Advertising students at the University of Georgia are learning what it takes to make it in the fast-paced world of advertising by teaming up with a company that knows a thing or two about speed: Porsche.
The high-performance carmaker asked if students could help them boost their social media following for the Porsche Sport Driving School, a luxury car experience in which people learn how to take on the corners like a seasoned racecar driver.
The students are all part of Talking Dog Agency, a student-run advertising organization housed at UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. But this is no simple classroom exercise; they work with real clients who expect real results.
“This is probably the most agency-style internship opportunity that I’ve had,” said David Feldman, an advertising major who worked as an account executive for the project. “I’m definitely better prepared for a job in this field just because I know what to expect in an agency setting.”
The students took photos and video of cars as they sped around the track, giving viewers on Instagram a sense of what it’s like to get behind the wheel of the legendary cars. They hope that their campaign will entice both devoted Porsche fans and general car enthusiasts to come and check out the school.
“Because Instagram is definitely more focused towards the younger audience, we were naturally concerned with our target audience not being on Instagram,” Feldman said. “So it was really just finding a way to bridge the gap between our generation and their generation and put that on Instagram in a way that would be visually appealing to both.”
And according to the students who worked on the project, it was an experience they won’t soon forget.
“Working with such a renowned brand was a really, really cool experience,” said Hayley King, an advertising major who worked as a digital media specialist and photographer on the project. “I never expected to be able to put Porsche on my resume, but it’s been a real confidence builder and a good experience.”
To learn more about Talking Dog, visit their website at http://talkingdogagency.com
