Smith Team Wins ‘Big’ in Case Competition

A Maryland Smith team with a “Big Idea” for a multi-channel market campaign for Toys For Tots took home top honors at the Digital Marketing Association of Washington/Educational Foundation’s fall 2021 Collegiate MAXI Oral Case Competition.

Four teams participated in the virtual competition, which took place on Nov. 12. The teams hailed from University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, American University, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and Salisbury University.

Each team was tasked with designing a multi-channel marketing campaign that runs from January to September of 2022 – outside of the traditional holiday giving timeframe – aimed at increasing year-round donations to Toys for Tots. The campaign budget was set at $100,000, to be used for the team’s campaign promotional materials and media/advertising buys.

The Maryland Smith undergraduate team, all of whom are in Smith's Strategic Design Fellows program, won the event’s "Big Idea" Award. Those presenting were: Deanna Yi, Brian Paul, David Speckler and Rachel Levitt. Other team contributors were: Cathleen Toscano and Yasmine Mamodesene.

Professor Howard Bomstein served as the team adviser.

A team from Salisbury University received the "Best Overall Presentation" Award.

The event was sponsored by Fuse Fundraising. And the entries were judged by Maryann Chan, Fuse Fundraising; Lillie Radtke, Fuse Fundraising; and Angela Struebing, Capital One.