The DMAW/EF Collegiate MAXI Competition Helped Shape My Career

by Kellie Ketterman

This past November 2016, I participated in the Fall Collegiate MAXI Competition held in Alexandria, Virginia. As a member of Salisbury University’s Marketing Excellence Club, my peers and professors encouraged me to participate. From past competitors I learned how great the MAXI experience is. I thought I’d get experience creating a marketing campaign, as well as be able to test the waters of direct and integrated marketing. I wasn’t wrong! I had a great time presenting the campaign my team members and I worked on and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting members of the DMAW Educational Foundation.

I gained confidence in presenting a campaign in front of peers and various executives. I also learned about collaborating with a team to create a direct/integrated marketing campaign. I was able to see how the process works in the “real world” because we had to present our campaigns just as though we were presenting to executives at a company.

MAXI also taught me a lot about integrated marketing. The 2016 fall semester was my final semester before entering the marketing program at Salisbury. MAXI was my first exposure to integrated marketing and I am so glad I was able to “practice” it before learning in the classroom. Our campaign not only taught me what integrated marketing is, but also gave me a chance to see a real world application in action. It was great seeing how important integrated marketing is to companies and how much that skill can affect a company’s revenue and public image.

After MAXI, I’m not only considering integrated marketing as a career, it’s definitely what I want to do after college. At MAXI, I had the great opportunity to meet marketing executives from various companies and firms in the DC area. Meeting these professionals in person and hearing what they do daily solidified that career choice.

In short, MAXI helped me the most in three specific areas: public speaking, integrated marketing skills, and teamwork skills. Before MAXI, I would get nervous presenting in front of a lot of people and would doubt myself. But after the competition I feel more confident in public speaking and my ability to present my ideas to peers, professors, or executives. Meanwhile, I learned enough about integrated marketing to feel I have a leg up before I enter the marketing program at Salisbury. On top of being more comfortable with the field, the MAXI competition has given me a head start on finding and preparing for marketing internships. Last, but definitely not least, MAXI taught me how to work with a team over an extended period and successfully create a campaign. In fact, MAXI taught me so much this semester, I can’t wait to come back and compete again!

 

Kellie Ketterman is a junior at Salisbury University with a major in Marketing and minor in Communication Arts. She is a member of SU’s Marketing Excellence club, as well as an active member on SU’s Quidditch team. She also is a DJ and host of “The Sound” on WXSU 96.3, SU’s student run radio station. Reach her at kketterman1@gulls.salisbury.edu.