Submitted by Scott Maybee, Professor, Digital Marketing Communications
While marketing is traditionally known for promoting products and services, there's an increasing emphasis on its potential to address social issues such as public health, social justice, and sustainability.
To explore social marketing while gaining real-world experience, students in St. Lawrence College’s Digital Marketing Communications (DMC) program are learning to leverage marketing communications to create positive social impact in their communities.
“Our class puts marketing theory into practice,” says Scott Maybee, faculty member in the DMC program. “Students work with community partners who act as clients, applying their knowledge to address real marketing challenges, research solutions, and develop robust campaign proposals, many of which are implemented by their clients.”
During the winter 2024 term, first-semester students in the Integrated Marketing Communications class collaborated with Kingston 4 Paws Service Dogs (K4Paws), a local charity providing trained service dogs to physically and emotionally challenged individuals and their families in Southeastern Ontario.
“Working with the DMC students at SLC gave K4Paws a huge boost,” says Stacey Roques, Secretary of the board. “The student groups provided fresh and innovative ideas for engaging with the community and increasing K4Paws' visibility. They focused on our commitment to increasing individual confidence and independence through the human-dog bond to create branding and content strategies that felt authentic and aligned with K4Paws' purpose.”
Stacey notes that since working with the students, the organization has expanded its marketing and communications plan. “We are finally poised to strategically increase awareness of K4Paws' pivotal work in the Kingston community and beyond.”
Amanda Babcock, Raj Yogesh Vyas, and Leslie Aguirre, students in the DMC program, were members of teams that presented their final campaign concepts to the organization.
“Working with a local nonprofit brought all that theoretical knowledge to life and gave me practical insights that you just can't get from a textbook,” says Amanda. “It was such a valuable experience that truly enriched my learning in the program.”
"The project helped me understand how real marketing works and that there are a lot more aspects about marketing projects to consider including budget, time, scope etc.,” says Raj. “Working with K4Paws was also very helpful for me to build my portfolio for my future.”
“Collaborating with a community partner involves navigating ethical considerations and social responsibilities in a more pronounced manner compared to working with a brand,” says Leslie. “This experience deepened my understanding of ethical marketing practices and the importance of considering the broader societal impact of marketing strategies.”
For many nonprofits, breaking through the noise and reaching new audiences remains a challenge. However, as DMC students have discovered, they can play an important role in helping organizations find pathways to promote their brands in innovative ways.
“Working with real clients adds value to our community partners while bringing the marketer-client relationship to life for our students,” adds Maybee. “When students see the benefits that their ideas can bring to an organization and the impact they can have, it empowers them to think beyond the classroom to prepare for the world of work that awaits them.”