College Credit Marketing: Discover the Power of Marketing

Course Information

Course: CSGS-0890 The Power of Marketing

Term: Summer 2026 (Need a different term? Visit the syllabus archive.)

Faculty: Dr. Wendy Zajack, Ph.D.

Course Location: Canvas login page

This course is taught asynchronously via video. There are no live meetings.

For academic help or questions: Contact your assigned Teaching Assistant through the course platform.

For other help, including tech support: Email the Pre-College Online Program team at support@precollegeonline.georgetown.edu.

Course Description:  

Marketing is more than just advertising—it's the strategic process of understanding consumer behavior, crafting compelling messages, and delivering value to the right audience through the right channels. In today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, marketers must balance creativity with data-driven decision-making. This course provides a hands-on, immersive exploration of modern marketing strategies, including brand positioning, consumer insights, campaign development, and channel selection. By engaging with real-world examples and interactive projects, you will develop a strong foundation in marketing principles and learn how to craft impactful marketing campaigns that resonate with target audiences.

Course Objectives:

Throughout this course, you will learn to:

1. Define core marketing principles and explain how they apply to real-world business scenarios.
2. Differentiate between branding, advertising, and marketing strategies to create cohesive campaigns.
3. Analyze consumer behavior and use insights to guide marketing decisions.
4. Identify a brand identity and articulate a positioning strategy that differentiates it in the marketplace.
5. Select and evaluate digital and traditional marketing channels for maximum impact.
6. Build an integrated marketing plan incorporating strategic goals, audience segmentation, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
7. Present a compelling marketing campaign proposal using storytelling and persuasive communication techniques.

Final Project:

You will develop a marketing campaign for a brand of your choice using the tools and skills you will work on throughout the course.

Part 1: Brand Analysis

1. Summarize the business of the brand using the 4 Ps.
2. Use the Star framework to identify the characteristics of the brand.
3. Describe one of the brand's existing marketing campaigns.
4. Outline the brand positioning statement today. Do you think the brand’s positioning needs to evolve for the future?
5. Summarize your qualitative and quantitative findings about consumers’ feelings about the brand.

Part 2: Marketing Strategy

1. Use the GOST framework to outline the elements of the marketing campaign. Specifically, identify: 1 Goal, 2 Objectives, 2 Strategies, 2 Tactics

2. Identify the format of your campaign: digital, non-digital, or both. Address whether your campaign will need a global strategy element.
3. Describe the persona for this campaign.
4. Explain two specific KPIs that you will use to determine the marketing campaign's performance over time.
5. Identify three channels the campaign will use and how those channels will be used throughout the campaign. 

Part 3: The Pitch

Record a presentation pitching the marketing campaign to the rest of your marketing team. Touch on all the above components, but feel free to elaborate or include storytelling techniques to inspire your listeners. Remember, great campaigns connect with the audience on an emotional level!

Course Readings & Required Materials:

This course is delivered online using the Canvas LMS by Instructure. You must have internet access and a connected device that meets Instructure’s technical requirements throughout the course. Though the Canvas LMS and course content may be compatible with other devices, using a laptop or desktop computer is strongly recommended.

Time Expectations & Late Policy:

For November 2025 cohorts and beyond, there are optional due dates throughout the course. If a due date listed is before the course end date, there are no penalties for submitting late work. However, all coursework must be completed by the course end date. There are no extensions or exceptions. Time expectations based on the length of the course are listed below.

Time Expectations:

Due Dates (For November 2025 Cohorts and Beyond):

Due dates are based on the course duration, and the specific dates can be found on each graded assignment. All graded assignments, projects, discussion posts, and quizzes in each module are due based on the following table:

Please remember, graded work may be submitted after the due date without penalty as long as all work is submitted by the course end date. There are no course extensions or exceptions to this policy.

Course Outline

Module 1: Marketing is Everywhere

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the essential elements of marketing and how they contribute to business success.
2. Trace the evolution of marketing and its influence on consumer behavior.
3. Evaluate the structure and impact of marketing campaigns.
4. Examine the role of inclusive and multicultural marketing in avoiding bias and connecting with diverse audiences.

Module Description:

Marketing is embedded in every aspect of our lives, shaping the way we perceive brands and make purchasing decisions. This module explores the foundations of marketing, from its historical evolution to the psychological mechanisms behind consumer choices. You will analyze the modern marketing landscape, examining strategies that effectively engage audiences across diverse cultures and demographics. Real-world examples will illustrate how brands position themselves through storytelling, data analytics, and digital media.

