Abstract:

College students often perceive marketing programs as obsolete due to their strong focus on theoretical instruction, while opportunities to develop practical and creative skills remain limited in classroom settings. The creativity of undergraduate students can be significantly enhanced when theoretical knowledge is applied through structured creative practice using industry-standard creative briefs by expert teachers. This paper examines the outcomes of a creative project delivery within the framework of an international marketing planning project. Students worked in teams during class sessions, conducted market research, defined the creative brief, and delivered a creative campaign. They were asked to conceptualize innovative marketing ideas for a target market, develop a coherent creative narrative, and present their ideas as if presenting them to a client while maintaining alignment with their prior market research. The sample consisted of 30 undergraduate students specializing in marketing who were enrolled in the International Marketing Planning course. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA, and the main hypotheses proposed that this teaching approach would enhance students’ creativity, deepen their understanding of marketing theory, increase the memorability of key concepts, and support more active in-class engagement and team collaboration compared with traditional group project formats. The results indicate a positive effect across most measured dimensions, suggesting that integrating a real-life creative concept development project into marketing education can effectively bridge theoretical knowledge and practical application, while preparing students for real-world marketing challenges.

Keywords:

Classroom creativity, marketing project course, industry standards in education.