December 2008

The Georgia Tech MBA students who won the brand audit contest in the fall Strategic Brand Management course did such an impressive job that Air2Web has decided to implement many of their recommendations.

In teams of four to six people, students in the class worked all semester to audit the Air2Web brand, assessing its strengths and weaknesses, and to develop new strategic directions.

The winning team, Tech4U, included MBA students Jessica Delisle, Theresa A. Gahl, Shannow Harlow, and Brian Fosse.

"This project is always a win-win situation for the students and participating companies," says Koert van Ittersum, an assistant marketing professor who teaches Strategic Brand Management. "The students really appreciate the opportunitiy to work on real cases and feel they make a difference, while the clients get a fresh perspective on their branding activities and how they might be improved. The project really highlights the College's impressive MBA talent."

For the past three years, the brands which students audit in the class have been suggested by Bob Morrison, CEO of the Morrison Agency, a leading marketing communications firm that consults with companies across the country to build brands. This partnership with Morrison enables students to work on real client situations and to receive in-person, professional feedback on their performance.

During the course, Air2Web CEO Tom Cotney visited the class, and each team had individual client meetings with him and Morrison. At semester’s end, all the teams presented their final audit reports and strategic recommendations. Cotney was so pleased with the winning team members' work that he invited them to share their suggestions with other members of his senior management team.