SA universities take on Google marketing challenge

Continues Hunter, “Universities are ideal places for students to learn the practical skills needed in the workforce, so following demand from professors and students across the world we joined forces to develop this Online Marketing Challenge. It is a practical and fun way for universities and local businesses in South Africa to join forces and stimulate interest in this key business area.”

Hands-on exercise

The Google Online Marketing Challenge is a hands-on exercise which will give undergraduate and post-graduate students direct experience of online advertising while they study. Student groups will receive the equivalent of US$200 (around R1400) to spend on Google AdWords advertising, working with a local business of their choice to devise effective online marketing campaigns. They will outline a strategy, run the campaign, assess their results and provide the business with recommendations to further develop their online marketing.

Students will have three weeks to mastermind the strategy and will pit their marketing minds against thousands of students worldwide. During the three-week period, the different student groups will have to submit two competition reports, one before they begin the challenge and one after the campaign has ended. Entries will be judged by an international panel of professors and winners will be chosen based on the success of the campaigns and quality of the reports.

Six of South Africa's top tertiary institutions have already registered for the competition –Wits University, University of Cape Town, AAA School of Advertising, Rhodes University (Media Studies and Information Systems faculties, Monash University and Vega The Brand Communications School – and there is still a week left for other universities to sign up. The challenge starts in February 2008 and is open to any higher education institution from anywhere in the world.

Reached target

Says Hunters, “We set a target of 200 participating classes worldwide and we are delighted that we have already reached that target. There is no limit and… we look forward to more universities signing up.”

Justin Beneke, lecturer and programme convenor, School of Management Studies, UCT, comments, “Electronic marketing simply cannot be ignored in the twenty first century. Hence, tertiary educational institutions have come to the realisation that failure to equip their graduates to succeed in the digital realm is not an option. This competition allows our students to put their skills to good use in a manner which not only gives them real-world exposure, but also adds a competitive dimension to drive them even further. I have little doubt that our students will both enjoy, and benefit from the Google Online Marketing challenge.”

How it works

1. Professors divide students into groups, who then receive free online advertising vouchers for Google AdWords worth the equivalent of US$200 (around R1400).
   
2. The groups or professors recruit a small-to-medium business, under 100 employees, which has a website but don't currently use AdWords. Each group works with the business to set up an account and structure an online marketing campaign.
   
3. During a three-week competition window, the groups optimise and refine their campaigns. They will need to submit two competition reports – one before they begin and one after the campaign has ended. Entries are judged and winners chosen based on the success of their campaign and the quality of their reports.
   
4. To accommodate students all over the globe, students can compete over any three consecutive weeks between 10 February and 24 May 2008.
   
5. Global and regional winners will be announced in July 2008.
   
6. More details can be found at www.google.com/onlinechallenge/index.html