Video games, once considered the domain of young kids and self-proclaimed geeks, are growing at an astounding rate. According to NewZoo’s Global Games Market Report, the industry was expected to reach $138B in 2018. With that growth and the emergence of esports we’re now seeing gamers stepping into the influencer role alongside traditional athletes. One of those gamers, Ninja, has teamed up with energy drink producer Red Bull.
Red Bull wants to boost brand awareness in the gamer segment who frequently rely on energy drinks to power through long gaming sessions. Red Bull’s campaign includes a contest that gives fans a chance to meet Ninja and have a gaming session with the superstar. You can read more about the campaign in this Marketing Dive article. The topic could apply to a discussion about segmentation, brand building, influencers and advertising/sales promotion.
In a move to make their brand appear more authentic, American Eagle’s spring campaign will feature photos and videos from customers in their own environments rather than professional studio locations. The 10 “cast members” selected were discovered through their social media posts. You can read more about this campaign and the #AExME cast from American Eagle’s 
I frequently see students suffer from cognitive bias. They define the world based on their own observations and experiences and it can be a challenge to help them break free of their own bias and look at the market more objectively. Demonstrating this bias is pretty easy – just ask your students how Coca-cola should market a new beverage. Chances are they’re going to answer the question based on what they think will be most effective for them and their peers but they need to think about it from a corporate perspective. What’s the largest and/or most profitable target market? Should they use a segmented strategy or combine multiple demographics together?
Every generation presents new marketing challenges. As consumers flock to online shopping, CoverGirl decided to open their first brick-and-mortar location in Times Square, NY. You can read about the new store and it’s planned opening (Black Friday) in 
While many promotional strategies are ageless, to be most effective you need to know how to fine-tune your strategy for your target market. If you’re targeting a particular age-group of individuals, you may be able to capitalize on generational trends. Authenticity is becoming increasingly important to consumers, particularly to millennials and Gen Z. This article, “