marketing case studies for high school students

Marketing Teaching Activities for High School Students

Teaching marketing to high school students.

Whether you’re teaching a structured business or commerce course, or simply incorporating marketing concepts into your usual syllabus, then variety, student engagement and interest, along with valuable learning outcomes are usually key goals.

Add the additional challenges of unique learning styles, peer pressure and influence, lifestyle and technology distractions, and the usual – do I need to know this for the exam? – then we sometimes have a complex teaching path to navigate.

But there is a teaching upside when it comes to teaching marketing – and that’s all your high school students being experienced consumers. They have all been shopping, bought and used many products, seen ads, engaged with social media, know and prefer brands, and are quite savvy about the better products for them. This is a great starting point.

Welcome to Great Ideas for Teaching Marketing 

This website is dedicated to teaching activities, tools, games, exercises, case studies, class discussions – in fact a whole variety of tasks – all designed to help engage, encourage, and educate students ranging from mid high school age right up to Masters level teaching.

Great Ideas is structured as a pick and choose website, where you can quickly go through the 100s of teaching activities to find the ones that best suit your student cohort.

Let’s get started… below I have curated a selection of teaching activities and tasks that would work very well when teaching marketing (and related business concepts) to high school students.

Please Note: The below is a mix of both FREE and MEMBER ONLY teaching activities…

Teaching Marketing Ideas for High School Students

Games, tools, and quizzes.

Marketing Mix Sim Game

This Sim Game is structured around the 4Ps marketing mix. Students manage up to 2 brands across 5 rounds to see which team can have the most marketing success. The game is Excel-based and is easy-to-use.

Digital Escape Rooms for Teaching Marketing

These three escape rooms consists of 10 different challenges, built around a theme of a job interview or being a marketing expert. Each challenge is in sequence and needs to be solved first before the next challenge is released – students cannot skip ahead until they solve the puzzle first.

Marketing Trivia Two Video Quizzes

Here are two multiple-choice question video quizzes. One on general marketing trivia, and one called ‘guess the entrepreneur’. These video quizzes are designed as icebreakers and team-building exercises.

Product Mix MCQ Revision VIDEO

This is a 20 multiple-choice question video quiz on the PRODUCT MIX. It is a fun and interactive approach to revision for students, and a helpful insight for instructors on which new product topics need further explanation and discussion.

Pizza Store Design Game

This is a free marketing game that requires students working in teams to design their own pizza store and compete with other student groups. Available in an interactive and non-interactive version. Ideal for teaching the full marketing mix.

CASE STUDIES

Patagonia Case Study: Marketing to Anti-Consumers

This case looks at Patagonia, a company that is highly successful in terms of growth and profits, but also makes a substantial contribution to the environment, sustainability, and even to the anti-consumer movement and ideology.

Bed Bath & Beyond Case Study

In April 2023, superstore Bed Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy, following several years of misalignments to the changing environment. Many factors contributed to their demise – but was poor marketing mainly to blame?

Toys R Us Bankruptcy: Marketing Environmental Factors

In this activity, students review a video on the rise and fall of Toys R Us and identify the key marketing environmental factors that they failed to adapt to.

Pringles Chips WTF (Sales Promotion Campaign)

This activity is built around a new flavor campaign for the well-known snack brand Pringles. This campaign is a mix of a sales promotion and a product line extension.

KFC Edible Nail Polish: Brand Extension

Do your students agree with KFC’s decision to extend their brand into chicken flavored nail polish? Why/why not?

Real Burger World (RBW) Case Study

RBW was a small hamburger chain established in the UK in the early 2000’s. Despite a significant financial investment, professional management, the use of branding consultants, and extensive media coverage, the business did not prove to be viable and closed within a few years.

New Coke Case Study (Part 1)

A role play version for a New Coke case study, where students assume the role of key participants in the decision. An interesting challenge for marketing students.

Tropicana’s Packaging Case Study

In this activity we are going back to 2009 when Tropicana underwent a significant packaging redesign that did not go as planned. Although this occurred a number of years ago, it is a “classic” case study that all marketing students and practitioners should be aware of. It is especially useful for understanding the importance of packaging, branding, and what drives customer loyalty and repeat (habitual) purchases.

