From brainstorms to best creative: Mizzou’s NSAC team delivers big
After months of collaboration and creativity, the Missouri School of Journalism’s National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) team brought home Best Creative and second place overall honors at this year’s District 9 competition.
The 11-student team built an integrated marketing campaign for AT&T, focused on increasing brand affinity among Generation Z — a challenge that pushed them to think beyond traditional awareness or sales goals. Faculty advisors Tracy Brown and David Salisbury praised the group’s strategic thinking, collaborative spirit and polished final pitch.
“This is a group of students who came together as acquaintances last August and developed into a high-functioning pitch team,” Brown said. “They wanted to push the work from good to great — and from great to even better.”
The campaign blended bold creative executions, including a hero TV spot, out-of-home placements and experiential ideas that reframed the brand as a hub for authentic connection. Judges praised the team’s ability to align their new creative platform with the client’s existing tagline while developing fresh, aspirational messaging.
Paige Hobbs, one of the pitch team members, said the most rewarding part of the experience was the relationships she built. “I can honestly say I made 10 new best friends,” Hobbs said. “We learned lessons alongside each other, and I’ll forever be grateful.”
“This is a group of students who came together as acquaintances last August and developed into a high-functioning pitch team. They wanted to push the work from good to great — and from great to even better.”
Tracy Brown, NSAC team faculty advisor
For Jenna Burk, another member of the pitch team, the highlight came on the day of the competition. “It was so rewarding to see my mom’s reaction and help her really understand what a career in advertising could look like,” Burk said. She added that seeing different teams create unique campaigns from the same client brief reignited her passion for advertising.
Account manager William Wehmer emphasized how important cross-collaboration was to the team’s success. “Our creatives were diving into strategy, our media planners were helping with design,” Wehmer said. “It helped everyone stay connected to every part of the campaign and made our final product stronger.”
That strong collaboration became even more important when tackling this year’s unique client brief. Instead of simply raising awareness or promoting a product, the team was challenged to build emotional affinity for a telecommunications brand. Salisbury said the team’s strategy to encourage Gen Z to “break out of their comfort zones” and find unexpected moments of connection helped set their campaign apart.
Beyond the creative work, Brown highlighted the lasting value of NSAC. Students not only built a campaign but expanded their professional networks and learned how to present themselves in a competitive industry. “They’re not just competing — they’re forming relationships with future colleagues and clients,” Brown said.
Reflecting on their experience, team members agreed NSAC was one of the most valuable parts of their time at Mizzou. Burk said it gave her real pitching experience, portfolio work and professional connections while Wehmer added that it was “the best decision” he made in college, helping him feel ready for life after graduation.
NSAC team
- Account Manager: Will Wehmer
- Art Director: Grace Radke
- Copywriter: Paige Hobbs
- Digital Strategist: Ali Barnhart
- Graphic Designer: Jenna Burk
- Media Planner: Skylar Svendsen
- PR AM – Content: Isabella Markel
- PR AM – Strategy: Cassi Reaka
- Strategist: Sami Magee
- Strategist: Ethan Wons
- Video Producer: Jared Rubenstein
Updated: May 8, 2025