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2007 Vanguard Media Group Scholarship
Vanguard Media Group is sponsoring a scholarship competition for students within the College of Arts and Humanities at Weber State University. The objective of the program is to provide students with the opportunity to apply communication fundamentals learned as part of coursework to a realistic scenario, which will better prepare them for a career in business communication.
Prizes
The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship for use toward tuition, books, or other educational-related items approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.
Eligibility
The competition is open to all undergraduate students studying in the College of Arts and Humanities, and who will be attending Weber State University during the 2008-2009 academic school year. There is no cost to enter.
How to Enter
Develop a strategic communications plan for the scenario provided in the accompanying materials. The entries will be judged by a representative from Vanguard Media Group, as well as a selection committee of professors from within the College of Arts and Humanities at Weber State University. One winner will be determined, regardless of the number of entries submitted.
Entries should be typed and in a font size no smaller than 10 point with one-inch margins. Incomplete entries may not be accepted. Please include the following information along with your submission:
Name:
School:
Year:
Major:
Expected Graduation Date:
Address:
Daytime Phone Number:
E-mail Address:
Advisor’s Name:
Deadline
Entries must be e-mailed or sent first class mail and received no later than Friday, March 28, 2008 at 5 p.m. The winner will be announced the following month.
Please submit your entry or any questions via e-mail to jcarlton@vanmedia.com. Entries may also be mailed to the following address:
Jason M. Carlton
Vanguard Media Group
320 West 300 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Competition Scenario
The following scenario was developed using information from a real-life communications challenge that presented itself within a prominent multi-level product marketing company. The vital details of the company have been omitted or changed, but the scenario remains the same.
A prominent multi-level product manufacturer of health and beauty aids was involved in a high-profile court case, brought on by the attorney general of a large eastern state. The case is eventually settled out of court, with the manufacturer and the AG each making certain, relatively minor concessions. The bottom line: the company is permitted to continue doing business, with little or no modification of its business model, strategy or practice. However, the high-profile media coverage generated during the entire event is making potential and current distributors of the business hesitant about the efficacy and credibility of the company, and many of them are openly questioning the wisdom of doing business with such a firm in the future. Distributors are questioning their individual ability to stake their financial future on this company. Needless to say, company management is anxious to set the record straight, convince potential distributors in the company’s integrity and viability, reassure current distributors of the viability of its products, practices and business model and, finally, to steer a positive public image that would cause other attorney generals to think twice about pursuing similar legal action.
The company has its annual membership conference coming up in three months in Salt Lake City, Utah. This conference will include thousands of current distributors, as well as potential distributors, who will attend a variety of workshops to help educate them on the organization, products and sales techniques. They want to attack the credibility issue head-on prior to the conference, so that they can concentrate on a completely positive, empowering environment once it begins. They want distributors to be able to answer with a strong “Yes” to the question, “Am I willing to stake my financial future on this company?”
Challenges
The challenge presented here is to develop a creative communication business strategy that will improve the image of the company, which will in turn increase the confidence level in current and potential distributors and allow them to feel confident in staking their financial future with this company. Remember, there is only a three-month time period before the conference begins.
The Assignment
Present a creative communication business strategy that will appropriately address the issues presented. Be sure to develop a clear strategy and not simply discuss a few tactical ideas. The submission must include the following:
1. A Cover Letter (please also acknowledge you have read and agree to the rules)
2. An Executive Summary (no longer than one page)
3. A Communications Plan that includes a situation analysis, objectives, research summary, clear strategies and creative tactics (there is no page limit, but the entry should be clear and precise)
Judging
The entries will be judged by a representative from Vanguard Media Group, as well as a committee of professors from within the College of Arts and Humanities at Weber State University. Each entry will be judged using the following criteria: Clearly defined strategy (50%), creativity/originality (25%) and feasibility (25%).
Official Rules
The Vanguard Media Group scholarship competition is open to all undergraduate students within the College of Arts and Humanities at Weber State University, who are expected to be enrolled during the 2008-2009 academic school year. There is no cost to enter; each student can only submit one entry. Entries must be submitted no later than Friday, March 28, 2008 at 5 p.m. Incomplete entries may be disqualified. All materials submitted become the property of Vanguard Media Group. As such, entrant agrees that Vanguard Media Group or the College of Arts and Humanities may use any strategies, tactics and concepts without credit or remuneration.
Weber State University Ogden, Utah 84408 |