The challenge is limited to second-year Bachelor in Business Administration students and is designed to demonstrate how vital their skills set is to the business world at large, while simultaneously providing them with unique insight into the opportunities that lie ahead after graduation.
Taking learning beyond the classroom walls
The Marketing in Action Challenge is yet another example of the practical teaching methodologies that make IE University stand out from the competition. It goes without saying that hands-on projects such as this one serve to boost motivation and offer a welcome alternative to traditional classroom teaching.
This realistic learning experience not only provides students with practical skills for the workplace, but it also increases their chances of employment by providing them with real-life experience in the sector. In other words, this so-called competition serves as a form of alternative internship.
In the 2020 edition of the Marketing in Action Challenge, students were asked to focus on the women’s Atlético de Madrid football team. In recognition of the team’s impressive success and continued growth, the club is committed to promoting female football on a global scale through new and unique business opportunities. What’s more, their aim is to be seen as an ambassador for gender equality in sport as a result of their present and future business ventures.
With this in mind, Lola Romero, Director of Atlético Women’s Team, was chosen to welcome students to the program. She explained the increasing importance of female football around the world and outlined how much work had already been done to promote this often-overlooked sector of the football world.
Before being split into their respective teams, the second-year students were also treated to a masterclass on marketing in the sports industry by Professor Eduardo Fernández-Cantelli and an introduction by Professor Maripe Menéndez, the coordinator of the project. This session served to explain to the participants exactly what was expected of them and how the winners would be decided.
The students were given the entire semester to work on the project, which involved developing a business plan in order to expand the team’s global reach and penetration; enhance visibility and awareness; improve consumer engagement; and drive sales through B2B and B2C channels.
Securing the future of female football
Though the popularity of women’s football has increased significantly in recent years thanks to global competitions and other events being made available for public viewing, there is no doubt that there continues to be a huge disparity with their male counterparts. One of the main challenges for the students was finding new sources of sponsorship that could help to elevate both the team and the game at large.
By effectively working as consultants for the Atlético de Madrid Foundation, the Bachelor in Business Administration students were given an internship that many students can only dream of—the opportunity to work alongside a team of experts that has done incredible things for both its female team and professional female sport over the past two decades.
Over the course of several months, students then competed against each other for a place in the final, which took place in mid-March. A total of three teams were ultimately chosen to present their marketing and business plans to the client for review before a final decision was made.
Preparing students for the world of work
This real-world business challenge is just one of many projects included in the forward-thinking Bachelor in Business Administration program. The course itself is designed to provide students with sufficient business acumen to enable them to pursue an entrepreneurial career path or take up a role at a multinational organization.
The fact that the majority of graduates go on to achieve great things after graduation is due in part to programs such as the Marketing in Action Challenge and the Corporate Mentorship Program. The latter enables students to connect with a mentor from the corporate world and take the necessary steps towards their professional goals.
At IE University, we believe that providing our students with access to professional connections and insights, and projects outside of the classroom is key to success in the long term. The Marketing in Action Challenge is just one of the many ways in which we open our students to the world that awaits them beyond the classroom walls and just what will be expected of them.
Congratulations to all of the Marketing in Action 2020 participants!