Topics:

• What is marketing?
• The history of marketing.
• Our brains on marketing.
• Stereotypes and biases.
• Inclusive and multicultural marketing.
• The 4 Ps of marketing: product, price, place, promotion.
• Introduction to marketing campaigns.

• Campaigns vs advertising.

Readings:

• Marketing Campaign (Entrepreneur)
• The Future of Marketing is People (Rishad Tobaccowala)
• What is Marketing, and What’s Its Purpose (HubSpot)
• What are the 4 Ps of Marketing? The Marketing Mix Explained (HubSpot)
• Why You Need a Marketing Communications Strategy (Meltwater)
• Why Costco Isn’t Joining the Backlash Against DEI (Wall Street Journal)
• Multicultural Marketing: How to do it Right, with Examples (Shopify)

Module Assignment: Analysis of a Marketing Campaign

Select a particular marketing campaign from your chosen brand. Answer the following questions.

• Part 1: Campaign Selection and Overview:  Provide a brief description of the campaign. Research when the campaign was launched and any relevant historical or cultural events that might have influenced its creation.
• Part 2: Analyzing Essential Elements of Marketing: Break down the campaign into its fundamental components, including the 4 Ps. Explain how the campaign influences consumer behavior. Discuss how it uses emotions, trends, or values to motivate action.
• Part 3: Evaluating the Campaign: What was the campaign trying to accomplish and why? Was it focused on branding, selling, or building customer loyalty? Assess whether the campaign effectively achieved its objectives, based on your research.

Module Assignment: Analysis of Hyundai Expansion to Latin American Market

Review the creative elements of the ‘Because Futbol’ multicultural marketing campaign by Hyundai Motor America as well as some background on their overall marketing strategy and what they have continued to do in this space. Write a one page analysis that includes the following key data points:

• Part 1: Problem Identification: Identify the main problem(s) facing the company. Be sure to use supporting evidence from your review of the provided materials.
• Part 2: Analysis of the multicultural strategy: What were the strengths of the campaign, what were the weaknesses? Why did Hyundai choose the approach it did? Why did it work or not work?
• Part 3: Recommendations: What do you think Hyundai should do next to continue its multicultural marketing? Please explain why this strategy will work and provide target, positioning and some specific ideas around creative strategies.

Module 2: Branding

Learning Objectives:

1. Define branding and its role in building a company’s identity and market perception.
2. Identify key characteristics of successful brands and evaluate their long-term impact.
3. Analyze the influence of mission, vision, and values on brand authenticity.
4. Develop a brand positioning strategy that enhances competitive advantage.

Module Description:

What makes a brand stand out in a crowded marketplace? This module dives into the fundamentals of branding and brand positioning, exploring how companies establish strong identities and foster customer loyalty. You will learn to analyze successful brands using strategic frameworks and craft compelling positioning statements that communicate a brand’s unique value proposition. Case studies and hands-on activities will reinforce key branding principles and strategies.

Topics:

• An introduction to branding.
• Characteristics of a brand.

• The STAR framework.

• Starting with “why.”
• Determining a brand’s equity.
• Mission, vision, and values.
• Building purpose into a brand.
• Brand positioning and storytelling.
• Future positioning and new markets.
• Case study: Avocados from Mexico.

Readings:

• Branding vs Marketing: What’s the Difference? (LinkedIn)
• Chapter 1 of Star Brands: A Brand Manager’s Guide to Build, Manage & Market Brands  (pg 1-10)
• How to Set Brand Goals and Objectives to Help you Grow your Business (Elements)
• Authenticity in Marketing: Why Brands Must Lead with "Why"? (Forbes)
• Crafting the Perfect Brand Positioning Statement (Harvard Business School Online)
• The Aaker Model: A comprehensive guide to building brand identity (Canto)
• Strategic Marketing: Brands Consider the Power of Purpose (Wharton - The University of Pennsylvania)

Module Assignment: Brand Characteristics and the STAR Framework

Put together a 5 minute persuasive recorded presentation answering the following questions on a brand of your choice (your marketing client selected in mod 1).

• Part 1: What are the recognizable brand characteristics of the brand? What consistent unique qualities of the brand identity set it apart from other brands?
• Part 2: Discuss the company’s branding in regards to the STAR framework. Touch on three star qualities in your presentation with examples.
• Part 3: Do you think this company’s branding is successful? Why or why not?  Think about what success means to you — that you know it, that many people want to buy this brand, that it is cool, etc.

