An A+ in Direct

Brace yourself, direct response industry. The younger generation from the “Show Me” state is about to show you a thing or two.

At the Missouri School of Journalism, Mojo Ad, a student-staffed advertising agency, is providing seniors and graduate students an entry into the marketing world. Since opening last July, it's done work for clients such as Best Buy and Vox magazine.

Mojo Ad specializes in the youth and young adult (or, as the agency puts it, “YAYA”) audience. The firm's YAYA Market and YAYA Media models enable DMers to track, research and evaluate lifestyles, trends, habits, media consumption and technology choices in the market. The agency is led by CEO Margaret Duffy, who in her spare time also chairs the journalism school's advertising department.

But it's the shifting core of students that gives Mojo Ad its energy. The industry recognizes this: Several of its alumni have either had internships with, or currently work at, agencies throughout the United States. And a few enterprising ones have even set up their own businesses.