2008 Woodie Awards
Departments eliminate popular capstone
Faculty work to restructure Laws Hall program
Dave Matthews
Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Front Page
Since 1971, clients ranging from AirTran Airways to Wendy's have used the ideas created by Miami University students in the Laws Hall and Associates (LH&A) program, which is the premier capstone for marketing, communication, and graphic design students looking to develop a real advertising campaign for a real client in the real world.
But due to differences within the three departments' faculties, the interdisciplinary effort has been suspended as the marketing, graphic design, and communication departments look to begin new programs for students.
Traditionally in the program, the client gives three teams of 20 marketing, graphic design, and communication students a "charge" or project; for example, last summer's London LH&A program charged students to create an advertising
campaign for a new shoe to be released by Foot Locker Europe, with the winning team's campaign to be used by the client.
Disputes began because communication students' primary responsibility during the capstone was typically to produce a television commercial-a service that marketing professor Mike McCarthy said clients were looking for "less and less" each semester. McCarthy explained that clients seemed to be looking more toward advertising in new, non-traditional media.
"It's nothing against (the department of communication) but it's just that their strength is not all that clients are looking for," he said.
Because of this "need to constantly innovate," the LH&A program was overhauled, according to Timothy Greenlee, associate professor of marketing.
"It's a title of moving from good to great … the (LH&A program) is great, but how do we keep doing it?" he said. "(Students) should demand that we do that, re-evaluate our curriculum … if we don't, we're not doing our job."
But according to LH&A board member and communication professor Howard Kleiman, the training of the communication students toward the LH&A program was "applicable in a whole range of media," and that the communication faculty never heard complaints from students or clients.
But due to differences within the three departments' faculties, the interdisciplinary effort has been suspended as the marketing, graphic design, and communication departments look to begin new programs for students.
Traditionally in the program, the client gives three teams of 20 marketing, graphic design, and communication students a "charge" or project; for example, last summer's London LH&A program charged students to create an advertising
campaign for a new shoe to be released by Foot Locker Europe, with the winning team's campaign to be used by the client.
Disputes began because communication students' primary responsibility during the capstone was typically to produce a television commercial-a service that marketing professor Mike McCarthy said clients were looking for "less and less" each semester. McCarthy explained that clients seemed to be looking more toward advertising in new, non-traditional media.
"It's nothing against (the department of communication) but it's just that their strength is not all that clients are looking for," he said.
Because of this "need to constantly innovate," the LH&A program was overhauled, according to Timothy Greenlee, associate professor of marketing.
"It's a title of moving from good to great … the (LH&A program) is great, but how do we keep doing it?" he said. "(Students) should demand that we do that, re-evaluate our curriculum … if we don't, we're not doing our job."
But according to LH&A board member and communication professor Howard Kleiman, the training of the communication students toward the LH&A program was "applicable in a whole range of media," and that the communication faculty never heard complaints from students or clients.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Erin L
posted 8/28/07 @ 9:50 AM EST
As a graduate of Miami University with a B.A. in Communications, I am shocked that department heads feel as though the knowledge and offerings of a communications student are no longer needed in the Laws Hall & Associates capstone. (Continued…)
Ann Briggs
Ann Briggs
posted 8/28/07 @ 5:31 PM EST
As a leader in the Law Hall & Associates 1977 Goodyear campaign, it seems suspect that readers are getting the whole story on the elimination of this capstone program for communication majors. (Continued…)
MaryFrances
posted 8/28/07 @ 7:24 PM EST
So when will the new offering for marketing majors be available? Will it be ready for next semester for those seniors who built this semester's course schedule around taking this capstone next semester? Termination of this capstone should not have occurred until after at least next semester, this is simply not fair and not what students should receive from Miami. (Continued…)
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