Digital Marketing Consulting Competition

As part of my Digital Marketing course, I worked on a semester-long group project developing a comprehensive marketing strategy for the Milwaukee Theater District. The goal was to create an integrated campaign that included clearly defined target market personas, a creative concept, digital promotional plans, and a brand activation strategy. Our final deliverables included a detailed written report and a professional presentation to a panel of judges from the Milwaukee Theater District and Visit Milwaukee. The project emphasized real-world feasibility, data-driven insights, and creative storytelling.

I worked with three other team members, each of us taking the lead on different components of the campaign. My specific role was to lead the Brand Activation Plan and Implementation Timeline. I proposed an experiential marketing campaign that aligned with the Theater District’s goals, featuring a detailed schedule for when and how each activation would be executed. My plan included Milwaukee Theater District themed pop-up photo booths in four big midwest cities where people could take photos and videos on why they deserve a weekend trip to Milwaukee. There would be a QR code on the printed photo strips linking to the landing page where they could learn more. I collaborated closely with my teammates to ensure our messaging, design elements, and overall strategies were cohesive across all parts of the campaign.

Our team was ultimately selected as the winner out of ten groups! A key component of our success was the Creative Strategy section, where we analyzed Visit Milwaukee’s 2024 efforts and built a targeted campaign around insights like cultural identity, device-based content optimization, and bundled experiences. Our "Thank You, 5" campaign theme emphasized weekend travel through customizable packages including shows, dining, lodging, and local excursions, appealing to both adventurous travelers and romantic couples.

The most challenging part of the project was managing the many moving pieces of the campaign, especially under tight deadlines and multiple feedback rounds. However, these challenges helped me grow my skills in time management, communication, and strategic alignment. My biggest takeaway was seeing how a comprehensive marketing strategy can evolve from individual components into a cohesive, professional proposal that solves a real-world business challenge. I’m proud of the work we’ve done as a team and even prouder that our campaign was recognized as the strongest of the group.