UT Planners Stalk Madison Avenue

For the past several years Professor Burns has set up meetings with key agencies in several cities to introduce selected agencies to the Account Planning Program here at the University of Texas at Austin and our students. At each agency stop different students -- individuals and/or teams present work they have done in class. In class we have explored the changes that have occurred in the business and the nature of the audience and their interaction with media; these thought were at the core of the assignments presented. This year New York City was the choice of the class and visits were set up with DDB, Ogilvy, BBH, RG/A and Frog Design. The visits took place on January 13 and 14, 2010. The topics and the agencies at which the presentations took place are shown below.

Ideo Rachel Christensen & Diana Moya Quezada [Delivered at Frog Design]

YAP Daisy Kong, Diana Moya Quezada, Anita Kalaswad & Amy Raetzsch [presented at BBH]

Prensky, Digital Natives & Advertising Anita Kalaswad & Amy Raetzsch presented at RG/A]

Urban Oasis Rachel Christensen, Kari Gussis, Katelyn Nelson & Camilla Yu [presented at DDB]

Social Networks Katelyn Nelson & Camilla Yu [presented at Ogilvy]

We attracted key staff and management at every agency and our work was well received. Overall the goal is to help expose the skills of our students, increase their networking base, provide them with a sense of confidence that their thinking and approach are sound and that there is "peership" with their audience of professionals -- and they are helping to build the Brand of our school and our program. At each shop I was told how "right this is -how different from the other schools" and that we are an exciting program.

Oh yes, we rehearsed in the evening but still had the chance for a little R & R. Just a little. The photo at DDB reflects the spirit of the entire trip.