Like almost everything else, this year’s Graduate Marketing Network (GMN) Case Competition was virtual. The 11th annual Wisconsin School of Business event consists of teams of 3-4 students from cross-functional specializations getting 24 hours to analyze a marketing problem, create a slide deck, and present to 12 industry professional judges. We not only get to apply what we’ve learned in our core classes, but there are also cash prizes, internship opportunities, and networking with judges after the case.
For A.C. Nielsen Center students, participation in the case competition is mandatory as part of our Current Topics class. To prepare, early on, I found a diverse team with specializations in Brand and Product Management, Risk Management & Insurance, Corporate Finance and Investment Banking, while I represented Marketing Analytics and Insights. Two days before the case, we also met to outline our schedule for the day of, select a slide deck and create a rough outline of the different areas we needed to cover.
Late in the game, our team member specializing in finance had to drop out, so we quickly had to pivot and recruit someone specializing in Operation and Technology Management. With no finance expert in our team, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and volunteered to do the financial analysis for our recommendations. It’s an area that I want to develop further, and what a better time to practice this skill. The day of the competition came, and at 8 a.m., the case was available to all the teams, and we had 24 hours to come up with a finished product. The case competition was on top of all the other classes, group projects, and meetings we already had scheduled. It was a ton of work, and we got little sleep, but we got to go through all the marketing frameworks: 5Cs, STP, 4Ps, consumer decision journey, you name it. For me, the financial piece was an absolute challenge, but with my team’s help, I was able to come up with a good deliverable.
The following day, we were first up to present. Although we didn’t make it to the final round, we received great feedback from our judges, which is valuable as we continue developing and perfecting our skills. Looking back at the case competition experience, I know financial analysis is an area I want to continue to grow. Still, it was a reminder that marketing is my element and where I shine. After the case competition, I immediately applied what I had learned during a meeting with my core team to develop our marketing strategy for our semester-long consulting practicum. I quickly used all the marketing frameworks from the case competition to organize my core team’s thinking and develop insightful recommendations.
The GMN Case Competition will undoubtedly be among the most memorable experiences from my MBA, I enjoyed most working with my team. If, like myself, you find yourself not a finalist in a case competition, don’t be discouraged. Remember that the experience and learning you gain from case competitions will prepare you for success as you continue your MBA journey and your post-MBA career.
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