TEACHING BRANDING

Working with Brand Personality

In this exercise, students describe well-known brands in terms of their brand personality. A list of personality traits and descriptors are provided. In addition, the activity explores the role of brand personality versus more tangible brand metrics.

Which Brand Strategy?

For this proposed new snack food product, what is the most appropriate branding strategy? A brand extension, or a multi-brand, and so on.

Will You Pay More Just for the Brand?

In this very simple and fun exercise, students have to choose between two identical products – but one has the advantage of a very strong brand versus an unknown brand – will your students pay more just for the brand and why?

TEACHING PROMOTION

Developing a Promotional Strategy

This activity is based on a chain of fitness centers. They want to increase their ongoing level of promotional activity, but are unsure how best to promote themselves in the marketplace.

Setting Promotional Objectives

Students assume responsibility for the promotion of McDonald’s ‘healthy menu’ campaign (designed to help reposition the brand), and they need to select the most appropriate promotional objectives.

Informative, Persuasive, or Reminder Advertising?

In this simple, but quite challenging, exercise students classify ads into the categories of informative, persuasive, and reminder advertising. This is a great task to help students distinguish between these somewhat confusing differences. The “need” for reminder style advertising is also explored.

Difference Between Target Markets and Target Audiences

In this exercise, students will be presented with a mix of target markets and multiple target audiences for a new social initiative. It is a helpful activity for clarifying the difference between target markets and audiences. And it is very flexible, as it can be run as a case study discussion, as a marketing debate, or even a student role-play.

TEACHING SEGMENTATION and TARGET MARKETS

How to Segment a Market

The task is to construct your a segmentation approach, using a list of 15 possible market segments that could exist in virtually any market.

Which Segmentation Base?

Students need to identify what type of segmentation base that the firm is using from the list of segmentation bases provided.

Using Different Bases for Market Segmentation

In this activity, students need to segment consumers – based on their comments, attitudes, and behaviors – using demographic, psychographic, and behavioral segmentation bases, to construct three different segmentation structures. Then they need to determine which segmentation structure is the best from a marketing perspective.

How to Develop a Segment Profile

An in-class exercise for marketing students to develop a better understanding of a market segment through constructing a segment profile.

Meeting Target Market Needs

The task is to outline a marketing mix for a holiday that would best suit different market segments.

Target Market Assessment

In this activity, students compare the assessment factors for three market segments. They need to rate each factor and then choose the best segment overall to be their chosen target market.

TEACHING POSITIONING

Poor Target Market or Poor Positioning?

This case study outlines a new retail store concept, which has proved somewhat disappointing for the two owners. The student task is to evaluate whether they adequately identified a viable target market and also to evaluate the appropriateness of their positioning

Repositioning the Cruise Ship Industry

In this activity, students examine the opportunities and challenges of repositioning by reviewing the rise, fall, and then rise again of the cruising industry.

Positioning Kid’s Home-delivered Food

For this activity, students need to select the most appropriate positioning for a firm that currently home delivers pre-prepared food to people who are trying to lose weight. They have now decided to pursue an opportunity in providing a somewhat similar product, but this time, targeted at children.

Snicker’s Innovative SEM Campaign

This video-based activity highlights Snickers Misspelled Words campaign that they executed through Google search ads to successfully reinforce their brand positioning.

Pepsi AM Breakfast Soda: Classic Case Study

This is another classic case study, when Pepsi tried to create a breakfast market for cola. This activity is structured in two teaching formats and can be run as a role-play exercise or as a case study discussion.

TEACHING MARKETING STRATEGY

Growing Market Share: Burger King Case Study

In this mini case study, students assess Burger King’s strategy to grow its market share in their home market in 2023 and beyond. The firm undertook an aggressive marketing program across multiple marketing mix elements, and started to look at product-based (rather than firm-based) differentiation as the key to their growth success.

Making a Marketing Strategy Choice

This is a mini case study of a hypothetical toy manufacturer (Fun 4 U) that is faced with two distinct marketing strategy choices. The student task is to determine, based on the information available, the best approach for the firm.

