Renee Holmes & Ryan Koom of VML (center) with Cardinal Consultants.

By Chris Reimer – The fall semester brought about a unique opportunity for seven William Jewell Business students enrolled in the Advanced Consulting Engagement course. Working with Kansas City based international agency VML, Inc., the student consulting group (Cardinal Consulting) was tasked with researching and developing on-line, social media strategies to introduce a new product to the college age market for VML client Kellogg’s.

Chris Reimer, DJ Balazs and Scott Buffa.

Recently, Kellogg’s released a new “to-go” shake product in hopes of encouraging Americans to stop skipping breakfast by offering a convenient and nutritious beverage alternative. Led by Executive In Residence Donald Huntington, the Cardinal Consulting team of seniors Taylor Brown, Chris Reimer, DJ Balazs, Ian Kennedy, Scott Buffa, Travis Timmons and junior Quentin Riser were given the assignment of researching breakfast and social media usage habits of college students and then making recommendations to VML/Kellogg’s designed to gain awareness of the importance of breakfast and to promote “Kellogg’s To Go” as a nutritious solution among a target audience of college-age students.

Ian Kennedy, Taylor Brown, Quentin Riser.

The consulting group of Jewell students worked throughout the semester with VML managing director of client service Renee Holmes, account supervisor Ryan Koom and senior account manager Jane Morrissey. On November 25^th, 2013 the consulting group presented their findings and recommendations to VML at their downtown Kansas City office at 2020 Baltimore. Cardinal Consulting provided VML with in-depth primary and secondary research and three unique strategy options including an Instagram photo contest, a Facebook sweepstakes and a brand awareness campaign based on the nostalgia of the Kellogg’s mascots.

Travis Timmons and Ian Kennedy.

VML is a highly valued and appreciated partner of the Department of Business and Leadership at William Jewell College, providing numerous experiential learning opportunities for students throughout the academic year. Headquartered in Kansas City, VML is among the world’s premier digital marketing agencies with offices on six continents serving well-known brands around the world.