06/09/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/09/2025 13:45
For the third time in four years, Loyola Marymount University's M-School has claimed the top prize at the prestigious Effie Collegiate Brand Challenge, a nationwide contest where hundreds of teams vied for the opportunity to craft a creative campaign for Amazon Prime.
The winning team, composed of seniors Rachel Clark, Hannah Song, Ethan Stabile, and Ciara Curran, traveled to Amazon HQ in Seattle to compete in the 2025 finals, facing off against Liberty University. The challenge? Convince Gen Z to stop using their parents' Amazon Prime accounts and subscribe independently. Their campaign, "Fake Big, Dream Bigger," wowed senior Amazon executives - including the company's chief creative officer and SVP of marketing - who praised the students' "bold and provocative ideas and executions."
Guided by M-School co-directors and professors Matt Stefl and Andy Rohm, the team's success reflects the program's hands-on, industry-integrated approach. "Winning the 2025 Effie Collegiate Brand Challenge is a testament to our cutting-edge curriculum co-taught by industry pros plucked from the extensive Los Angeles creative marketing community," said Stefl and Rohm.
Throughout the Effie project, students received mentorship from leading industry experts, including Bernice Chao (M-School adjunct professor), Mike Peditto, Luis Miranda, and Liliana Ventura. This real-world exposure is a hallmark of the M-School experience, emphasizing creative risk-taking, strategic thinking, and experiential learning.
For the students, the win was more than just a trophy (and a $6,000 cash prize). "Learning how to craft a sharp, innovative, and creative campaign from the ground up for a global brand like Amazon Prime was such a special experience," said Hannah Song.
Teammate Ciara Curran added, "Presenting our idea directly to seasoned Amazon professionals who know the brand inside and out was unforgettable."
"This was the perfect capstone to my education in the M-School and at LMU," reflected Ethan Stabile. "Bringing first place back to LMU out of hundreds of teams was incredibly special."
For Rachel Clark, the experience was transformative: "Taking risks and pushing yourself to think deeply about human truths is one of the best ways to create a strong idea. The Effie competition was the highlight of my time at LMU, and I'm so grateful for the M-School and our professors and mentors who supported us throughout the process."
With previous wins in 2022 (Pernod Ricard) and 2023 (Ally Bank), the M-School's victory in 2025 solidifies its growing reputation as a powerhouse in collegiate marketing education - a place where future innovators are made and bold ideas come to life.