MAY
2006
Twice
as Nice
Public
Relations students win two national first place
titles in 2006 Bateman Competition
The 2006 Public Relations Student Society of America
(PRSSA) Bateman Case Study Competition, now in its
33rd year, challenged participants to research, develop
and produce a public relations campaign to increase
brand awareness and volunteer numbers for Habitat for
Humanity. Teams had the option of one of two clients:
Habitat of Humanity International or a local Habitat
affiliate.
 Champions in 2002 and 2004, the University of South
Carolina returned to its old winning habits and won
both awards for the 2006 Competition.
USC's The Merlin
Group won first place for its campaign, "More
than just hocus pocus," for the local Habitat
affiliate while its peers, The Keystone Group, won
first place for its "Can Do Carolina: Crushing
Cans, Building Homes" campaign for Habitat of
Humanity International.
The Merlin Group improved Habitat South Carolina Affiliate's
relationship with USC students by increasing the visibility
and revenue of the local Habitat store. The team hosted
events including the "Mock Yard Sale" and "Make
Over My Dorm Room" contest.
 The four-member team competed for the top spot against
teams from Loyola University of New Orleans, Lee University,
University of Maryland and Illinois State University.
Each team received a monetary award and will be recognized
at the Society's annual awards dinner during the PRSSA
2006 National Conference, to be held this November
in Salt Lake City.
Team member Jennifer Davidson, a sophomore from Columbia,
said the Merlin Group's presentation was "the
best we've ever done." (Read comments from all
the Bateman Team members>>)
Davidson said the group raised awareness of the store
by 83 percent, increased the number of volunteers to
53 and boosted sales by 170 percent, from $10,000 to
$27,000, during the month-long campaign.
In addition to Davidson, members of the Merlin Group
are Kat Salters, a senior from Darien, Conn.; Jean
Triskett, a senior from Chesnee; and Alisha Cooper,
a senior from Greer.
The Keystone Group's Can Do Carolina campaign won
first place in the international track of the Bateman
Competition.
 The
team hosted a recycling aluminum can drive and contests
included soda drinking, can tower building and can
bowling. Students released their anti-Valentine's Day
feelings by stomping on cans as part of the team's "Crush
your Frustrations" event the day after Valentine's
Day. All events significantly contributed to the increase
of Habitat awareness and produced a return on investment
of $39 to every $1 spent.
Members of the Can Do Carolina team are Ashley Moore,
a senior from Camden; Melissa Hensley, a senior from
Castlewood, Va.; Anna Fox, a senior from Charleston;
and Betsy Heckert, a senior from Columbia.
Faculty advisers for USC's Bateman teams are professors
Beth Dickey and Jeff Ranta. As Bateman advisers for
five years, Dickey and Ranta have coached teams to
win eight national honors, including four first-place
titles, three honorable mentions and one third place.
"The USC teams planned presentations, created
'wow factors,' maintained their passion and became
national champions," said Dickey. "This year's
Bateman teams results are especially pleasing to me
because I'm retiring at the end of June and what a
way to leave USC after 33 years."
Read comments by team members about the Bateman experience>> |