Pepsi Changes Its Logo

In 2023 Pepsi announced its first logo redesign in 15 years, to coincide with their 125th anniversary. And while Pepsi are very excited about their new design, your students will need to address whether the new logo is better and whether it even matters for an iconic brand like Pepsi?

SWOT Analysis: What Goes in Which Box?

While SWOT analysis is an effective tool for synthesizing the situational analysis component of a marketing plan, it is often challenging working out where in SWOT that the finding should be allocated. In this task, students sort through sets of marketing information and classify them into the SWOT matrix boxes.

EVEN MORE ENGAGING TEACHING IDEAS

Developing a Marketing Mix

In this exercise, students select the most appropriate marketing strategy and then develop a suitable marketing mix, based upon a proposed new chain of Italian and pizza restaurants.

Quiz: What Area of Marketing are You Most Suited For?

Do you have students asking “What area of marketing should I go into?” It’s a common question for students nearing the end of their studies. Well, here is the solution – a quiz that sorts students into one of 24 profiles and then provides a summary of their work preferences and traits, along with suggested marketing specializations that they should pursue. A great -in-class or take home exercises.

New Product Concept Generation Using Creativity

This is a creativity exercise where students sort through forced relationships of flavors and product categories in order to identify potential new product ideas for snack foods. It should be a relatively fun and enjoyable exercise for students, as well as demonstrating a good technique for finding new product ideas in a cluttered and crowded market.

What Do You Want a Marketer to Do?

In this activity, students need to consider what is the primary purpose of marketing? While many students will opt for marketing plans, new products, communication campaigns – is that what marketing is really all about?

KFC’s App Gamifies Snack time

This is a great example of using a market insight to change consumer behavior. In this activity, KFC created a smart phone game to deliver sales promotion incentives and drive sales.

Pepsi Next Case Study

This case study provides students with an interesting insight into PepsiCo’s new product process and some of the challenging decisions that they faced along the way.

AND ALSO CHECK OUT…

Fun Marketing Activities for Students

Teaching marketing should be fun and engaging for students and, as instructors, we should strive to “bring marketing alive” for students through the use of various activities, games, tools, and exercises. Review a summary of the available activities.

List of All Free Marketing Tools

This is a handy list of all the free tools available on the GITM website. Here you can find all the download links for the tools, as well as how-to-use videos.

List of All Marketing Tools for Members

A list of all the free and member only tools available on Great Ideas – contains over 20 tools, premium templates, and games – all in one handy place.

Flipped Classrooms for Teaching Marketing

Flipped classrooms can improve learning outcomes for students. Check out my top 11 tips for flipped classroom when teaching marketing.

Games and Gamification in Teaching Marketing

The use of teaching games and gamification in marketing education is a natural fit and is a growing trend. Find out more about these important topics and find suitable games, tools, and tips.

Top 10 Tips for Teaching Marketing

Teaching marketing effectively is a challenging profession, so as a guide, please check out my top 10 handy tips for teaching marketing.

BECOME A GREAT IDEAS FOR TEACHING MARKETING MEMBER

Consider Joining as a Great Ideas Member

GITM members get access to exclusive content, new activities weekly, access to ALL solutions, and ability to post comments and ask questions. Check out the details here.

Marketing to High School Students: 4 Strategies That Make An Impact

As a young and ever-shifting consumer segment, high school students present a moving target for marketers. Just when marketers seem to understand how to reach this young demographic, their preferences change again, requiring an all-new marketing strategy. But high school students are key entry-point consumers that have a huge potential to boost your sales—if you can effectively communicate with them and influence their purchasing behavior. 

At Refuel Agency, we’ve been investing in up-to-date proprietary consumer research to better understand the youngest generation for over 30 years so we can help brands reach their target audience and achieve campaign goals. 

Here are four strategies for marketing to high school students that will make an impact. 

Read next: 6 Examples of Brands That Got Gen Z Marketing Right

1. Understand your target audience

Before you can successfully launch your high school marketing campaigns, you need to understand your target audience at a deep level—who they are, what they care about, what makes them tick, how they engage with media, and what their lifestyles look like. 

At Refuel, we believe research is at the very core of our success, and we use proprietary insights from our Gen Z Explorer Series™ to ensure we understand how to market to Gen Z and that our campaigns make an impact. 

