Imagine the following scenario:

You are working for Buhi Supply Co., a bag and apparel company that’s been doubling in size for the past five years. As the junior digital marketing specialist intern, you are responsible for the company’s digital marketing efforts (search engine advertising, landing page optimization, display advertising and shopping ads). That means you manage a $50,000 budget!

This is all part of a simulation called Stukent – The Digital Marketing Simulation, which allows you to test different keywords and bidding strategies in search engine advertising (SEA), test different versions of display advertising to find new customers and reach out to your existing customer base, and optimize your landing pages. All while you compete against other companies selling similar products.

After completing this course, the students will be able to:

1. calculate the most important metrics in order to optimize digital marketing campaigns,

2. describe the importance of experiments for digital marketing in various contexts, and identify the differences between the various forms of experiments that can be done in a digital environment (e.g., A/B testing, difference-in-difference designs, etc.),

4. create search campaigns:  select and optimize keywords and their bids, organize ad groups and ads,

5. conduct landing page optimization,

6.  identify and analyze key performance indicators and use analyses to make qualified recommendations for improving campaigns, 

7. organize, create, and optimize interest and remarketing display ads,

8. organize, create, and optimize shopping ads,

9. effectively communicate the chosen strategy and anaylsis in a presentation.

This course will be held in presence or distance mode, depending on the current WU regulations regarding the pandemic.

Attendance of at least 8 out of the 10 classes is required. In special instances, there will be a possibility to compensate for one additional absence on individual basis.

Phase 1: Lectures & articles

Session 1: Introduction to the course and digital marketing basics

Session 2: Search Engine Advertising

Session 3: Display Advertising

Session 4: Does Digital Marketing Work?

Presentations are a group task. You will be divided in groups of 4 or 5.

After talking about the articles, you will get some practical input on paid search marketing and display advertising. This part is prepared in collaboration with a digital marketing practitioner, to ensure the most up-to-date knowledge. We will talk about the process of creating different marketing campaigns: objectives and KPIs, best copy practices, audience segmentation and targeting options, campaign monitoring and optimization, and finally performance measures and result analysis.

Phase 2: Digital Marketing Simulation

Stukent – The Digital Marketing Simulation is a digital marketing simulation, in which you compete with other companies in selling bags and backpacks online. You gain hands-on experience in digital marketing, all while managing a $5,000 campaign budget per round. You experience the digital marketing challenges that exist in the real world: Targeted Ads, Keyword Research, Key Performance Indicators, Competitor Research, A/B Testing, Landing Pages.

The simulation has 10 decision-making rounds. For each round, you will receive the objective that needs to be accomplished, and you will need to make your marketing decisions. After each round, you will be provided with data for your campaigns of the previous round. 

29th November: Introduction + Round 1

       until 5th December: Round 2 

6th December: Rounds 3, 4, 5 + Q&A

       until 12th December: Rounds 6&7

13th December: Guest Lecture + Q&A

       until 5th January: Rounds 8, 9, 10

All rounds are played individually.

Phase 3: Summary

10th January: Simulation Summary + Final presentations

At the end of the simulation, you will work in groups again to create a summary of the strategy your team members chose for their simulation. Your task is to dive deep into the datasets of all your team members, analyze your decisions and campaigns as well as benchmark your results. What differences can you find in the approaches? What worked well or not so well? What directions would you give for Buhi’s future digital marketing efforts?

The review should include thorough data analysis, presented in an approachable way. Think of it as a reporting presentation you would give your boss at the end of a campaign. Use plots, analyze your results, and make it engaging.

Weights for each grading component:

• 30% of the final grade is based on presentations on the three articles.

• 10% of the final grade is based on active participation in the classes.

• 45% of the final grade is based on the results and rank in the 10 rounds of the simulation.

• 15% of the final grade is based on the final presentation & peer assessment.

Bonus Task: In addition, you will receive a maximum of 15 bonus points for a summary of an article about online shopping. .

The transformation of the grade:

• 1 (sehr gut / excellent): 100% - 90% of all points

• 2 (gut / good): 89% - 80% of all points

• 3 (befriedigend / satisfactory): 79% - 70% of all points

• 4 (genügend / sufficient): 69% - 60% of all points

• 5 (nicht genügend / fail): Below 60% of all points

I am happy to answer your questions - feel free to send me a short email (alicja.grzadziel@wu.ac.at) if you would like to have a call or talk in person. I will try to be available in the classroom (or online) after classes and during the breaks.