UTK marketing students develop plans for “Innovation Crossroads” start-ups
Each team of students was assigned to one of six companies.
Six participants in the “Innovation Crossroads” (IC) program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory got some significant help with their branding and marketing plans, thanks to students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK).
The six represented three cohorts of the program – Fourth and Glass Recycling Company (2022 cohort when the company was only Vitriform3D), four from the 2023 cohort (Perseus Materials, Re-Du Plastics, Skuld LLC, and ThermoVerse), and one from the 2024 cohort (Cassette Construction).
As explained by Christine White, Assistant Professor of Practice and Director of Partnerships & Growth Initiatives in the Department of Marketing, six teams of students accepted the challenge of understanding the focus of each start-up. From there, each team developed a strategy that was previewed in a series of 10-minute presentations Monday evening at the Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing ahead of longer pitches yesterday.
The overall goal was to develop a customized integrated marketing communications plan for the six companies.
“We have learned a ton,” she said. “It was a truly remarkable experience.”
White also added that Dan Miller and Kelly Wampler, the two principals who lead the IC program, told her, “There is no better place to try something new than with a bunch of entrepreneurs.”
We are far from an expert on marketing, but it was clear that the students gave a good deal of effort to their clients.
The needs varied, so the deliverables did, too.
For Sarah Jordan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Skuld, it was email and PowerPoint templates along with a Google ad and LinkedIn content. For Alex Stiles of Fourth and Glass, the strategy recommendations included local magazine ads, a direct mail campaign, participation in local events, a new slogan such as “Turning Glass into Possibilities,” and a one-pager about the start-up.
In the case of Perseus Materials, the request from Dan Lee was a redesigned logo and website refresh. That team also recommended a billboard in West Knoxville, a social media strategy, and a YouTube series. Several recommendations for other companies centered around brand kits or guides, ways to engage with social media – from LinkedIn to Instagram – and color pallets.
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!