McMaster business duo drives away with a Spark

McMaster grad Ryan Moran recently got the keys to a brand new, fully customized 2013 Chevrolet Spark. The coveted prize was for being one of two winners of this year’s Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec (CNTAE) competition.

His partner, Kailee Jamieson, picked up her Chevrolet Spark in August and shares Moran’s enthusiasm for winning the competition earlier this year.

CNTAE is an entirely student-run business competition for post-secondary students who want to try their hand at marketing for large corporations like Chevrolet, CNTAE’s lead sponsor.

The competition required that students develop an integrated marketing communications strategy for the launch of the Chevrolet Spark.

Contestants delivered a two-page ‘elevator pitch’ and then gave a half-hour presentation to a panel of senior executives from various sponsors, including GM, Pepsi, McDonalds, the Canadian Marketing Association and Canadian Tire.

“We spoke a lot with industry professionals to get insight on how to go about the project,” said Moran.

Jamieson and Moran both said one of the takeaways of the experience was being able to supplement their education with ‘real-world experience.’

“We were also able to play to each other’s strengths,” said Moran, who received an arts degree from McMaster before graduating from the MBA program.  “I was really into the creative side of things and Kailee would gladly step in when it came to the math.”

Moran also served as president of the McMaster Students Union in 2007-08.

This year, the competition drew 191 submissions from 42 universities across Canada.

Jamieson and Moran were among the Top 10 teams in last year’s competition, and were able to clinch the top prize this year in April.