Quest International University (QIU) recently launched a revolutionary student-run advertising agency that is set to redefine hands-on education in the communications field.
Run entirely by QIU’s Communication students, the Ad.U agency will provide a broad range of marketing communication services for print, broadcast and social media to businesses across Malaysia.
Led by QIU’s Advertising programme, the project was recently unveiled at an on-campus event. The pioneer batch consists of 11 students from QIU’s Advertising, Corporate Communication, and Journalism programmes.
At the launch event, the Ad. U team also showcased their first project — a promo video series for client HOGA Gaharu Tea Valley.
A short video competition under the theme “Sip, Slurp, Ahhh” was also part of the promotional campaign, the Top 3 prizes for which were handed out to winners at the event.
The experience of delivering a project on time and on point under pressure was priceless for the Ad. U team, as they got a taste of what to expect in the world of professional advertising after graduation.
QIU Chief Operating Officer, Nicholas Goh, in his officiating speech underscored the agency’s significance to students. “Ad. U will prove an excellent vehicle for advancing the personal and professional development of communication students in line with industry demands,” said Goh.
He said the agency set itself apart from the competition thanks to its continuous flow of young, fresh talents with new ideas.
“Other agencies may have staff that have been there for a long time. Eventually, these people would become jaded and their creativity would be limited,” he said.
“Here, we have hungry creatives with fresh ideas. You’ll have a constant stream of a new talents and interesting concepts, and this is something other agencies won’t have.”
HOGA Gaharu Tea Valley Chief Executive Officer, Nicklaus Ho, enthused that the final product was “beyond our expectations”, adding that they looked forward to partnering with QIU on future projects.
“Even if someone has a good idea, it won’t work if they can’t transform it to a message that will reach the audience. The result matters,” said Ho.
“But the end result was fantastic. We were very happy with the holistic package and the creativity displayed by the students.”
The Ad. U initiative is the brainchild of Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Associate Professor Dr. Adeline Kok. The idea was conceptualised in line with QIU’s ongoing mission to provide deep experiential learning opportunities to students, which will allow them to graduate with job-ready skills.
“They are fresh, young, and crucially their creativity is not limited in the box. This is how they come up with ideas and this is how they will set themselves apart from the rest,” she said.
