September Nomination: Fender University Rocks the Dean's List

We're glad that our school days are far behind us. We don't often find ourselves longing for the wet sting of spitballs, and the memories of wedgies are nearly as painful as the real thing. But what if you replaced the wedgies with whammy bars and the spitballs with shredding solos? This August, Fender Musical Instruments did it, and 20 lucky students from around the globe became Fender University's inaugural class of rock.

Fender, a Scottsdale-based company, has a long and well documented history - from Leo Fender's humble beginnings 60 years ago to his company's current place as the most recognizable name in guitars. But Fender began looking for a unique way to tell their story to some of their most loyal customers. After two years of intensive planning, Fender University was born.

Twenty students - hand-picked based on their written essays - enrolled for a whirlwind four-day rock and roll camp in sunny Southern California. Each student received a brand new Fender American Standard guitar or bass of their choice and spent the weekend learning about Fender from the inside out. The group toured the Fender factory in Corona, CA, poked around the world famous Fender Custom Shop, and discovered the history of Fender in museums and tours of the area.

When they weren't knee-deep in Fender history and lore, students heard lectures from master musicians, took classes from legendary players, and learned about their instruments with hands-on instruction from monsters of guitar like Yngwie Malmsteen. The weekend even included VIP treatment at a concert in nearby Irvine featuring Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Steve Winwood. With professional photos, transportation between locations, and dinners with music's elite, Fender University students got the total rock star treatment - without all that messy fame and fortune.

Although there are no report cards for creative marketing, we'll gladly put Fender Musical Instruments on our personal honor roll and make them September's nomination for the distinguished Oddy Award. Does your marketing idea deserve to be on the Dean's List? Contact our office of admissions at theoddy.com.