After an intense “agency week” at the beginning of October, the communication students from BTS Parc Impérial received the result of the competition. What is this week about? Who organizes it? For what purpose?
Emma Voisin, Project Manager, gives us an update.
1) What did this “agency week” involve?
The “agency week” is an integration week that gathers first and second-year students of the BTS Communication at Parc Impérial. Teams of 5 to 6 students are formed into mini-agencies for a week akin to an actual communication agency competition.
The Ski Club Laurentin, represented by Mr. Martel, was our partner for this week. He briefed the students on the first day to present his communication challenge.
The students then had a designated week, supervised by their professors, to produce a comprehensive recommendation dossier including analysis and strategic reflection, creative visual concepts, and the communication means to effectively run the campaign.
The students presented and defended their dossiers orally in the presence of the client and before their professors and members of the management staff of the higher education center at Parc Impérial.
2) Where and when did it take place?
The week took place from Monday, September 24 to Monday, October 1, 2018, at Lycée du Parc Impérial.
3) Who are the beneficiaries?
This project is organized by the BTS Communication students. A committee of 4 to 5 first-year students is formed five months before the event and becomes the organizing committee of the agency week.
Students need to find a partner “client” capable of placing trust and taking responsibility for the communication associated with this project, which involves the organizing team in a real project management situation, enriching us greatly.
Furthermore, for all BTS Communication students, this project involves us in real working conditions and is very formative, allowing first-year students to initiate themselves to the concept of communication projects, public speaking, and argumentation. It provides an opportunity for second-year students to transfer their skills to first-year students, skills that need to be acquired during the course.
This project benefits all BTS Communication students at Parc Impérial.
It’s an internal event that had an external impact this year with the goal for the winning group to implement the campaign.
4) What were the results?
11 groups, 50 hours of hard work, oral rehearsals, and a final presentation to our client in our conference room. 1 winning student group!
Following the presentation of recommendations by the student groups to our client, he had a week to reflect and select, with the association members, the winning “agency” which will be entrusted with the communication for the Ski Club Laurentin this year.
It is truly a realization of the work accomplished over the week, making it even more motivating for the students. In fact, a first working meeting is scheduled for mid-November with the client.
The students’ campaign will be implemented in 2019.
5) What is the purpose of such an event?
This agency week marks the beginning of major projects.
Since its inception over 30 years ago, the BTS Communication Program at Parc Impérial has allowed students throughout their training to develop professional skills through the creation and organization of projects/events supported by local and national communication professionals and by the national education system.
One group of students works throughout their training on the calendar and partner evening. 12 visuals on a theme rooted in our society’s issues are created. This calendar is the subject of a launch evening with local and national companies that support Parc Impérial’s higher education center. An advertising campaign is also launched.
This is the case for the Créaffiches poster contest (over 20 years of existence!) that allows advertisers and agencies in our region and partner poster designers to showcase their campaigns and receive prizes recognized by the profession.
Students also organize the national Com’Olympiades contest (16th edition this year) allowing nearly 450 students every year across France to deploy their creativity.
Every year, students initiate the creation of new events, this year a group of second-year students is launching “Com’And Sea”.
These projects are exceptional learning opportunities for students and allow them to build a professional network to find internships and jobs.
We are in constant contact and meet throughout the year in real working situations with communication professionals.
This helps guide students in professionalizing. The work of the students is visible and concrete.
6) What did the students think of it?
The students showed a lot of enthusiasm after the agency week.
First-year students appreciated discovering communication and the training through the practical application of concepts covered theoretically in class.
For the second-year students, it was also the moment to immerse back into their training at the start of the year and take the role of project leaders to guide the team in carrying out a communication project.
And for the students who won, the most intense part is yet to come!