Module Assignment: Brand Positioning Statements

Create a brand positioning statement for both your chosen company and one of its major competitors. Brand positioning includes: your target audience, product category and competitors, key benefits unique to your brand, and why the audience should believe in the brand.

• Part 1: Write a Positioning Statement for your Company: Create a brand positioning statement for your chosen brand.
• Part 2: Write a Positioning Statement for your Competition: Pick one of the major competitors for your brand and write a positioning statement for them.
• Part 3: Compare the two statements: How are things similar, how are things different? Do you feel your brand has a good position against its major competitor or is it hard to tell the difference? Why or why not?

Module 3: Understanding Consumers

Learning Objectives:

1. Conduct research to predict consumer behavior and align marketing efforts with audience needs.
2. Identify and apply consumer insights to improve marketing effectiveness.
3. Interpret qualitative and quantitative data to shape marketing strategies.
4. Develop audience personas to enhance marketing personalization and engagement.

Module Description:

Marketing success hinges on understanding the consumer—what they think, feel, and do. This module introduces students to consumer research methodologies, including primary and secondary research, data analytics, and behavioral insights. You will learn to identify patterns in consumer decision-making, develop audience personas, and apply insights to marketing strategies that drive engagement and loyalty.

Topics:

• Identifying a target audience.
• Why marketers need research.
• Types of research.

• Primary and secondary research.
• Qualitative and quantitative research.

• The “Think, Feel, Do” framework.
• Demographics and psychographics.
• Consumer insights.
• Developing a persona.

Readings:

• The segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) marketing model (Smart Insights)
• How to obtain free secondary market research reports for startups? (LinkedIn)
• What is psychographic segmentation? A beginner’s guide (Qualtrics)
• What is an Insight? (LinkedIn)
• What is a Persona? Everything You Need to Know (HubSpot)

Module Assignment: Researching the Company

Continuing with the chosen company, you will conduct different types of research about your audience, which you will summarize in a one-page research summary.

• Part 1: Research: Conduct secondary research. Find at least five sources you can reference. Conduct primary research, specifically qualitative research (2 - 3 interviews), to help define the right target audience for your brand and marketing campaign.
• Part 2: Summary of Key Findings: Write a one-page research summary of your highlights, including key findings in each area.

Module Assignment: Developing a Persona and Consumer Insight

In this assignment, you will create a detailed persona and uncover a meaningful insight that shapes their behavior.

• Part 1: Create a persona for your target audience: The persona should be representative of your target audience and should feel like someone you would know.  
• Part 2: Develop an insight into your audience: An insight is not just a data point or an observation it should: have a tension, be both surprising and obvious, a creative thought, lead to something and lead to change for your audience.  
• Part 3: Create a 3-5 slide presentation: The slide presentation should introduce the persona and insight as if you are introducing them to a friend. Be sure to include the main reason the persona is buying and thinking about your company’s product or service.

Module 4: Marketing Goals & Strategy

Learning Objectives:

1. Differentiate between marketing goals, objectives, and strategies.
2. Apply the GOST (Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Tactics) framework to campaign planning.
3. Design marketing strategies that align with brand positioning and consumer needs.
4. Establish KPIs to measure marketing effectiveness and optimize performance.

Module Description:

A well-planned marketing strategy ensures that brand messages reach the right audience in the right way. This module introduces you to strategic marketing planning using industry-standard frameworks. Through case studies and hands-on assignments, you will learn how to craft marketing strategies that integrate branding, audience insights, and measurable outcomes. You will also explore key performance indicators (KPIs) to track campaign success.

Topics:

• Introduction to marketing goals and objectives.

• Identification of a goal.
• Creating a SMART objective.

• Introduction to campaign strategy.
• Creating tactics based on the GOST framework.
• Types of strategies.

• Content strategy.
• Digital strategy.
• Integrated strategy.
• Brand collaborations.

• Measuring success and creating KPIs.

