Tide is our client for the competition. The NYC trip to attend this conference was worthwhile for our team to gain new experiences, networks and ideas for developing our upcoming ad campaign for Tide.

The action-packed weekend gave us ample opportunities to explore, both professionally and culturally. We listened to speakers from TikTok, Google, Amazon, OMD and BBDO, networked with students from across the country, and explored the Big Apple.

Group selfie in Grand Central Station with Edison Calle, Caroline Kornberg, Cyrell Faraon, Hillary Thilavong, Shannon Tapley, and Kyra Northup.

After an early morning train ride to NYC, we checked into our stunning hotel, which had a grand view of the World Trade Center, and visited our first advertising agency, OMD. Panelists working in sectors from strategy to creative greeted us and shared insight into OMD’s work culture, past campaigns with brands such as Pepsi and helpful tips on how to get your foot in the door. Delaney Galvin, integrated media planning associate at OMD, shared her experience as a recent graduate transitioning into work life. When searching for jobs, graduates may feel discouraged to apply for roles that demand years of experience. However, Galvin says it’s worth putting yourself out there as it will always result in something positive; even if you don’t land the role, you expanded your network and took the chance. It’s more about how you present yourself and coming to terms with the idea that everyone starts somewhere. Internships play a significant role in getting the experiences agencies are looking for, she shared.My main takeaway from OMD’s panelists was their relaxed, professional and supportive energy, rooted in the company’s culture of valuing EQ (emotional intelligence). Afterward, our team ended the night at Eataly, an Italian market with multiple restaurants, and shared a family-style meal.

Hillary Thilavong, Kyra Northup and Emme Romanelli.

The next day, ADTEAM visited the BBDO headquarters to listen to keynotes and break into group exercises. President and CEO of BBDO New York Kirsten Flanik shared her story as a woman in the industry and what challenges she faced. As Flanik is one of my personal inspirations in media, it was empowering to hear from a talented and strategic woman in a position of power. At TikTok, I had the opportunity to ask Global Growth Strategy Manager Emily Anderson how to approach the creative process as an aspiring lifestyle creator myself. Anderson’s advice on content pillars was to experiment but don’t stray too far away from what your blog or account is known for (as that can confuse current or future followers). Her keynote presentation mentioned how personable and natural content likely performs better because people love making human connections. Before we knew it, the back-to-back keynote sessions with Google, Amazon, Infillion and Magnolia Bakery concluded. Later, we met with JWU alumni at Fraunces Tavern, the oldest tavern in New York, as they shared their experiences about life on campus, leadership roles on ADTEAM and working on cool projects since they started careers in the Big Apple. A late-night snack of burgers and Pad Thai was well-deserved for a schedule-packed weekend.

ADTEAM bonded through the shared experience of attending the conference and exploring the city. We had the chance to hear from industry professionals and their perspectives on advertising and marketing, giving our team new insights to approach our campaign for Tide. Spending time together brought us closer — just like OMD’s ad agency! As I prepare to graduate this December, I look forward to seeing what the team will create under the direction of Professor Oscar Chilabato and Professor Gail McCarthy for the National Student Advertising Competition in April 2024.

Below: Get a behind-the-scences look at this trip.