Lessons From DECA’s Future Marketers
By Payal Parikh, VP of Client Services at Heinz Marketing
I recently had the opportunity to judge the DECA area competition, and for the second year in a row, I was left feeling inspired. I was expecting to evaluate student marketing projects, but instead, I found myself learning from these high school students. They presented fully developed marketing strategies with confidence and clarity, and it was a powerful reminder of the potential of young people when given the right platforms.
The students I evaluated ranged from freshmen to juniors, and their experience levels with DECA varied. However, what struck me was their natural ability to make bold choices in their marketing plans, think about corporate responsibility, and promote sustainable brands. Their projects went far beyond “student projects” and demonstrated a working understanding of segmentation, positioning, channel mix, messaging, budget, and metrics.
What impressed me most was the caliber of thinking and research that went into their presentations. They demonstrated creativity, critical thinking, and a clear understanding of the components of a marketing plan. They also showed a remarkable ability to integrate corporate responsibility, ethics, and social impact into their strategies, treating these aspects as essential components of their messaging frameworks, partnerships, and community engagement strategies.
Their presentation skills were also noteworthy, with executive-level confidence and clarity. They led with insight, tied everything back to their main business goal, and handled questions with poise and thoughtfulness. It was humbling to see high school students demonstrate skills that many professionals spend years developing.
So, what can marketers learn from these high school DECA students? Here are a few key lessons:
1. **Start with curiosity, not conclusions**: These students approached problems with fresh curiosity, grounding their plans in research, context, and customer understanding. Marketers can learn from this approach, taking the time to understand their target audience and asking fundamental questions before developing a strategy.
2. **Be bold with ideas, disciplined with strategy**: The students’ marketing plans were compelling because they combined creativity with discipline. They pitched ambitious campaigns, but also demonstrated a clear understanding of how to execute them. Marketers can learn from this balance of bold thinking and strategic rigor.
3. **Treat ethics and brand purpose as strategic tools**: The students recognized that brands have a responsibility to influence culture, behavior, and perception. Marketers can learn from this perspective, integrating ethics and brand purpose into their strategies as essential components of their messaging frameworks, partnerships, and community engagement strategies.
Judging DECA was a reminder that expertise should never close the door to new thinking. The next generation of marketers is entering the field with creativity, strategic rigor, ethical grounding, and confidence. As marketers, we can learn from their fresh perspectives, curiosity, and enthusiasm. By embracing these qualities, we can build strategies that mean something and drive real results.