Sept. 3, 2008

Students develop communications plan for the Tyson Events Center

A year after Morningside College students helped the city of Sioux City survey the public about its facilities, another group of Morningside students recently developed a branding and marketing communications plan for the Tyson Events Center.

“Our board members were very impressed with how seriously students took the project,” said Dennis Gann, executive director of the Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena. “I think the level of enthusiasm and polish in the presentation impressed the board most. It was beyond what was expected, given the age and experience of the participants.”

Students conducted research to help further develop the younger demographic in the Tyson Events Center’s target market. Then they branded new events for the center and, among other things, designed T-shirts, pens, billboards and Web pages.

“It was interesting how their take was so similar to what was already starting to be executed down here,” said Kevin Kjeldseth, graphic designer and Events and Facilities Advisory Board member. “I can’t believe the level of the students compared to when I was in school. Pam Mickelson’s doing a great job of getting them ready for the real world.”

This is the 10th year that advertising students have done work for Siouxland businesses. The project is directed by Mickelson, a professor of business administration at Morningside College.

“Creating an advertising campaign for the Tyson Events Center allowed me to
experience the process necessary to create an effective campaign,” said Katie Cook, a senior from Council Bluffs, Iowa. “I was thrilled when our collaborative group effort maximized individual strengths to prepare a campaign we were proud to call our own.”