So who is the Gen Z audience and how can you influence them? Gen Z teens are pragmatic, diverse, and independent. While their Millennial counterparts are much more keen on oversharing, Gen Z manages their social media presence much more like a brand—curated and privacy-oriented. Gen Z are accustomed to being marketed to, so they expect brands to merge seamlessly into their lives, support their values, and to communicate the way that they do. 

In particular, Gen Z teens are at the forefront of trends, constantly scouting for new products, online personalities, and technology. Marketing manager Sarah Walter advises, “Take time to research what’s cool and what’s not, and use that knowledge to boost activities. Leverage this information to get ahead of your competition.” CEO Kevin Miller chimes in, saying, “Young people are focused on what’s popular and relevant now and in the present moment, so it’s important to use current references and platforms to properly engage with them.”

Speaking Gen Z’s language is pertinent to your brand’s ability to influence them. To learn more about marketing to Gen Z , check out our ultimate guide. 

Read next: The Ultimate Guide to Marketing to Gen Z

2. Be where they are—online and offline

Gen Z teens consume different media than their parents or grandparents, and are influenced in different ways. For your high school marketing campaign to be successful, you need to place their brand where it successfully interrupts their daily lives and has a meaningful impact on them. So where should your brand focus their efforts?

In-school media boards

As schools further return to in-person learning, high school students spend the majority of their time within their school environments, making in-school out-of-home advertising an incredibly effective way of placing your brand’s front-and-center in their daily lives. 

Research shows that Gen Z actually finds out-of-home advertising to be “relaxing” in comparison with the digital ads they’re accustomed to. Our network of media boards are placed strategically in high schools nationwide at eye-level in order to garner maximum exposure for your brand. 

Social media

As digital natives, high school students today view their social media profiles as an extension of who they are. Their profiles are both curated and authentic, and on average, they spend 3 hours a day engaging with social media. 

But all social media platforms are not created the same. Teens care about what’s new, cool, and what they’re friends are using — so as a brand, you should, too. In 2021, the most-used social media platforms by teens are TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. TikTok experienced a much more recent surge of popularity, while Snapchat reigns as the long-term favorite communication tool for Gen Z teens.

Additionally, consider channels where you can be a big fish in a smaller pond. Channels like Twitch, HouseParty, Discord, and YouNow have gained popularity and offer opportunities for your brand to authentically connect with this young demographic. 

Mobile device targeting

Most teen students carry their phones with them all the time—making mobile targeting one of the easiest and most effective ways to target high school students. At Refuel Agency, we have the ability to target the mobile phones of high school students whenever they’re in the boundaries of their schools.

Video streaming

According to Refuel Agency’s Gen Z Explorer Series™ , 91% of Gen Z report watching online videos every day, 84% report that they watch video streaming services, and Gen Z is 64% more likely to stream videos on their smartphones. Gen Z is partial to specifically short-form videos over long form ones. Gen Z spends more time on YouTube than on Netflix or any other streaming platforms, and most of Gen Z’s favorite influencers are from YouTube, Vine, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram stories.

So what’s the takeaway? Gen Z loves video content—but not just any video content. They gravitate towards influencers, whose content seems authentic and relatable, like Liza Koshy (18.7M YouTube followers) and Emma Chamberlain (9.1M YouTube followers). Brands can take a page from their books and create video content that makes Gen Z feel more like collaborators than consumers — encouraging user-generated content, filming with lo-fi aesthetics, and being subtle with branding.

Read next: Looking Ahead: 4 Key Youth Marketing Trends for 2021

3. Influence them at their price point

In-school promotions + sampling

High school students, in particular, are motivated by brands that can influence them at their price point. Free samples and targeted discounts are particularly persuasive to a target demographic that has not yet entered the workforce. Additionally, in-school sampling campaigns are effective because students are being targeted in an environment that they trust, their school.  An example of this success lies in our “Redzone” sampling campaign with Old Spice . Through Refuel, Old Spice created a multi-year sampling campaign to increase their brand awareness among high school boys. The campaign successfully deployed across 10,000 high schools nationwide and results in an 81% increase in Old Spice purchases.

