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Portfolio Lindsey Tharpe
Portfolio
Lindsey Tharpe
Table of Contents
• Background• Sample Student Ad Work: Toshiba Dryers• Communication Research• Senior Campaign: Univ. of Louisiana Athletics• Public Relations Work
– Horizon Casino Press Release– Riverfest Press Release
• References– Dr. T. Michael Maher– Ms. Michelle Constantin– Dr. Lucian Dinu
• Summary
Portfolio
Background and Objective
• Enthusiastic Advertising professional looking for a long-term home to use Account Service or Copywriting skills for mutual benefit
• 2007 Cum Laude Graduate of the University of Louisiana’s Media Advertising program
• Internship with full-service Ad Agency, The Graham Group
• Well versed in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Gimp programs.
Student Sample Work
• Assignment: To produce a creative ad strategy and sample ad design for the product given.
Sample Student Work (cont.)Ads contain trademarked information. They are sample works and have never been used or endorsed by Nike.
Sample Student Work (cont.)Ads contain trademarked information. They are sample works and have never been used or endorsed by
Toshiba.
Communications Research Project
• Executed an experimental survey on the effects of advertising humor in consumers. Using the attached survey questions, I formulated a hypothesis and produced a formal paper stating my results.
Communications Research Project Example Pages
The Effects of Humor on Consumer Purchase Behavior
Humor in advertisements has been the subject of many studies throughout the years. Although it has been used frequently by advertisers to persuade consumers to buy products, humor has also been a topic of much debate among researchers. The issue that this paper will investigate is the longstanding question of whether or not humor in advertisements enhances purchase behavior.
For the purposes of this study and to better define what humor is to each individual person, subjects participating in this study through surveys will be shown ads and asked to rate the level of humor that they find this ad to be. By allowing the viewer to actually define for themselves the level of humor the feel the advertisement to have acquired, this method will better understand and take into account the knowledge that humor is different for each individual. In order to focus the intent of this study and to alleviate the problem of spurious relationships, this study will also focus on a particular audience comprised of college students and a particular product category within the low involvement category. Through this research, the advertisers as well as the consumers can better understand the effectiveness of humor as it relates to advertising strategy. By learning why and how humorous ads affect the public, advertisers can target their audience more effectively and with greater understanding of how they will react.
Communications Research Project Example Pages (cont.)
Research Procedures and Data Collection
The research used in this study will be composed of two parts, reviews of multiple literature sources relevant to the topics of persuasion, advertising, humor, and purchase behavior, and a formal collection of data by survey, measuring humor in advertising and purchase intent in individual consumers.
The surveys used to collect data will include 3 print media advertisements for a particular product category (laundry detergent) and a two-part questionnaire (pre-and post-test) that will reflect demographic information, prior experience and feelings toward the featured products, and purchase intent. Two of the ads shown will use non-humorous advertising strategies and one will use a humorous strategy.
The surveys will be distributed to a sample of college students at The University of Louisiana at Lafayette over a period of 2-3 weeks. The surveys will be made available to graduate and undergraduate students, and will cover many different majors and curriculums. This sample of students will provide an accurate study of purchase behavior for this group. The risk of spurious relationships for the definition of humor by the individual will be decreased with this concise sample of subjects. Factors, such as age, education, and geographical location will not cause variation in this study about humor and purchase behavior, as all the subjects will be of similar statistics. However, differing psychological factors among the sample subjects determine the individual’s sensitivity to humor in the various experimental ads.
Communications Research Project Example Pages (cont.)Results The major factor in the determining
the truth of our hypothesis statement lies in the statistical significance of the difference in purchase intention means for each brand. We found that the humorous brand did have a significantly higher difference in means in the humorous brand, showing that the humor of the ad did affect the purchase intention of the respondent.
The t-scores of the mean differences show that the experimental brands difference is statistically far more significant than the significance of the control brands, leading us to reject the null hypothesis that humor would make no change in purchase intention. We can therefore accept our original hypothesis and conclude that humor (when used in certain subject groups and in certain product categories) does increase purchase intention.
Senior Campaign: University of Louisiana
Athletics
• Assignment: To produce a full campaign proposal for UL Athletics department, focusing on media strategy and measurable goals, to be used by the department to raise revenue in the coming years.
Senior Campaign: Sample Pages
Senior Campaign: Sample Pages (cont.)
Senior Campaign: Sample Pages (cont.)
See the rest of this project under “Senior Project” on this disk.
Public Relations Work
• Created copy for and released press releases for clients during internship
• Researched effective use of local media outlets and maintained client files of media contacts
Public Relations
Work (cont.)
Public Relations Work (cont.)
References
Letter of Reference
• The following letter is from the head of the University of Louisiana’s Communications Department, Dr. T. Michael Maher.
Letter of Referenc
e
Letter of Reference
• The following letter is from the Vice-President of The Graham Group, a full-service advertising agency, Ms. Michelle Constantin.
Letter of
Reference
Letter of Reference
• The following letter is from Dr. Lucian Dinu, Professor of Media Advertising at the University of Louisiana.
Letter of
Reference
To whom it may concern: I am writing in strong support of Ms. Lindsey Tharpe's application for a position in your organization. I have had the privilege of knowing Lindsey since her freshman year at UL Lafayette and I served as both her advertising professor, and academic advisor. From the moment she started her advertising program to graduation, Lindsey was an exemplary student and a valuable asset to our Communication Department. Please allow me to explain. I had the pleasure of teaching Lindsey in several advertising classes. In each one of these classes she proved to be a top achiever and a highly motivated individual. What put Lindsey ahead of other great students was her work ethic, as well as her willingness and ability to go the proverbial extra-mile for every assignment she completed. Whether for an important term project or a minor class presentation, Lindsey's work, always turned in on time, showcased her knowledge and professionalism. Great leadership skills, an organized but creative mind, as well as her flexibility and drive contribute to Lindsey's ability to accomplish her goals and build a career in advertising. In school, Lindsey was always willing to lend a helping hand to her fellow students and unselfishly share her expertise with her colleagues. Her ability to connect well with other students, as well as her knowledge and drive made her an exemplary group leader in the capstone course, where her group's campaign was the best in class. Considering Lindsey's motivation, work ethic, and intellectual makeup, I was not surprised when although still a student, she managed to land a good job with a prestigious advertising firm in town. I am also convinced that her In conclusion, I am confident that Lindsey's career will continue to grow and that she will contribute greatly to the development of any organization that will hire her. Therefore, I enthusiastically support her application for a position with your organization. Should you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Lucian F. Dinu, PhD. Assistant Professor Communication Department University of Louisiana at Lafayette PO Box 43650 Lafayette, LA 70506 (337) 482 6112 [email protected]
Summary
While I know that economic times have made hiring new prospects a tougher risk, I hope that I my diverse work and letter of reference have convinced you to take a chance. I am dedicated and willing to invest my future in your company, whatever the title may be.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Thank you for your time.
Lindsey Tharpe337.258.0545
