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Conference

NACA Hartford

November 5 - 7, 2026 + Add to calendar Hartford, CT Connecticut Convention Center
Don't forget to sign up for School Swap!
Marketing Competition

The 2026 Marketing Competition is a place for your institution to show off all of the ways you've engaged your campus community through giveaways, posters, media, videos, and more! Participants must complete the entry form in advance.

Deadline to submit: Sunday, Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Questions can be sent to NACA Hartford Conference Team volunteers Felicia Nelson or Hannah Purcell. 

Submit your application

Participants will be asked to create a display board of your submissions in this form. The tri-fold/visual board should be brought to the conference. It will be displayed for other conference attendees to view, learn from and vote on!

In the entry form, please label each photo before uploading them to the form as follows: (School_Nameofitem_Category) (I.g.: UML_ACEFannyPack_Promo). If submitting more than one document, please download all documents under one attachment. 

Categories

  • Best Promotional Item/Giveaway 

  • Best Video/Animation

  • Best Event Poster

  • Best in Marketing Innovation

  • Best Marketing Campaign 

  • Best Cultural Event Marketing

Category Information

  • Promotional Material 
    • This includes apparel items (i.g. tshirts, hats, sweatshirts, hats) and giveaway items (i.g. Pens, cups, water bottles, keychains, etc). Participants can submit up to two entries for this category (one entry for apparel and the other for a giveaway item). 
  • Video/Animation
    • This is for a video, tik tok, instagram reel, series, short film, etc created by students to promote an event or student activity (recruitment, behind the scenes, etc). Please try to limit video length to 3 minutes. If longer, please contact either Felicia Nelson or Hannah Purcell.
  • Event Poster 
    • This is a poster designed by a student for an event. Poster may be color or black & white. 
  • No-So Poster
    • Submit a picture of a promotional material, not including an event poster, designed by a student for a specific event to promote it. This includes a calendar, brochure, punch card, invitation,banner, etc. 
  • Marketing Campaign
    • Submit all strategies used to promote your event(s) and/or board as a whole including all logos, slogans, social media branding, pictures of this campaign in real time, and organization specific promotional items. In this document, please explain how you implemented your brand/mission on campus this past year, successes, and challenges. Logos and slogans do not need to be created during the current school year. 
  • Best Cultural Event Marketing
    • Submit any marketing materials used to promote an identity-specific initiative or event.
Excellence in Programming

This on-site competition encourages students to share their events and programs with conference attendees. Space is limited, therefore, there is an application and review process. Selected institutions will present their programs live at the conference in front of a panel of judges. 

Deadline to submit: October 2, 2026

You will be notified by someone on the NACA Hartford Conference Team if you advance to the presentation round. 

If you have any questions please contact NACA Hartford Conference volunteer Felicia Nelson!

Submit your application


You will be asked to describe three (3) student-run programs campus events that your organization hosted within the past year. We recommend your submissions fall under one of the following NACA Learning Competencies:

  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility
  • Leadership Development
  • Sense of Belonging & Community Building
  • Mental Health & Well-Being
  • Just for Fun, Creative Outlet

For each event, be prepared to describe the following:

  • The program's goals and/or learning outcomes and whether or not they were met
  • The program's anticipated and actual budgets
  • The target audience and attendance
  • Resources utilized for the event (students, staff, materials, vendors, etc.)
  • Publicity and promotion used for the event
  • Whether or not you faced any challenges and, if so, how you responded
  • Whether or not this is an annual event and, if so, how it has grown and improved from previous years

We suggest that you write all of this information out in a word document first and then paste into the form in the event you do not plan on finishing the application in one setting.

  • Written submissions will be judged on the following criteria:
  • Adherence to formatting guidelines (answered all questions fully)
  • Addressed minimum criteria (stated organizational structure, organizational mission, and detailed three programs)
  • Ability to connect programs to organizational mission & program goals
  • Creativity and originality of marketing efforts
  • Demonstrates a range of diversity in programming efforts
  • Effective use of resources in programming
  • Program originality and creativity
  • Overcame adversity in programming