Shishir Bhusal, Kristie Cheung, Moh Elshamy, Andrew Finch, Leanne Yang
Kristie: Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing major (Operations Management minor), 5th Year
Leanne: Bachelor of Commerce, Operations Management, 5th Year
Moh: Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing, 5th Year
Andrew: Bachelor of Commerce, Marketing, 5th Year
Shishir: Bachelor of Commerce, Strategic Management and Organization, 5th Year
Course: MARK 488 (Winter 2021) with Instructor Webb Dussome
Who was your community partner and can you describe the project objectives?
Our community partner is Polar Plunge, as presented by Special Olympics Alberta. The main objectives of our project are to increase awareness and presence of the Polar Plunge. We are building a social media campaign in alignment with recommended strategies of how Polar Plunge can improve their engagement for future years.
What was your biggest takeaway from your CSL placement?
From our CSL placement, we have learned the importance of understanding how to ask the right questions in order to get the information we need to conduct our analysis or put forth the best recommendation. Sometimes, by asking the right questions, it can also pave the way for the community partner to be more open to changes as well. They may not recognize the need for certain things to change; however, sometimes you have to provide a recommendation that you see best fit for them moving forward.
How can you apply any newly gained knowledge/skills to your future endeavours (courses/employment/volunteering)?
This semester has been a great experience working with an organization in an unfamiliar space and industry. Through this project, we have gained knowledge of how marketing representatives in not-for-profit organizations operate and how they are organized. Understanding the organization’s strengths, abilities, and limitations have forced us to find creative approaches to bring forward results. The knowledge we gained during this project can translate very well if we find ourselves working with not-for-profit organizations, charities, or event-focused organizations. As we are all graduating this semester, we believe we can bring this knowledge into our future employment positions.
What are some of the ways that COVID-19 has affected your community partner or your placement?
COVID-19 has shifted the Polar Plunge itself as it usually takes place in person as a large, multi-day event. Our community partner was in a position where they needed to adjust their channel strategies since individuals were also adjusting due to lockdowns. They faced challenges of maintaining and showcasing the community aspect while staying connected online. Through these changes, it has allowed ourselves and our community partner to think of innovative approaches to getting more people involved in the Polar Plunge for future years. As a team, we have had to adjust and learn how to work together on this project remotely. Working on a virtual project has come with its own challenges; however, overcoming these barriers have been part of the great learning experience.