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St. Cloud State University

College Publisher

Home > Diversions

New machines sport student art

By Nyssa Dahlberg

Published: Thursday, December 9, 2004

Media Credit: Matthew Kaster

Aviation major Nolan Nesbitt won the "Create for State" contest with his pop machine design.

SCSU student Nolan Nesbitt had an opportunity, through a contest offered by Bernick Pepsi Company called "Create for State," to have his art displayed on vending machines across campus.

Nesbitt created a winning Pepsi vending machine cover, which has been implemented on about 15 machines throughout campus and won a $50 prize.

�Nesbitt decided to enter in the contest after his girlfriend, who heard about the contest in one of her classes, persuaded him to enter.

�"At first, it was kind of difficult to make (the vending machine covers) seem almost more academic than just advertising to the public," Nesbitt said.

�But three hours after beginning the project, Nesbitt had succeeded in making a vending machine cover look academic. Nesbitt incorporated husky paw prints and the Pepsi logo with a graduation cap on top to give the cover a more "scholarly attitude."

�"I had to incorporate Pepsi itself so I just chose some of their main elements like their logo and design, with red and blue. I kept the background white so the logo would stand out more," Nesbitt said.

�Nesbitt said art runs in his family and for the past two summers he has worked at his brother's graphic design company.

�"That is where I got most of my experience from- all of my experience from," Nesbitt said.

�While majoring in aviation with a minor in graphic design, Nesbitt hopes to use this contest to get a graphic design job.

�"I do have a love for flying, but I think it's much easier for me to get a graphic design job first so I can fund my flying until I become more marketable as a pilot," Nesbitt said.

Merriman said last year was the first year Bernick's did this contest and she will be implementing the contest again this year.

�This contest is not only for art students. Nicole Merriman, Marketing intern at The Bernick Companies, Pepsi, said anyone is welcome to join as long as they are an SCSU student.

��"This is going to be an annual contest, every spring we are hoping to do this as long as people are still interested, and we (Bernick's) are definitely interested in doing it," Merriman said. "It brings together the great working relationship that Bernicks has with St. Cloud State students, faculty and staff."

�To enter this contest, students are advised to pick up an application packet in Atwood 110 starting Feb. 1. The packet explains the rules, deadlines and judging criteria of the "Create for State" contest.

�"We had a good response last year," Merriman said. "The people that did enter it did a wonderful job and I know the selection committee had a tough choice, a tough decision, to make in choosing."

�The selection committee consists largely of students, with one SCSU employee and one Bernick's employee. The students are the Bernick's intern, which is Merriman this year, and students who are graphic design and marketing majors.

�The vending machine design will be judged on creativity, support of the SCSU mission and vision, meeting the requirements set in the application packet, having the right logo and the students' use of colors.

"Contestants can go crazy. If they want, they can use whatever visual effects they want," Merriman said. "Anything is welcome. It's all about being creative and getting the opportunity to do something different."

�There are some restrictions on what students can and can't do.

�"You have to think in the right context of it. It still had to be approved by Pepsi Cola, so it can't be too crazy. Obviously, it can't be discriminatory towards anyone, but it's basically open," Merriman said. "You just have to use your common sense about what is appropriate and what is not."

�Next year's design winner will occupy a different portion of the 70 vending machines Bernick's owns across campus.� Nesbitt's design will come down eventually, but will at least be up for the next few years.

�"It's a nice thing for the students to be able to do something like this and then it's going to be around campus for a couple years," Merriman said. "But it's basically about giving students an opportunity, a way to get students involved outside of the classroom."

�Nesbitt agreed that this opportunity was not only a good one, but a great way to show�off talent to future employers.

�"I got a lot of recognition," Nesbitt said. "It's very surreal and I guess it doesn't really sink in until you see your design on campus, but it was a very sobering experience."

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