Sustainability is an eco-friendly buzzword in every industry today, including retail.
So it’s no surprise this hot topic was among those offered for the second Target Case Study Competition recently completed by students in the spring session of the College of Business Administration’s Retail Marketing undergraduate course.
“This very challenging sustainability case study focused on one of three product areas-personal care, beauty or home,” said Tim Dugan Birrittella, the course instructor. “The Target team was blown away by the students’ creativity. In fact, they sent some of the ideas on to corporate headquarters for possible implementation.”
Going green earns some green.
Students Cristina Campos, Chiara de la Vega, Anthony Mantecon (BBA ’09), and Vianna Rivero (BBA ’09) presented the winning case study that offered bold concepts for Target’s home products. Target awarded each winning student a $1,000 scholarship.
According to Mantecon, they presented ideas for an in-store home section that created an inviting habitat, complete with kiosks that measured customers’ carbon footprints and tips for greener living. The featured items would be made from natural or recycled materials, and more ENERGY STAR-rated products would be available.
“We also made recommendations to help Target boost its rating to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council,” said Mantecon, who reports that the work on the Target case study helped him land an internship with a marketing consulting company.
“Our students, who are not yet caught up in the constraints of corporate life, offered Target fresh thinking on sustainable alternatives-at the caliber they might expect from an outside consulting company,” Birrittella said. “And the students not only gained practical retail marketing experience, but they also had the opportunity to work closely with a Target recruiter, which is opening the doors to some career opportunities.”
The first Target case study competition, held in the fall semester, focused on the Hispanic retail market.
