The Marketing Innovation Challenge brings students together with companies hoping to get traction with consumers. In international groups, they developed strategies that are creative, accessible and effective. The MBAs then delivered a succinct report to the client company.
Paul Geddes worked with the Urban Farming Company, which uses “off-the-shelf technology” to develop a table-top growing environment that can be controlled from an iPad or other smartphone.
In a nutshell, what was your strategy for Urban Farming Company?
We suggested a mixture of sales promotion and PR to establish brand awareness. As with most new electronic goods, what would be needed were some early-adopters, and we hoped the marketing mix we suggested would reach them.
We also made some suggestions around the design and functionality, which were centered on the feedback we had received in a focus group session.
How was your final report received?
The final written report has been submitted but not graded. We did deliver a presentation though to faculty and to our client, and they all seemed very positive.
None of the project team have any kind of marketing background, so it was a real challenge for us. But thankfully it appears that we were on the right track.
Combining smartphones and other electronics with gardening could be a recipe for disaster. How did you promote safety?
Electricity and water do not make good bedfellows. Despite the domestic scale of the current proposition, there was still concern over the use of mains electricity and a watering system, which did shape some of suggestions for design alterations, including the addition of a solar panel. This has a two-fold benefit as it also ties-in nicely with the central message of sustainability that the Urban Farming Company is trying to promote.
Why did you choose Edinburgh for your MBA?
The course structure offers a good grounding in all aspects of business, before allowing some specialization later in the year. This combination of solid basics and interesting electives was very appealing to me.
How do these practical projects stack up against classroom learning?
For me, practical application is what cements concepts and ideas into knowledge. The chance to employ some of the things that we have learned in class in the real world is of great value.
James Carver completed a project with EoSurgical, which provides high-quality, affordable simulators for surgeons.
How important is marketing in raising awareness of new innovations?
This product had taken many years to gain full awareness in the healthcare community, partly as a result of the need for validation by medical research.
Networking among doctors and surgeons, and at trade fairs and events has been the key marketing focus. Without this marketing, it will be very difficult to bring this innovation to Brazil.
How your group dynamic work, and what was your role?
One Australian, one Englishman, one Brazilian, one Mexican and an Indian was an interesting combination. But very quickly we took on specific roles.
The team agreed that the Mexican and Brazilian, with their languages and contacts, were best suited to understanding the Brazilian economy, making contacts and then presenting on Brazil in the final presentation.
Our Australian was placed as the key person for reaching out to UK organizations, as well as coordinating with the client. Her background in marketing also made her lead presenter on digital marketing strategies.
Our Indian, who had a background in health education, understood the product and the healthcare sales market. She was to focus on competitors both in the UK and Brazil, and to compare our product.
With my background in fund management and research, I focused on survey analysis, literature reviews and helping to perfect the final report, as well as leading the client presentation.
How was your final report received?
Very positively. This was in part because our report supported a number of decisions the company was looking to make, or was thinking of making, but also because we provided an insight into a new market (Brazil), that would have been difficult for them to gain, given the language barrier, and the lack of connections.
What are you hoping to get out of the MBA?
To expand my horizons, think about markets, industries, and people outside of finance; to learn academic approaches to marketing, team management, and business organization; and finally to learn more about myself, my strengths, weaknesses, and what really excites me — and what doesn’t.
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