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Marketing EDGE ECHO Challenge

Introduction

Students create a marketing plan for travel tour company Collette

 
 
 
 
 
Dear Professor ,
Looking for a marketing project for this spring with real-world implications for your students? Marketing EDGE’s Collegiate ECHO Challenge provides students with hands-on learning and real-world experience in marketing research and creating a marketing plan proposal. Sponsored this year by Collette, an international guided travel company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, the Challenge allows student teams of 2-5 members to combine knowledge, research, creativity and professionalism – on an assignment from their client, a corporate leader. 
The Challenge is offered in both the fall and the spring. Fall semester teams focused on enticing the client’s target audience of Baby Booomers to plan Collette guided-travel vacations.  Spring teams will focus on Generation X.  The theoretical budget is $5 million. All entries will be judged together in May and June.
 
Faculty advisors use the Challenge as a teaching tool, where all elements of market research and an integrated marketing campaign come together in one course, student capstone project or advertising club project.  Recent Challenges included
  • FACEBOOK: create a marketing campaign to business-to-consumer marketing decision makers to increase use of their Customer Audiences product with a budget of $5 million.

  • DIRECTV: create a marketing campaign targeting customers in the U.S. to increase participation in their "Refer-A-Friend" program with a budget of $1 million. 

  • DOMINO’s PIZZA: With a $250K budget, create an integrated marketing campaign to increase the number of orders driven through the Domino’s Mobile App. 
Support for the Challenge includes the following complimentary resources: 
  • Faculty Teaching Guide 
  • Student E-Learning Module
 
Finalists will be chosen from among all entries. Overall winners will be chosen from this pool. 

Undergraduate and Graduate campaigns are judged separately.  In both divisions:
  • 1st Place Gold: Team members are eligible to split a $2,000 award.
  • 2nd Place Silver: Team members are eligible to  split a $1,000 award.
  • 3rd Place Bronze: Team members are eligible to split a $500 award.
  • Each Gold, Silver and Bronze-winning teams’ school will receive a Collegiate Gold, Silver or Bronze ECHO trophy, respectively. 
  • Each team member on an undergraduate or graduate winning team and, if applicable, their faculty advisor will receive a certificate suitable for framing. 
  • Honorable Mention certificates may be presented for: Market Research • Marketing Strategy • Media Plan • Creative Execution • Budgeting/ROI • Executive Summary • Visual Summary •  Innovation • and more!
  • In addition, students from teams that submit entries are eligible to apply for Marketing EDGE scholarships, as well as jobs and internships from Marketing EDGE supporting companies.

Get Started today at .

Student teams can be directed to  for details tailored to them.
Best regards,
Jeff
Jeff Nesler 
Senior Program and Web Manager | Marketing EDGE