Four marketing majors joined students from N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill to address the opioid crisis on college campuses during the American Marketing Association Triangle’s first collegiate marketing competition.
Elon University seniors Jeremy Keyes, Sara Machi, Nicole Pantaleone and Margo Pierson competed in the American Marketing Association (AMA) Triangle Marketing Jam held Feb. 24 at Walk West in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In randomly assigned teams with students from N.C. State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, they assumed the role of consultants to address a client’s problem. As the client, digital health agency BlueDoor tasked the teams to present a solution to raise awareness of the health risks of opioid abuse among college students and activate them to seek appropriate support.
The teams had four hours to complete an analysis, evaluate alternatives and formulate a solution with an action plan before presenting their work to a panel of judges.
“Participating in the AMA Marketing Jam showed me the value of teamwork,” Pantaleone said. “Being able to collaborate and talk through situations with my group members allowed us to put together an effective presentation in a short period of time. My involvement helped develop my presentation skills, and I now understand what it feels like to work under a strict deadline.”
Keyes, Machi, Chrissy Boals (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Tyler Couse (N.C. State) won the competition. Pantaleone, Pierson and Lindsay Weininger, (N.C. State) placed second. Both teams presented their analysis and solution to marketing and creative professionals at the High Five Conference in Raleigh on Feb. 28.
“This experience allowed me to apply concepts that I have learned throughout my courses in the LSB in order to make something tangible out of a broadly defined task," Machi said. "After doing the Marketing Jam and presenting at the High Five Conference, I feel more confident in the knowledge and skills that I have gained over the past four years.”
"The AMA Marketing Jam was one of the first opportunities I've had to present to a panel of industry professionals," Keyes said. "Designing a campaign to counter the opioid crisis on college campuses with no budget meant finding unique ways to reach students and get them involved in events and initiatives. Presenting at the High Five Conference was also a valuable experience as we fine-tuned our presentation for a larger audience and got to network with established marketing pro's in the Raleigh area."