Readings:

• How to define SMART marketing objectives (Smart Insights)
• The Difference Between Marketing and Goals & Objectives (Chron)
• Marketing Strategies: 17 Examples Plus Tips for Writing One (Indeed)
• How to Develop a Content Strategy in 7 Steps: A Start-to-Finish Guide (HubSpot)
• Global Marketing Strategy: 10 Principles of International Marketing and Global Branding (MediaBeacon)
• Weird but Good: The Art of Fresh Brand Collaborations (AdWeek)
• Seven Marketing KPIs You Should Know and How to Measure Them (Harvard Business School Online)
• A Simple Guide to Marketing ROI (Hubspot)
• Calculating a Marketing Budget: How To Create and What To Consider (Indeed)

Module Assignment: Create Goals and Objectives

Think about this target audience for your brand and develop one goal and two objectives for your marketing campaign.

• Part 1: Create one overarching goal for your marketing campaign: This does not have to be something achieved in the time frame of your campaign – but more something your campaign is a part of.
• Part 2: Create two objectives using the SMART objective format: Each objective should directly support the goal developed in Part 1. Explain how each objective meets the requirements of a SMART objective.

Module Assignment: Strategy and KPIs

Reflecting on the goals and objectives created in the previous assignment, create your marketing strategy and determine how you will measure success.

• Part 1: Describe Your Strategy: Will your strategy involve non-digital elements, digital elements, or both? Will you use an integrated strategy? How does your strategy align with your goals and objectives? Explain your reasoning.
• Part 2: Determine your KPIs: Based on your goals, objectives, and strategy, identify how you will measure the success of your campaign. What KPIs could you use to determine success? How will these KPIs help you assess the success of your objectives?

Module 5: Marketing Channels

Learning Objectives:

1. Compare different marketing channels, including digital, traditional, and experiential strategies.
2. Assess the effectiveness of various media platforms for audience engagement.
3. Evaluate how brands integrate multiple channels into cohesive marketing campaigns.
4. Explore emerging marketing technologies, including AI and automation.

Module Description:

With an overwhelming number of marketing channels available, selecting the right ones is crucial. This module explores digital marketing (social media, SEO, email marketing), traditional media (TV, radio, print), and experiential marketing (events, influencer partnerships). You will analyze case studies of integrated campaigns and develop a channel strategy tailored to their marketing goals. The role of AI and automation in optimizing marketing efforts will also be discussed.

Topics:

• Introduction to marketing channels.
• Types of channels.

• TV advertising.
• Direct mail.
• Email marketing.
• Radio & podcast.
• Social media.
• Events & experiential marketing.

• Selecting the right channel.
• SEO & SEM.
• AI and marketing.
• GEO.
• Channels and budget considerations.
• Putting it all together.

Readings:

• Marketing Channel Strategy 101: Everything You Need to Know (Semrush)
• A Straightforward Approach to  Selecting Marketing Channels (Impravado)
• Top Marketing Channels for 2024 (HubSpot)
• Paid vs. Owned vs. Earned Media: What's the Difference? (Harvard Business School Online)
• A 2024 PESO Model Primer for Communicators (Spin Sucks)
• The CMO’s Guide to Marketing Metrics (The CMO)
• Event Marketing - How to Build Strategy and Connect with your Customer in Real Life (HubSpot)
• Direct Mail Campaigns Aren’t Dead: 7 Ways to Boost Responses and Save Money (American Marketing Association)
• The Power of Podcasts (Voices)
• 6 Future Marketing Trends that will Define 2025 (Impact)  
• How Generative AI Can Boost Consumer Marketing (McKinsey)
• 8 Ways to Use AI in Digital Marketing (HubSpot)

Module Assignment: PESO Model

Think about your brand and its target audience and come up with two tactics from each category of the PESO Module (Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned).

• Select Two Tactics Per Category (total of eight tactics): For each tactic, provide: A clear description of what the tactic is, a justification explaining why this tactic is effective for your brand and target audience, and how this tactic aligns with your brand’s positioning statement.

Module Assignment: AI and Marketing

Think about ways you may be able to leverage AI in a marketing campaign to be more successful. Create a 5 minute presentation that would be given to your team members to explain to them how AI will impact marketing as well as the choices marketers make to reach their audiences. Your presentation must cover three key areas:

• Part 1: Analytics: How AI helps with campaign optimization, audience insights, and performance tracking.
• Part 2: Content Creation & Personalization: How AI can improve content generation, targeting, and engagement.
• Part 3: Potential Pitfalls: The risks of using AI in marketing and considerations for responsible implementation.

Module 6: Course Conclusion and Final Capstone Project

Topics:

• Future of the field.
• Careers in the field.
• Journey to college.
• Words of advice.
• About the university.
• Final Capstone Project.