4. Speak to their experiences

High school students, more so than older generations, expect for brands to be relatable and to merge seamlessly with their lives. They grew up with the Internet and smartphones, after all, so they’re used to branded content being infused into their daily lives. Given this, your brand has the opportunity to run meaningful campaigns that speak to the experiences of high school students. 

Especially as students head back to their schools, brands should address the toll that COVID-19 has taken on them, their families, and their friends. “The best way brands can prepare teens for their return to school is by helping them navigate their new realities through human-centered campaigns,” says digital marketer Baidhurya Mani. “They should focus on empathizing with students by sharing their values and issues that matter to them.”

Don’t forget about marketing to parents of high school students

When you’re strategizing ways to market to high school students, don’t forget two of the most important people in their lives: their parents. Teens living at home still have enormous influence over their parents’ spending decisions, boosting overall teen buying power from $95.7B total teen income to $265.6B total teen spending including parents. 

When it comes to marketing to parents of high school students, one key difference is that while high school students are largely focused on the present, parents are concerned more with their childrens’ futures. Parents are concerned about what their children will do with their lives, when, and how. Marketing VP Mitch Harad adds that, “This overarching pain point for parents of high school students has only been magnified during COVID-19. Brands wanting to connect with returning high school students should address the pain point by communicating messages of safety about the future.” 

And remember that you want to make a good impression on the parents of your target audience. Advertisements that may promote distorted body image or that may encourage poor choices or behavior from teens will not make a good impression on their parents. Make sure that your ads keep parents in mind. 

Are you ready to get started advertising to high school students? At Refuel Agency, we’ve been marketing to teens for over 30 years, and we’re invested in ensuring your campaigns are successful. 

Learn more about marketing to teens

Let's Share Share this content

• Opens in a new window

You Might Also Like

Offline Spending with Digital Natives

2019 Gen Z Explorer Market Research Study

Silver Linings Playbook: Determining Your Pandemic Marketing Strategy

Privacy overview.

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

Marketing High School Class Case Studies | 12 Digital Activities Lessons BUNDLE!

• Google Slides™

What educators are saying

Products in this bundle (10).

showing 1 - 5 of 10 products

Description

So...you have taught them the fundamentals of Marketing....now....make them THINK and APPLY what they have learned! There are HOURS of fabulous case studies on popular brands that high school students love in this bundle!

GREAT for an Entrepreneurship class, Marketing class or any Business Ed class!

These digital activities are ENGAGING, FUN, and allows them to use their CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ! Just send to Google Classroom and you're done!

Any student who has learned the Basics of Marketing will be able to complete and ENJOY these digital NO PREP lessons.

21st Century learning at its BEST!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow me on Instagram @BusinessTeachDenise

Follow me on Facebook ' Business Education With Denise Leigh '

Follow my Blog www.business-ed.com for more Great Ideas to use in YOUR Business Education classroom!

Click here to follow my TpT store to be notified of new products and updates.

Questions & Answers

Business education with denise leigh.

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

• Browse All Articles
• Newsletter Sign-Up

Marketing →

• 29 Feb 2024

Beyond Goals: David Beckham's Playbook for Mobilizing Star Talent

Reach soccer's pinnacle. Become a global brand. Buy a team. Sign Lionel Messi. David Beckham makes success look as easy as his epic free kicks. But leveraging world-class talent takes discipline and deft decision-making, as case studies by Anita Elberse reveal. What could other businesses learn from his ascent?

• 17 Jan 2024

Psychological Pricing Tactics to Fight the Inflation Blues

Inflation has slowed from the epic rates of 2021 and 2022, but many consumers still feel pinched. What will it take to encourage them to spend? Thoughtful pricing strategies that empower customers as they make purchasing decisions, says research by Elie Ofek.

• 05 Dec 2023
• Cold Call Podcast

What Founders Get Wrong about Sales and Marketing

Which sales candidate is a startup’s ideal first hire? What marketing channels are best to invest in? How aggressively should an executive team align sales with customer success? Senior Lecturer Mark Roberge discusses how early-stage founders, sales leaders, and marketing executives can address these challenges as they grow their ventures in the case, “Entrepreneurial Sales and Marketing Vignettes.”

