Special to The Hays Daily News

MANHATTAN -- Nearly 30 students in the spring 2008 electronic marketing class offered by Kansas State University's College of Business Administration have earned cash prizes in a competition sponsored by KansasStateCars.com.

The competition, to create marketing components for KansasStateCars.com's 2008 marketing campaign, gave the 95 students in the course the chance to compete for $10,000 in cash prizes while getting practical, real-world experience in the rapidly growing areas of viral video and search engine marketing.

Working in teams, students competed in categories including 60-second YouTube videos, 30-second television commercials and Google AdWords campaigns.

Two students from northwest Kansas were members of winning teams: Sarah Heinen, Downs, a member of the Big Dreams team, participating in the Google AdWords campaign; and Tyler Reynolds, Hays, a member of the Make Checks Payable To team, competing in the 60-second non-sports YouTube video.

Designed and developed by Briggs Automotive Group, KansasStateCars.com was launched in September 2007 as an auto-shopping Web site to help K-State alumni and friends shop for new and pre-owned vehicles from participating dealers in northeast Kansas. Because KansasStateCars.com is a new endeavor, Russ Briggs, chief executive officer and president of Briggs Automotive Group, decided K-State marketing students would be a great resource for generating new and fresh ideas to reach the Web site's target audience.

"These students are pros on the Internet. They know what catches their attention online," Briggs said. "Because of that, they know what will make successful online campaigns. We're creating marketing campaigns for the consumer, by the consumer."

Teams competing in the commercial and video categories of the competition reviewed marketing efforts by KansasStateCars.com and developed storyboards and advertising plans. Students participating in the Google AdWords category developed a pre-campaign strategy, set up AdWords accounts and ran a campaign and evaluated its success.

Each student on the winning teams was awarded $350. A panel with representatives from Briggs Automotive Group, the K-State athletics department and New Boston Creative Group determined the winners.

"Briggs Auto Group and KansasStateCars.com have given K-State marketing students an opportunity to create inventive, modern marketing components in the classroom that will be utilized in a major marketing plan," said Esther Swilley, a K-State assistant professor of marketing who taught the electronic marketing course.

"The practical experience that this competition gave our students is not only enhancing their educational experience, but making the students more marketable to future employers by giving them an impressive addition to their portfolios. Plus, the cash prize is a great reward for all of their hard work."

More information KansasStateCars.com and its commitment to K-State is available at www.KansasStateCars.com.