Capstone Project Presentation:

As mentioned above, in this final project you will create a pitch for a comprehensive marketing campaign for a brand of your choice, applying the tools and strategies learned throughout the course. Your project consists of three key components: brand analysis, marketing strategy, and the pitch.

Grades

Grading Throughout the Course:

You will be graded on assignments, discussion posts, quizzes, and your final project. These grades will contribute to your final quality (letter) grade, which will appear on your Georgetown University transcript. Important: Assignments, quizzes, discussion posts, and the final project can be submitted only once. You will not be able to resubmit assignments, discussion posts, or projects or reattempt quizzes, so please review your work carefully before submitting.

Each graded component in the course will be assigned a point value as follows:

• Assignments (written or project-based): 20 points each
• Discussion board posts (as assigned): 3 points each
• Quizzes: 5 points each
• Final project: 20 points

Your assignments, discussion board posts, and final project will be scored according to the course rubrics. Your grade (%) on the assignment will be calculated as total points earned / total points possible.

Final Grades:

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

• Assignments - 50%
• Discussion board posts (as assigned) - 20%
• Quizzes - 5%
• Final project - 25%

Once calculated, your final grade (%) will be converted to a letter grade according to the university’s grading scheme for undergraduate courses, as shown below. Note that there is no rounding, e.g. 93.9% is <94% and an A- rather than rounded up to 94% and an A.

Withdrawal (W Grades)

If you are unable to complete the course or are concerned about earning an unsatisfactory grade, please review the Withdrawal FAQ and refer to the academic calendar for deadlines.

Program and Course Policies

Academic Calendar:

Important dates and deadlines can be found on the academic calendar. Deadlines are firm in accordance with university policy. If you have or anticipate having an issue with these deadlines, please contact support@precollegeonline.georgetown.edu as early as possible to see what options may be available to you within university policy.

Accessibility & Accommodations:  

We are committed to accessibility, inclusivity, and serving individuals with different abilities.  To help make the course experience accessible and inclusive, all videos feature closed-captioning and variable playback speed with unlimited viewing; the platform and content are screen-reader-friendly; and quizzes and assignments are untimed. If you require accommodations, please contact support@precollegeonline.georgetown.edu so that the Pre-College Online Programs team may coordinate your accommodation request with the appropriate department(s).  Please contact early and prior to your start date to allow time for the accommodations review process and implementation of any required accommodations.

Code of Conduct:

All students are expected to treat others, including other students, instructors, staff, and individuals appearing in the course, with dignity and respect at all times while participating in Programs and to be honest in all their dealings with the Program staff and the university. We may remove from any Program students whom we deem, in our sole discretion, to:

• be disruptive to the learning environment or threatening or dangerous in any way to other students or staff;

• have acted in a manner that shows a lack of dignity or respect for the university, students, staff, or others, including but not limited to behavior that could reasonably be considered harassment, bullying, sexual misconduct, or demonstration of bias against an individual or group because of their actual or perceived color, disability, ethnicity, sex, gender (including gender identification or expression), national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other aspect of identity;

• have lied or otherwise misrepresented facts to Program staff or the university;

• have engaged in academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism;

• have violated any intellectual property rights or committed copyright infringement, including unauthorized sharing of account access or Program content (does not include sharing of Student’s own original work, which is permitted);

• have violated the privacy, confidentiality, or legal rights of the university, students, or staff;

• or have otherwise violated the Terms of Use governing their enrollment.  

If you are removed from a College Credit Program for violation of this Code of Conduct, you may be subject to mandatory withdrawal (W grade, no grade points or credits) and, if so, will not receive any refund or other compensation. Students who are removed for such violations may also be subject to further sanctions and/or reported to relevant authorities.

Intellectual Property:

Programs are for your personal and non-commercial use only.  Programs may not be shared, re-sold, reproduced, re-published, modified, transferred or distributed in any way without our prior written permission. All video, audio, text, animations, books, diagrams, images and other content that you receive or to which you have access during your Programs, regardless of medium or format, (collectively, “Program Content”), are protected by copyright law.  You may not download, record, screenshot, copy or reproduce Program Content in any way. You may not make any audio and/or video recording of a class or any part of your Program. You may not attempt to decompile, reverse engineer, scrape or datamine Programs.

Course designed by:

Dr. Wendy Zajack, Ph.D.

Faculty Director and Associate Professor of the Practice

The University reserves the right to modify the course as may become necessary.