By: Stephen Banning
It’s said of New York City, that if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere, which is what three Bradley University Advertising Majors did before graduation. As part of their capstone project, Bradley University Advertising Majors Airin Virgilio, Sierra Buechler and Whitney Tinjum won the Alligood Award and a trip to New York City to present their advertising campaign at the renowned BBDO New York advertising agency.
BBDO Executive Vice President J.D. Michaels praised the quality of the students and their campaign. “Every year the Alligood Award Program brings not merely students to our office in NYC, but a brand of drive, focus and creative energy that we now know as the spirit of Bradley University; students who are not only enthusiastic about the world they’re moving into, but are more than ready do great work in it.”
Bradley University Associate Professor Stephen Banning helped set up the Alligood Award program, and noted, “It’s really an amazing program in which all the students in the Advertising Major capstone class compete. Their work is definitely at a high professional level.”
BBDO Worldwide is the most awarded advertising agency in the world with over 290 offices in 80 countries.
Alligood Award winner Airin Virgilio explained "Getting the opportunity to present my senior advertising campaign at BBDO New York was undoubtedly the greatest privilege of my college career. It's not every day that you get to say you worked with the best of the best in the industry. So I'm sitting on my soapbox filled with insane joy and gratitude today... And faith in knowing that this is only the beginning."
The Alligood Award is a judged competition named after former BBDO New York Executive Vice President and Bradley University graduate Doug Alligood, who said, “Our intent is to present the students with real-life advertising experiences that encompass all aspects of what advertising professionals face everyday. It is marvelous to witness how well all of the student competitors have performed. The quality of their work is greater than I could have hoped for.”
The Alligood Award program in the Bradley University Advertising Program is in its fifth year and is sponsored by BBDO New York which pays for the students’ food, travel and lodging.
