Last Friday I had my heart broken. Here’s that story.

Exposition

It started in August. My eyes were bright. I had the world to conquer – or rather the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC). I was a part of a team of 10 students who would delve into the world of Wienerschnitzel, the client for the AAF’s 2019 competition. Assigned to be the lead for the research and strategy, I guided the team to an ultimate human truth and a winning strategy.

Rising Action

Spring came with a bigger team and more opportunities. After adding creatives and media planners to the roster, there were 23 of us looking to create beautiful work and an even better pitch. Following weeks of deliberating, we created a big idea that we would bring to life. Our work looked professional. It was professional. No one would have thought that a group of students put it all together.

Climax

We submitted our plans book. We built our pitch. We packed our bags. The time had come. Excited and energized by New York City’s busy streets, we explained our campaign in front of 3 judges. We defended our ideas, and we were proud of ourselves.

I don’t like to brag. Who am I to judge or compare? But, we performed impeccably. Our campaign, our strategy, our creative, our media – it was pretty flawless.

Falling Action

Well, you know what happened or at least can guess. In the battle for first place? We lost. And, boy, did that hurt. It stung. We put so much work into our campaign and pitch. Research. Time. Passion. It broke my heart.

I know 2nd place is good. Sure. But, 2nd place feels like 1st place losers. We wanted to go home with a big win. Grappling with that isn’t easy. However, one thing I learned from experience is that brooding is dangerous. It leads to a deep dark hole that seems inescapable.

Resolution

The big thing is: there is nothing I can do about it. I can’t reverse time; I can’t beg and plead to the judges. I merely need to move on. Our work still stands, and I’ll continue to defend it.

Furthermore, I learned so much from this experience. I’ll be able to speak not only to the work but also the feeling of failure. That’s more than I could have asked for. So, thank you NSAC. Thank you for the fun, the trials and tribulations, the moments of elation, and the exposure to losing. It’s been a wild ride.

About Marissa Musings: Marissa Musings are short blog posts that derive from an outpouring of random thoughts. My brain can be a very crazy place. Enjoy with caution.