Georgia State University has been selected as the only Georgia college to participate in the Honda Civic Marketing Challenge, where students compete for the chance to present their creative marketing ideas to Honda executives. The national competition only selects 20 schools to compete.
Students enrolled in the Marketing Problems course at Georgia State created an in-class, working marketing agency called Panthers Marketing Agency to begin researching, implementing, and evaluating an integrated marketing campaign. The campaign is aimed at increasing purchase consideration for the 2013 Honda Civic Sedan among the Generation Y market.
“The 2013 Honda Civic Marketing Challenge is important because it allows marketing students to apply the concepts learned in the classroom to a real life assignment,” said Jamie Obiofuma, a marketing senior and member of the Panthers Marketing Agency. “It forces you to step outside your comfort zone as a student and work like a true marketing professional.”
Students will conduct research to find out more about the target market. After they have analyzed their research findings, they will design a campaign aimed at reaching Generation Y and raising interest for the Civic Sedan.
Darrius Morgan, also a marketing major, said the challenge teaches students how to market products in “a step by step format,” which is a significant tool for any marketing hopeful.
Panthers Marketing Agency will bring their campaign plans to life using a $3,000 budget provided by Honda. At the end of the term, students will collect post-campaign research, and then conclude with a formal presentation to their client summarizing the campaign results and successes.
“It give you a taste of the business world before graduation,” said Ashley Smith, another Panthers Marketing Agency member.
The students have promoted heavily, using both social media and marketing songs to spread their ideas and be promising hopefuls in the competition.
