Marketing in Action: Undergraduate Students Work as Junior Consultants for International Hotel Chain

IE Business School kicked off the III Marketing in Action Competition, with undergraduate students creating a new brand for the Spanish based international hotel chain, Room Mate Hotels.

Students will compete in groups and present a marketing plan for the launch of a new brand that shares the essence of Room Mate and fits its strategy to incorporate over 1,000,000 new customers.

During the launch presentation Room Mate hotels founder Enrique Sarasola encouraged students to think outside the box and contemplate real, innovative solutions for his brand.

“This industry is fantastic, I really recommend you to think big and think crazy ideas, we love them.”
Enrique Sarasola, founder of Room Mate hotels

Bachelor in Business Administration students will put into practice the theory they have learned, while also getting real work experience.

“This course combines analytical rigor with curiosity. It is intended to provide a realistic learning experience for undergraduate students in the area of marketing,” said challenge coordinator and mentor, Maria Paz Menéndez.

Not only does the challenge give students real experience to add to their CVs, but reporting to their expert consultants, IE marketing management professors, and working with the company’s executives expands their professional network.

Students praised the opportunity the competition brings for their professional and personal development.

“Creating a hotel brand in less than three months comes with countless challenges and delivering all the required material can be stressful. However, we have never had a bigger opportunity as BBA students to showcase our unique ideas, knowledge and talents,” said Diego Rubio, BBA student.

“Contributing to a project as important as this one is hugely rewarding.”
Diego Rubio, BBA student

The first round of presentations will take place on March 3rd, semifinals on March 9th, and finalists will present on March 16th. The group with the best project will win three nights at any of the Room Mate hotels worldwide. The prize for the most creative group earns a two-night stay.

Students applauded the organization of the planning and preparation stages prior to the presentations.

“It's necessary to have classes with theoretical knowledge, but to be able to apply all that information into a real consulting project has really pushed all our team members to give the best they have,” said Rubio.

“I have loved this project. It is giving me a chance to act as a consultant and give a suggestion to a real company about a real project they have in mind. I've been able to get real-world experience, it’s not all just theory and memorization,” said student Ana Ocariz.

Menéndez said coordinators looked to work with companies that shared IE’s set of values and provide a human side to business.

“Room Mate offered the community of Madrid to use their hotel facilities to aid the health authorities in Madrid during the pandemic. I think the ethical component of serving the population in case of an emergency, offers a good fit with our commitment to educate global citizens that would also have this ethical behaviour.”

Real-world experience is central to the academic journey at IE and gives students an advantage in the future.

“Being able to have this experience in the 2nd year of an undergraduate degree will be a very distinctive feature for IE students from other peers in other universities when accessing the job market.”
Maria Paz Menéndez, Challenge Coordinator and Mentor