Seven young advertising students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in regional NSW, have taken out the 1999 International Advertising Association Compaq competition.

The CSU entry was judged the winner by a panel of international industry executives, beating 71 entries from around the world taking out the award announced in New York last night.

Their brief was to design an ad campaign for computer giant Compaq. The CSU students produced an interactive website and a professionally produced video presentation as the feature of their entry. A 50-page research and strategy document that included concepts for print, radio and television advertisements, billboard ads and a sports sponsorship proposal, was also part of the strategy.

The students from CSU's School of Communication advertising course formed an agency, calling themselves Kajulu (Aboriginal for 'get ahead') and focussed their attention on the home PC user running with the slogan, CompaQ ... it's personal.

Head of CSU's School of Communication, Professor John O'Hara said the award is a coup for the School. "This is a new and innovative course, the first fully accredited university advertising degree in Australia and they have proved themselves to be of world standard. It's an outstanding achievement."

The professionalism of the campaign was also recognised by president of the International Advertising Association's Sydney Chapter Don Brockman, following CSU's win at the national level.

"It was the best presentation I had seen from a student group by a considerable margin. The research base was sound. The strategic development thorough … the creative concept and production levels of the campaign, excellent."