BYU Advertising Strategy Students Win the Annual Media Scholars Case Competition in Washington D.C.
BYU advertising strategy students Shelby Moore and Abby Jensen recently took first place in the Washington Media Scholars Foundation (WMSF) 15th annual Media Scholars Case Competition, a national event that tests students' strategic media planning and presentation skills. Their victory came after a unique challenge: developing a case that aligned with their personal values.
When the competition initially presented a sports betting legislation case, Moore and Jensen, alongside their BYU advisor Jason Freeman, requested an alternative option that was better in accordance with their beliefs. The competition organizers, in a show of generosity and understanding, provided an additional case for all competitors supporting anti-sports betting legislation. As Moore explained, “WMSF was incredibly gracious and quickly provided materials for an additional case. We never felt ostracized because of our beliefs.”
Roughly half of the students in the competition chose the anti-betting case rather than the pro-betting one.
For Moore and Jensen, working on the alternative case was a rewarding experience. “It was fulfilling to work on a case that promoted something good,” Moore shared. Their strategy focused on the importance of family and was backed by data. “We were able to confidently present our case knowing that we believed in what we were talking about.”
Despite their concerns about how the judges might react to their stance, their presentation resonated deeply with the panel. One judge even identified with the persona, “Brooke,” that Moore and Jensen created for their target market, saying, “I am Brooke!” This validation of their work reinforced the power of their message.
According to Moore, this validation, along with an environment of people who were passionate about the cases they were presenting, inspired her to put her all into the competition. “Regardless of whether or not I agreed with them, it was really inspiring to be around people who were working day and night towards causes that they felt would better our country,” said Moore.
Reflecting on their win, Moore expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity and her BYU education. “When I heard we had won, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for WMSF, BYU and my project partner Abby. It was incredibly gratifying to see our hard work pay off,” she said.
Moore credits her testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a significant influence on her work, inspiring her to focus on creating messages that promote good. "I've seen the power of advertising,” she said. “I feel an immense responsibility to use the skills I'm learning at BYU to do something good.”
For Moore, this competition was a defining experience, proving that standing by their values can lead to success in both personal and professional spheres.