Tommy Hilfiger’s Adaptive Clothing Line: Making Fashion Inclusive

In 2017, Tommy Hilfiger launched its adaptive fashion line to provide fashion apparel that aims to make dressing easier. By 2020, it was still a relatively unknown line in the U.S. and the Tommy Hilfiger team was continuing to learn more about how to serve these new customers. Should the team make adaptive clothing available beyond the U.S., or is a global expansion premature? Assistant Professor Elizabeth Keenan discusses the opportunities and challenges that accompanied the introduction of a new product line that effectively serves an entirely new customer while simultaneously starting a movement to provide fashion for all in the case, “Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive: Fashion for All.”

• Research & Ideas

Are Virtual Tours Still Worth It in Real Estate? Evidence from 75,000 Home Sales

Many real estate listings still feature videos and interactive tools that simulate the experience of walking through properties. But do they help homes sell faster? Research by Isamar Troncoso probes the post-pandemic value of virtual home tours.

• 17 Oct 2023

With Subscription Fatigue Setting In, Companies Need to Think Hard About Fees

Subscriptions are available for everything from dental floss to dog toys, but are consumers tiring of monthly fees? Elie Ofek says that subscription revenue can provide stability, but companies need to tread carefully or risk alienating customers.

• 29 Aug 2023

As Social Networks Get More Competitive, Which Ones Will Survive?

In early 2023, TikTok reached close to 1 billion users globally, placing it fourth behind the leading social networks: Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Meanwhile, competition in the market for videos had intensified. Can all four networks continue to attract audiences and creators? Felix Oberholzer-Gee discusses competition and imitation among social networks in his case “Hey, Insta & YouTube, Are You Watching TikTok?”

• 26 Jun 2023

Want to Leave a Lasting Impression on Customers? Don't Forget the (Proverbial) Fireworks

Some of the most successful customer experiences end with a bang. Julian De Freitas provides three tips to help businesses invest in the kind of memorable moments that will keep customers coming back.

• 31 May 2023

With Predictive Analytics, Companies Can Tap the Ultimate Opportunity: Customers’ Routines

Armed with more data than ever, many companies know what key customers need. But how many know exactly when they need it? An analysis of 2,000 ridesharing commuters by Eva Ascarza and colleagues shows what's possible for companies that can anticipate a customer's routine.

• 30 May 2023

Can AI Predict Whether Shoppers Would Pick Crest Over Colgate?

Is it the end of customer surveys? Definitely not, but research by Ayelet Israeli sheds light on the potential for generative AI to improve market research. But first, businesses will need to learn to harness the technology.

• 24 Apr 2023

What Does It Take to Build as Much Buzz as Booze? Inside the Epic Challenge of Cannabis-Infused Drinks

The market for cannabis products has exploded as more states legalize marijuana. But the path to success is rife with complexity as a case study about the beverage company Cann by Ayelet Israeli illustrates.

• 07 Apr 2023

When Celebrity ‘Crypto-Influencers’ Rake in Cash, Investors Lose Big

Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, and other entertainers have been accused of promoting crypto products on social media without disclosing conflicts. Research by Joseph Pacelli shows what can happen to eager investors who follow them.

• 10 Feb 2023

COVID-19 Lessons: Social Media Can Nudge More People to Get Vaccinated

Social networks have been criticized for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, but the platforms have also helped public health agencies spread the word on vaccines, says research by Michael Luca and colleagues. What does this mean for the next pandemic?

• 02 Feb 2023

Why We Still Need Twitter: How Social Media Holds Companies Accountable

Remember the viral video of the United passenger being removed from a plane? An analysis of Twitter activity and corporate misconduct by Jonas Heese and Joseph Pacelli reveals the power of social media to uncover questionable situations at companies.

• 06 Dec 2022

Latest Isn’t Always Greatest: Why Product Updates Capture Consumers

Consumers can't pass up a product update—even if there's no improvement. Research by Leslie John, Michael Norton, and Ximena Garcia-Rada illustrates the powerful allure of change. Are we really that naïve?

• 29 Nov 2022

How Much More Would Holiday Shoppers Pay to Wear Something Rare?

Economic worries will make pricing strategy even more critical this holiday season. Research by Chiara Farronato reveals the value that hip consumers see in hard-to-find products. Are companies simply making too many goods?

