The Impact
After winning, each member of SOUR Bias received a 20-pound box of candy. They’ll also be going to dinner with Now and Later executives in early 2023.
Most importantly: they now have the experience of working with a real brand on a real marketing problem.
“The students were able to identify some clear product and communication challenges that helped reinforce what we had internally hypothesized,” Chen says. “It was a great way to ensure that we’re set up for success before we innovate on the product.”
Each year, both the students and companies benefit from the Kilts Center Marketing Case Competition, Middlebrooks says. Students get a chance to work with a real business problem and present to executives, while companies get a chance to meet talented students.
“These companies are looking to hire bright future marketers and leaders,” Middlebrooks says. “They want to enhance their reputation as an outstanding employer on campus. But they’re also looking for insights and ideas from the teams.”
And the competition offered an experience that Puri and Coon will carry with them throughout their careers.
For Puri, the competition helped her see that data is never going to be perfect, but you can still work with imperfections and form a strong hypothesis.
For Coon, the competition confirmed his desire to work in brand management.
“It was a ton of fun brainstorming different ideas,” Coon says. “It’s amazing. While it was tough, it felt like a break from all the studying and work. The fun thing with marketing is that as much as it’s data-driven and analytical, it’s also creative.”