On Dec. 11, 2007, a student team from SDSU’s MBA program represented the College of Business Administration in a marketing presentation to executives of Beam Global Spirits and Wine Inc. in Deerfield, Ill. The marketing team consisted of graduate students Judy Phung, Hakan Erdener, Tiffany Guerra, and Kimberly Guy, who were enrolled in Don Sciglimpaglia’s MKT 766 Seminar in Marketing Research course. Advising the students on the project were Sciglimpaglia, as well as Thomas Cronin of EdVenture Partners and Gary Ross, the Brand Manager of Jim Beam.

The challenge set by Beam Global was to create a marketing campaign for Jim Beam bourbon whiskey that would target Hispanic Americans. To narrow their target market, the team launched a comprehensive national survey, and then investigated further with intercept interviews at various San Diego locations.

After weeks of intensive research and analysis, the team presented their results and conclusions, culminating in a revised brand marketing strategy and integrated marketing communication plan, to top-level executives, including Beam global president and chief executive officer, Thomas J. Flocco; chief marketing officer, Rory Finlay; and senior vice president corporate affairs, Chris Swonger.

Following a rigorous question and answer session, CEO Flocco, who was particularly intrigued by certain insights yielded by the research, congratulated the team and deemed the project “… outstanding”. Concluded Ross, “… working with the team from SDSU was a great experience and my brand management team gained a lot of useful information and insight from the project.”

Back at SDSU, the team reflected on the value of the experience. “This was an incredible opportunity to learn, first-hand, about the challenges and decisions faced by market researchers and strategic managers,” said Guerra. Phung added, “… and to consult to the CEO and other brand directors at Beam Global headquarters? Invaluable!”

Previously, students in Don Sciglimpaglia’s Seminar in Marketing Research course have conducted research and presented conclusions and recommendations for numerous Fortune 500 companies. Prior projects took first place in national marketing case competitions for repositioning of the Cadillac brand to women, marketing the Honda Fit to Gen Y consumers and marketing of Moroccan stone and tile products in the United States.