• 26 Oct 2022

How Paid Promos Take the Shine Off YouTube Stars (and Tips for Better Influencer Marketing)

Influencers aspire to turn "likes" into dollars through brand sponsorships, but these deals can erode their reputations, says research by Shunyuan Zhang. Marketers should seek out authentic voices on YouTube, not necessarily those with the most followers.

• 25 Oct 2022

Is Baseball Ready to Compete for the Next Generation of Fans?

With its slower pace and limited on-field action, major league baseball trails football in the US, basketball, and European soccer in revenue and popularity. Stephen Greyser discusses the state of "America's pastime."

• 18 Oct 2022

When Bias Creeps into AI, Managers Can Stop It by Asking the Right Questions

Even when companies actively try to prevent it, bias can sway algorithms and skew decision-making. Ayelet Israeli and Eva Ascarza offer a new approach to make artificial intelligence more accurate.

• 08 Aug 2022

Building an 'ARMY' of Fans: Marketing Lessons from K-Pop Sensation BTS

Few companies can boast a customer base as loyal and engaged as BTS fans. In a case study, Doug Chung shares what marketers can learn from the boyband's savvy use of social media and authentic connection with listeners.

Case Startup Kit: Marketing 

Leading provider of teaching materials for management education

Case Startup Kits are designed to help aspiring case teachers start using cases in their courses. Each brief, recent case comes with a teaching note. The additional materials provide support for educators and students who are new to cases, as well as support for teaching cases online.

Quick Cases

Support for first-time case teachers.

The HBS Case Method Defined

4 minutes, 17 seconds

Take a Seat in the Harvard MBA Case Classroom

Support for Teaching with Cases

Get the Most Out of Your Cold Calls

The Perfect Opening Question

240 page(s)

304 page(s)

What Effective Case Instructors Do Best

What to Do When Students Bring Case Solutions to Class

Support for Teaching with Cases Online

Bringing the Case Method Online

How to Teach Any Case Online

Mastering Case Teaching in Online Classes

Teaching Cases Online: The Basics

Support for First-Time Case Students

1 hour, 30 minutes

272 page(s)

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience, including personalizing content. Learn More . By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies and revised Privacy Policy .

Canisius High School

by mmg-admin | Jan 12, 2018

Canisius High School Marketing X-Z

Canisius High School is a Catholic, Jesuit, college-preparatory school in Buffalo, NY for young men in grades 9 through 12.

The Challenge

Canisius High School competes with 26 private high schools to recruit students each year. Because traditional marketing media like direct mail has less impact on younger audiences, schools have had to find new ways to drive students and parents to fall Open House events and promote Shadow Days and entrance exam prep courses.

Canisius turned to Manzella Marketing to develop a strategy that would effectively engage both the Gen Z middle school students and their Gen X parents with targeted messaging via the digital platforms they use most.

The Solution

Manzella Marketing developed a marketing plan that utilized social media and display ads to target prospective students and their parents. Through IP Targeting and list profiling, Manzella was able to deliver ads to prospective students on both their mobile devices and in their social media feeds as well as target parents with social media ads.

IP Targeting with Social Media Advertising—Manzella targeted 12 to 14 “feeder” middle schools, provided by the client, with IP “Rooftop” Targeting. This tactic enabled us to deliver ads to all devices within the schools and follow each IP footprint back to its home and all the devices resident there. We also performed a match back to Facebook and Instagram accounts for all devices (about a 50% match) and delivered ads to those social media news feeds. Instagram ads were targeted to the potential students, while Facebook ads were targeted to the parents.

Social Media Advertising—Manzella also used mailing lists of Catholic 6th, 7th and 8th grade students provided by the client to create a Canisius student/parent profile. We matched the profile to Facebook and Instagram accounts to deliver news feed ads to potential students and parents who fit the profile.

The Results

The recruiting campaign resulted in 712 new website visitors and increased attendance at Canisius High School’s fall Open House events.

The entrance exam prep course campaign served over 35,000 ads and netted a .23% CTR (click through rate)—more than twice the industry average.

Ads on Instagram received a 5.27% CTR and Facebook ads 1.79% CTR, both well above the .6% industry standard.

Latest Blog Post List