Emma Dahl, of Albert Lea, and seven of her classmates received honorable mention at the Effie Awards, a national collegiate competition that recognizes the most effective advertising efforts in the United States each year. Their submission, “Sophisticated People, Intelligent Choices,” a public service announcement for Heineken, included a strategic plan, an innovative commercial a and creative brief for use in television, Facebook, YouTube and mobile marketing. View the project at http://youtu.be/AJ6Huhd2GOQ.

Dahl, a 2011 marketing graduate from Concordia University, St. Paul, enjoyed the real life application of this project. “My experience working on this project was hands down the most beneficial of my college career,” said Dahl. “It was more than just a requirement for a class, it was real world experience. My team and I were given the opportunity to learn firsthand what is needed to develop a marketing campaign for a public service announcement, and the skills and knowledge I gained through the project have already made a positive impact on my career in marketing.”