Nov. 2 - Nov. 4
In the early hours of the morning in East Lansing on Nov. 2, the students gathered at the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing. The trek to Shanghai started with a 6 a.m. flight to Chicago where they stayed for four hours playing cards, performing magic tricks and catching a few minutes of sleep before departing to the city where for the next 10 days they will compete in the One Show Greater China Festival. The group arrived in Shanghai around 2 p.m. local time. Ten students from Michigan State University’s Department of Advertising + Public Relations, tired from travel, but bubbling with excitement and anticipation of the events to come. Henry Brimmer met them after going through customs, capturing the moment on video as they walked out into the city they had been thinking about for the last four to six weeks. The ride to the hotel was an old bus, which one of the students said came with its own Instagram filter because of the subtle green hue that the windows cast on the inside of the vehicle. After loading up everyone's bags, the group hit the road admiring and commenting on the unique advertisements and questionable font choices – as young advertisers do – along the way. Upon arrival at the hotel, the students disbursed to find their rooms and settle in and prepare for what will be their reality for the next week and a half. Afterwards, they went to eat dinner at a restaurant called Bull Market (牛市) where members of the team Bingqing and Yi helped to order the most delicious food. Meals in China are served “family-style” on a spinning lazy susan. Everyone orders a dish and then you share. To close the night, part of the group decided to take a walk through the city and venture to “The Bund,” which is the namecard of Shanghai as the perfect spot to view its amazing cityscape and the famous Oriental Pearl Tower. The students met up with the rest of the team who had traveled separately from the main group at the conference center the next morning. The festival began with presentations from respected agencies that are part of the One Club organization. Some of the agencies who shared their insight about the tricks and trades to succeeding in advertising included Forsman & Bodenfors, BlueFocus Digital and TBWA. They shared various work from their agencies as well as their professional experiences and perspectives in hopes to encourage the student competitors as they work toward the gold pencil. An emphasis was placed on the importance of virtual reality in the world of advertising. Many of the presentations showcased projects that used the medium to successfully and creatively sell a product or a brand. The students will learn more about the briefs over the next few days and develop plans with their mentors for the idea they will present at the end of next week. Stay tuned for frequent updates on our Instagram (@ShanghiMSU) or follow the hashtag #ShanghiMSU.
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About the blogThe students' experiences in China will be documented in both English and Chinese by two journalism students from Michigan State University traveling with the group.
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