Pitt CBA Marketing Students "Shake It Up" In National Honda Competition

PITTSBURGH-Robert Gilbert, associate professor of business administration in the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, along with 23 College of Business Administration students recently won a national marketing competition sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. The competition, "The Accord Coupe Marketing Challenge: New Car, New Generation," allowed college students to compete in raising awareness for the vehicle on their respective campuses.

One of three schools selected to present its campaign to Honda executives at the company's headquarters in Torrance, Calif., the Pitt team won the challenge's first place trophy and $5,000. The winning students were enrolled in Gilbert's Projects in Marketing class, which provides students with hands-on marketing experience.

Throughout the fall semester, the student-run marketing agency Pros In Motion designed and implemented the "Shake It Up" campaign. The campaign featured Accord Coupe replicas in lecture halls and the Pitt Crew, a four-member street team dressed in white Honda racing suits that roamed the streets of Oakland in search of students willing to "shake it up." The team also held a CAR-nival, which included television game-show-style entertainment and prizes.

During the spring 2006 Honda competition, Pitt students marketed the Honda Fit crossover vehicle and also took home Honda's first place trophy.

For more information, contact Leigh Ann Wojciechowski at 412-648-7689.

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1/11/08/tmw