Students of the Public Relations Student Society of America will be bringing their campaign to a close Friday, and they hope to conclude it with a trip to Hawaii.
Seniors Emily Marshall, Katie Hawkins, Aaron Campbell and Amber Laibe are competing in the annual Bateman Competition, a nationwide contest where public relations majors put together an entire campaign. The three winners will present their campaigns in Hawaii in May.
Marshall, an advertising major, said the entire project gave her and her teammates an idea of what it will be like once they graduate.
"It's giving public relations students real experience because we're solving problems for a real company," she said.
Marshall said this may be the first year the Ball State team succeeds.
"In the past years we didn't place that high, so this may be the first year we do well," she said.
The students' campaign is for Contiki Holidays, a motorcoach-traveling company based out of New Zealand and Australia. The company came to the United States in 1994.
The company offers tours in Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia, and this week the team gave a symbolic tour each day of what the company offers.
Friday they will be displaying the "European Experience" in the Art and Journalism Building.
Marshall said their goal is to increase awareness of international travel and create a broad awareness of the company itself, as well as decrease negative perceptions of motorcoach traveling.
"Students think it's for senior citizens and that it's expensive and will not allow them to do what they want to do," Marshall said.
In actuality, Marshall said, the company's prices are cheaper than traveling by backpack or Eurorail. Prices start at $55 a day, and they are safer.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
