Advertising students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have won the 2014 International Advertising Association's (IAA) 'Big Idea' marketing communications competition for the sixth year in a row.

The CSU Kajulu Blue team was awarded the National Champions' title for the IAA's 2014 'Big Idea' national inter-university marketing communications competition in Sydney on Monday night 3 November.

It was also the fifth consecutive year that both CSU teams – Kajulu Blue and Kajulu Red - made it to the four-team finals, and was the ninth win for CSU teams in 12 annual competitions.

Ms Anne Llewellynn, CSU Faculty advisor and lecturer in advertising at the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst, said, "Every Australian university that enters has two teams in the competition, but no other university has ever had both teams in the finals.

"Both Kajulu Blue and Kajulu Red made outstanding presentations which were acknowledged to be 'industry-standard' by the judging panel," she said. "They were applauded for their professionalism, the quality of their insights, the simplicity of the articulations, and the power of the ideas.

"There is no second place awarded but both Legacy Australia (the client) and the judges advised the decision was extremely close with almost nothing between the two Kajulu teams.

"They were both outstanding and their professionalism was equal to that of any agency team. This is a huge achievement and they are truly deserving winners. I congratulate both teams, and am very proud of the graduates we produce."

The annual IAA 'Big Idea' competition selects a not-for-profit organisation as a client.  All the student teams then develop marketing communications campaigns for their clients, and the students pitch their presentations to a judging panel of high profile industry representatives and marketing executives from the charity. The 2014 charity was Legacy Australia.

This year, each CSU team included five advertising students, a public relations student, plus a graphic design student from the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga. Both graphic designers travelled to Sydney to support their teams in the finals.

Kajulu Blue consisted of Ms Jacqui Osborne (account director and team leader), Ms Stephanie Allen, Mr Sean Bowman, Ms Elizabeth Mellor (public relations), Ms Isabella Rigg, Mr Nicholas Rutherford and Ms Kerri-Anne Chin (graphic design).

Kajulu Red consisted of Ms Anne Brooke (account director and team leader), Ms Maryanne Ferguson, Ms Baden Parker-Brown (public relations), Mr Declan Peach, Ms Stephanie Plunkett, Mr John-Paul Polito, and Ms Karen Lucas (graphic design).

Announcing the finalists, chairman of the judging panel, Mr Andy Pontin, CEO of Clemenger BBDO in Sydney and sponsor of the 2014 IAA 'Big Idea', said, "The standard of entries across the board was outstanding, however as ever a handful rose to the top due to the quality of the insights, the simplicity of the articulations, and the power of the idea. I've got to say, if this is the quality of advertising thinking coming through our university system then the future of the industry is in good hands."

Ms Heather Leembruggen, President and Chair of the IAA Australia Chapter, said, "This year's team submissions from over 100 students from universities and tertiary institutions in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia, all demonstrate thoughtful research, insightful perspectives, lots of energy, enthusiasm and a range of fine ideas. All who participated in the 2014 IAA 'Big Idea' can be proud of their work and their contribution to Legacy Australia."