J-school students take checkered flag in FOX/NASCAR challenge

Five UNC J-school advertising students will join the production team of FOX Sports 1 and NASCAR in 2014 to produce a national advertising campaign they created called “Life on NASCAR.”

Laura Vroom, Caroline Boese, Cynthia Betubiza, Lindsay Franco and Michelle Brant were the winning team from FOX Sports University — a project conducted between FOX Sports 1 and the J-school’s advertising creative classes taught by assistant professor Dana McMahan. This fall marked the fourth year the school has partnered with FOX Sports.

Ten teams in two classes worked throughout the semester to develop concepts for NASCAR’s Speedweeks and the Daytona 500. They pitched their ideas to FOX Sports executives on Dec. 4. NASCAR sportscaster Adam Alexander announced the winning team via YouTube video. 

“We were so stunned and are very excited about the NASCAR competition,” Franco wrote on behalf of her team following the announcement. “We are thrilled to be given this opportunity to represent the University.”

As “Life on NASCAR” heads into production, the students will take part in all of the planning and development for various media, including joining the broadcast production team on the film set.

Anna Folwell, marketing coordinator for FOX Sports and a 2012 graduate of the J-school, will help guide them through the process. She was a member of the school’s FOX Sports winning team in 2009.

Learn more about the program and see past winners at foxsportsuniversity.com/school/unc.

Watch raw interview footage with students talking about their experience with FOX Sports University.