MARKETING 5200 – PARK BENCH MARKETING GROUP CLASS
FALL 2014
MICHAEL LISSAUER
VC 12-240
Michael.lissauer@yahoo.com
OBJECTIVES
Marketing 5200 is the classroom tie-in with the Park Bench Marketing Group that was created in
the fall of 2008 as a fully integrated and multidisciplinary in-house marketing communications
group. The group’s capabilities, and therefore the skill-set utilized in the classroom, include print
and digital advertising, branding, graphic and web design, social media and public relations. The
objective of the class is to allow students to utilize what has been taught in the classroom and
translates it into a real-world experience by enabling them to work with business professionals,
both within and outside the Baruch College community, on pro-bono projects. These projects
are selected based upon their diversified goals and objectives and because of the clients ability
to provide feedback to the members of Park Bench and to work with them as a team. The class
also undertakes projects for members of the class as a marketing incubator. Our goal is to
enable students to grow in the areas of critical thinking, written and verbal communications.
CLASSROOM POLICY
The course is relatively straightforward. The class will be divided into groups, the number
dependent on the number of students registered for the class. Some projects will be done by
groups, others by the class as a whole. Most classes will be spent either evaluating work done in
group sessions or brainstorming marketing communications concepts and ideas. Additionally,
guest speakers will come to class to accelerate the learning curve by focusing on key marketing
subjects and skills and the class will also make field trips to advertising and PR agencies.
Speakers and fieldtrips include the following:
1. SOCIAL MEDIA – Laundry Service (Don Middleberg)
2. ADVERTISING CREATIVITY – Jerry Pickholz (formerly of Ogilvy & Mather), Stanley Becker
(formerly of Saatchi), Robin Albin (creative director, Brash) and Alex Lirtsman (Ready Set
Rocket - digital agency)
3. ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT – Scott Buckley (Burns Group) and Mike Donahue (AAAA)
4. PUBLIC RELATIONS –Bill Southard (Southard Communications)
5. MEDIA PLANNING – Leslie Grand, Trisha Clark (Carat/Aegis)
Additionally I will speak from real world experience on a regular basis about the core
competencies of marketing communications, as well as interviewing skills, resume development,
etc.
There will be no text books for the class nor exams, however there will be in addition to weekly
project assignments a variety of written and oral presentations due on specific weeks to
improve communications skills. For instance, at the first class as a means of introducing
themselves each student is required to select a print ad and explain why they like it – does it
motivate them, make them laugh, etc.
As a final assignment the student have the option to work in two-person groups or as individuals
and prepare and present a print or web ad that will interest and motivate companies to become
pro-bono clients of Park Bench.
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS
Early classroom sessions will focus on marketing communications tools – print advertising,
branding, social media, public relations, web and graphic design – that students will have to
master and apply to real-world projects. In addition to classroom meetings, students are
mandated to meet as groups with and without their clients to simulate real-world consulting.
BY WEEK
1. Introduction to class objectives and procedures
2. Prospective client presentations
3. Group assignments (some projects are initiated by groups, some by entire class)
4. Guest speaker
5. Field trip
6. Focus on EOC and other Baruch internal projects
7. Guest speaker
8. Focus on class projects
9. Focus on class projects
10. Field trip
11. Focus on projects
12. Guest speaker
13. Focus on projects
14. Conclusion of all projects and feedback from clients
15. Presentation of final ad assignment
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Do not be misled by the lack of a formal class structure. Students are taught to adapt and adjust
based upon changing client needs and objectives. Additionally new projects will be introduced
during the course of the semester.
Through the actual implementation of marketing strategies or the development of marketing
plans the students will learn the basics of marketing communications – ad development,
utilization of social media, public relations and graphic design (for ads, brochures and hand-outs
and for web design).
Team building is a skill that will be magnified by the groups that are established to work on
certain projects. Some projects will be undertaken by groups, others by the entire class.
The students will learn by doing and via critique by their fellow students, clients and the
professor. They will take away with them both the ability to get things done, as well as material
for a portfolio that hopefully will make them more competitive in the job marketplace
EVALUATION (GRADING WEIGHTS)
Grades will be objective and will be based upon each student’s attendance, classroom
participation, creativity, teamwork, leadership and project accomplishment (did they meet the
goals and objectives of their client?)
20% of the grade will be influenced by classroom participation
60% of the grade will be influenced by the success of the myriad projects in which they will
participate (input will be solicited from clients and students will also be judged by final
presentations)
20% of the grade will be influenced by final class project (the development of a print or web ad
that will encourage prospective pro-bono clients to utilize the services of the Park Bench
Marketing Group. Each ad will highlight the unique nature of Park Bench Marketing Group –
ability to work with Baruch students with experience in advertising, branding, graphic and web
design, social media and public relations. Students are encouraged to think of the BIG IDEA.
They can work as individuals or as teams of two.
PROJECTS
Projects will either be worked on in groups or by the entire class and change from semester to
semester. The decision will be based upon the complexity of the project and the interest level of
the students.
This semester projects will be undertaken for Kokobo Greenscapes (social media/PR), Dorian
Orange (marketing plan development), American Hebrew Academy (social media/PR),
Presentation Excellence (thought leadership campaign), Boca West Country Club (evaluate social
media platform/website), Hire Cause (business challenge) and the Baruch Marketing
Department in conjunction with RSR and Interbrand (market November conference).