By Will Wieters
Team 6 – Winning Participants
This year’s BrandWeek at Vanderbilt Business showcased the creativity and expertise of the Vanderbilt Master of Marketing students. In this immersive experience, multiple student teams competed in a brand strategy competition, applying classroom concepts with real-world challenges. Partnering with FirstBank, teams were tasked with crafting a fresh brand strategy that balanced both innovation and practicality while addressing the organization’s marketing objectives. Among the competitors, one standout team, composed of nine participants, impressed the judges with their incorporation of creativity and data-driven insights, ultimately delivering the winning strategy.
Facing the Challenges of Financial Branding
Taking on a project with a company in the banking industry came with its own set of challenges. A member of the winning team Taylor Stockel explained, “It’s a little hard to understand within a small amount of time what the brand is, especially if you don’t really know beforehand.”
The team had to navigate financial regulations while ensuring their ideas were innovative and practical. Another group member, Mahnoor Zahid, reinforced this focus, noting, “The most challenging part was balancing creativity with practicality. FirstBank operates in the highly regulated financial services industry, which meant we had to ensure all our innovative ideas were feasible and aligned with compliance requirements.”
According to FirstBank’s Corporate Partnership Specialist Cameron Sweeting, “Our primary goal was to tap into the creativity and fresh perspectives of the Owen students. We wanted to challenge them with a real-world branding scenario that would help us gain insights into how we can continue evolving and connecting with our clients, while attracting more younger or new banking customers.”
The tight deadline and project turnaround were other hurdles. Stockel reflected that the key to success was prioritizing tasks and making sure everyone’s perspectives were heard, explaining, “We brainstormed for twenty minutes in silence and wrote down random ideas, which helped us to prioritize and remain efficient.”
Getting to Know FirstBank’s Brand
To understand FirstBank’s identity and audience, the students led with a comprehensive research strategy. Zahid detailed that they first began with FirstBank’s mission, followed by a breakdown of its current marketing materials and marketing position, analyzing public customer data on the demographics as well as psychographics being served. The team also explored industry trends and competitors, searching for opportunities that would allow FirstBank to stand out in the market while ensuring their recommendations aligned with FirstBank’s values.
The focus quickly shifted to the bank’s Gen Z customers in which the team noticed a unique challenge. “Gen Z sticks with the banks their parents introduced them to, especially with a community bank. The team talked about ways to retain them without needing a physical presence in the areas they move to” Stockel explained. Retention strategies became crucial, so the team began to explore ways to connect with those younger audiences, combining digital solutions with community-focused efforts—a foundational element to FirstBank’s mission.
Unexpected Insights Shape Strategy
One big takeaway for the team was the value customers place on community involvement. Zahid shared, “While digital banking solutions dominate industry conversations, we found that in smaller markets, customers still prioritize in-person interactions and a visible local presence.” Such insight led the team to design a strategy based upon innovating current digital offerings while maintaining that local engagement.
Such a perspective surprised the FirstBank representatives with the team’s final recommendations exceeding the board’s expectations. Cameron commented, “We were truly impressed by the depth of research and analysis the students put into their work in such a short, focused period of time.”
From Classroom to Real-World Experience
Both students pointed out how different this project was from their previous classroom learning. “In academic exercises, all the necessary information is often provided, making it easier to develop solutions. For this project, we had to actively seek out information, make assumptions where data wasn’t available, and deal with practical constraints like budget constraints, operational feasibility, and industry regulations,” Zahid observed.
Stockel appreciated the feedback they received. “It was really nice to have people there to support us and provide feedback. That’s something we don’t usually get in classroom cases,” she explained. Working with FirstBank representatives gave the team practical insights that ultimately shaped their final recommendations.
What Made the Team Successful
Collaboration was the cornerstone of the team’s success. Zahid highlighted, “My wonderful team brought together diverse backgrounds, which meant we could view the challenge from multiple perspectives and leverage our individual strengths.” Stockel emphasized how everyone knew their role, saying, “We all stuck to what our strengths were and allowed everyone’s ideas to be heard.”
From the FirstBank perspective, the collective success of Owen’s students may be attributed to their “unique combination of analytical rigor, creativity, and practical experience that make them an excellent fit for FirstBank’s branding initiatives,” Cameron says.
Looking Ahead
For the students, this project was more than just a competition. Zahid reflected, “This project reinforced the importance of putting the customer at the center of every decision and combining creativity with evidence-based recommendations.” Stockel shared a key takeaway, saying, “Sometimes you have to sit back and let other people give their ideas because they can be really valuable. At the same time, you need to trust your instincts and prioritize what can be achieved within constraints. “
Both students agreed that the lessons learned will ultimately shape their careers. From teamwork to problem-solving, BrandWeek offered a chance for Vanderbilt Master of Marketing students to grow as professionals.
The collaboration between Vanderbilt Business students and FirstBank representatives is a prime example of learning by doing. The students were able to not only impress with their ideas but also gain practical skills they may carry into the professional world, solidifying that Vanderbilt’s approach to experiential learning is actively preparing its students for success.
To learn more about the Master of Marketing program at Vanderbilt, click here.