Effective marketing requires a balance of art and science.  One way of enabling students to appreciate this balance is to have them analyze marketing communications campaigns produced for a variety of applications.  To enhance their appreciation of this balance an assignment has been developed which places students in the role of content creator.

Student teams are assigned to a brand portfolio project in which they examine the communications campaigns of two competing brands across media options.  At the end of the project students develop and produce an unplugged presentation for the class in which they summarize their findings.  Presentations cover a range of possibilities including: creating a mock store set-up; creating a television commercial; and taking the class on a photo shoot.

The conference presentation will discuss how the assignment was developed and implemented in the classroom.  A range of recent examples will be presented, along with students’ reactions.