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Thirty-two students – representing the schools of Communication and Mass Media; Language, Literature and Writing; Fine and Performing Arts; Business; and Computer Science and Information Systems – joined Northwest's Knacktive program this spring to team with NoCoMo Industries Inc. in Maryville and build a marketing campaign to raise awareness of the nonprofit organization. (Photo by Lilly Cook/Northwest Missouri State University)
A semester-long collaboration between Northwest Missouri State University’s Knacktive students and NoCoMo Industries Inc. culminated Friday with a showcase of marketing strategies designed to elevate the nonprofit’s presence in Maryville.
Knacktive is an interdisciplinary course that places students in a setting designed to replicate a professional marketing agency. Each spring, teams research a client, develop strategy and present campaign recommendations.
Students were divided into four teams of eight to deliver comprehensive campaigns for the organization. At the end of deliberation, Jason Auffert, the general manager of NoCoMo, announced Newton’s Forces as the top-performing group among the 32 students who participated.
“Each team created strong ideas and materials we can use moving forward,” Auffert said. “It was a difficult decision.”
Auffert said NoCoMo Industries’ primary goal in partnering with Knactive was to improve community awareness.
“We’ve been around for a long time, but we’re not always well known,” Auffert said. “One of the biggest things we wanted was to get our name out in the community and show what we do and who we support.”
Students spent the semester researching NoCoMo, analyzing its current outreach and developing strategies to increase visibility in practical ways.
Newton’s Forces was selected as the top-performing team at the end of this year's Knacktive course. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Olivia Haynes, MaKayla Bohart and Sydney Bentz. In the back row are Jase Thurio, Malary Scaggs, Philip Motazedi, Dakotah Haughey and Aaron Hare.
Jase Thurlo, a senior business administration major from Brookfield, Missouri, served as the project manager for Newton’s Forces. He said the team built its campaign centered on awareness and community engagement.
“We wanted to look at what NoCoMo stood for before we even tested anything,” Thurlo said. “The way we wanted to go was cost-effectiveness and also spreading brand awareness as best as possible.”
He said the team prioritized practical strategies that would connect directly with the Maryville community.
“We didn’t do anything super out of the box,” Thurlo said. “Everything was proven to already work. Other businesses use Facebook. Community events are huge for nonprofits and any company trying to connect with their community.”
Thurlo said the experience added a new level of responsibility compared to traditional coursework.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking at first, being trusted with this project,” Thurlo said. “Once we got comfortable, the ball started rolling.”
The team’s biggest challenge was narrowing its focus early in the semester, Thurlo said. Newton’s Forces focused on team collaboration, which he credited to its success.
“We made sure to prioritize getting to know each other early on,” Thurlo said. “It really helped with honesty, constructive criticism and putting everything together.”
Auffert said one element stood out across the presentations – the strength of student-built websites and digital platforms.
Hare focused on the website creation for Newton’s Forces, which Thurlo said played a major role in shaping their campaign and ultimately strengthening their final presentation.
“We were so impressed when we saw it,” Thurlo said. “I really think that was something that drove us home, was the website.”
Knacktive continues to provide students with hands-on experience working with real organizations while simulating a professional agency environment.
The course emphasizes collaboration, strategy development and applied communication skills as students prepare for careers in marketing, media and related fields.
“It is a big deal, and you have other people relying on you,” Thurlo said. “It definitely was my biggest priority this semester. When I would feel burnt out or didn’t want to do certain things, I would remember that there are seven other people relying on me to do my job and make sure all my ducks are in a row. So I definitely would push for people to do it. It’s a great experience.”
In addition to Thurlo, Newton’s Forces consisted of Graphic Designer Dakotah Haughey, a senior digital media major with a computer science programming emphasis from Maryville; Marketing Strategist Makayla Bohart, a senior business management and marketing major from Oregon, Missouri; Media Manager Malary Scaggs, a junior mass media major with a broadcast production emphasis from Kansas City, Missouri; Public Relations Manager Sydney Bentz, a senior agricultural media major from Burlington, Iowa; Multiplatform content creator Olivia Haynes, a senior marketing major from Missouri Valley, Iowa; Art Director Phillip Motazedi, a senior digital media major with a content strategy emphasis from Joplin, Missouri; and Digital Manager Aaron Hare, a senior digital media major with a content strategy emphasis from Overland Park, Kansas.
This year’s Knacktive faculty were Diana Linville, a senior instructor of computer science and information systems; Maria Pimenova, an assistant professor of art; Brenda Jones, a senior instructor of marketing; and Dr. Kylie Wilson, an assistant professor of communication.
Knacktive is an elective course designed to replicate the creative demands and intense teamwork atmosphere of a technology-oriented, professional marketing and communication agency. Interested students must apply, interview and are assigned to specific roles within teams.
Throughout the course, students experience a realistic, agency-like atmosphere as they work in teams on a comprehensive campaign plan for a real client with real issues to address. The competing teams conduct research, analyze the data, devise a strategy, budget, formulate tactics and ultimately make a formal presentation to the client. They actively refine their creative abilities, collaborative skills and academic knowledge with the objective of improved competitiveness in the professional marketplace after graduation.
Knacktive incorporates principles, strategies and tactics of design, marketing and public relations through a melting pot of majors from Northwest’s schools of Communication and Mass Media; Language, Literature and Writing; Fine and Performing Arts; Business; and Computer Science and Information Systems.
The inaugural Knacktive class in 2011 designed a comprehensive marketing campaign for Cincinnati-based LasikPlus Vision, and the winning team’s “Eyes Save Lives” campaign was spun off nationally within three months.
Last year, Knacktive students partnered with the New Nodaway Humane Society, resulting in a rebrand of the organization that introduced a new logo and brand identity.
Other Knacktive classes have tackled rebranding projects and marketing campaigns for clients, including Science City at Kansas City’s Union Station, Tri-State Ford auto dealership in Maryville, Hy-Vee, American Royal, the City of Maryville, Farmer’s Mutual Insurance of Nodaway County and St. Joseph Youth Alliance. Knacktive alumni, meanwhile, have gone on to obtain jobs at some of the region’s top advertising and marketing agencies.
Business owners interested in learning more about working with Knacktive should contact the Northwest Foundation at 660.562.1248. To learn more about Knacktive, visit www.knacktive.com.
