During the April 21 program in Detroit, Ball State's ad campaign presentation team defeated teams from 13 universities from Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. The team consisted of seniors Nick Allen, Susan McElmurry, Shavonne Tate and Jodi Willis and junior Michael Panyard.

As part of the competition, each team developed a 32-page ad campaign plans book and made a 20-minute presentation to judges. Ball State's team won both sections of the competition with their Postal Vault lockable mailbox campaign.

"It is a rarity that the same AAF chapter wins two consecutive titles, but winning three is a first for the organization," said Mike Hanley, a Ball State advertising professor and AAF faculty adviser. "Without question, this group of students has the ability to work together as a team. The judges recognized them for their creativeness as well as their presentation abilities."

In June the presentation team goes to the national AAF competition in San Francisco.

Ball State finished 12th in the 2004 and 2005 national finals.

The AAF is the trade association that represents 50,000 professionals in the advertising industry. AAF has a national network of 210 ad clubs and connects the industry with an academic base through its 210 college chapters.

(Note to editors: For more information, contact Hanley at mhanley@bsu.edu or (765) 285-8231.)