A Study Of Corporate Marketing In Public Schools

Melissa Lewensten KnollUniversity of St. Thomas

May 19, 2003

Mathematics: Applications and Connections (McGraw-Hill, 1995)- Adbusters Magazine (summer 1999, pg. 33)

Pros & Cons of In-School Marketing

Pros• Generates needed

funding • Utilizes unique business

info and resources• Allows teachers to

evaluate and use appropriately

• Benefits schools and companies

• Everything is commercial

Cons• Compromises

integrity of education• Provides biased and

inaccurate info• Misuses taxpayer $

and resources• Implies endorsement• Promotes materialism• Everything is

commercial

High Commercialization

Medium Commercialization

Low Commercialization

Key Audiences Responses

• Parents and students have mixed feelings.

• Marketers would like to participate, but fear negative publicity.

• Schools would like to benefit, but fear negative response.

“The bottom line…business and schools must work together to preserve the integrity and effectiveness of our educational system. Careful self-

examination is called for, and rigorous guidelines must be embraced with

enthusiasm.”

- Consumers Union, 2000

Research Question

Is there support among Minnesota marketers and educators for the creation of an organization to advise on corporate marketing in public schools?

Web-Based Research Project

• Invitations sent via e-mail• 16 questions about in-school marketing

– Experience– Opinions– Likelihood of participation– Level of difficulty planning, executing, evaluating– Process– Support for a non-profit advisory organization– Important elements for a non-profit advisory

organization

Samples

1. Corporate marketing executives at MN companies

2. Senior account service personnel at MN marketing agencies

3. Principals/assistant principals at MN schools

Response

35 Agency respondents39 Corporate respondents238 Educator respondents

16 Other respondents328Total respondents

Approx. 2,000 distributed surveys for response rate of 16%

The Answer

Yes, there is some indication of support among Minnesota marketers and educators for the creation of an organization to advise on corporate marketing in public schools?

Cooperation Is Important

Mean scores for all respondents (1= strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree)

• Corporations know what’s appropriate for schools (1.8 mean)

• Corporations should partner with schools (4.1 mean)

• In-school marketing benefits corporate sponsors (4.2 mean)

• In-school marketing benefits schools (3.8 mean)

Guidelines Are Unclear• 70% of all respondents were unaware of

rules, regulations and guidelines– 90% of corporate marketers– 66% of principals– 66% of agency marketers

• Respondents agreed “guidelines regarding in-school marketing activities are inconsistent” (3.8 mean)

In-School Marketing Isn’t Very Easy

Mean scores for all respondents (1= very difficult, 5 = very easy)

How difficult is it to…• Develop in-school marketing activities?

(2.8 mean)• Conduct in-school marketing activities?

(3.1 mean)• Evaluate in-school marketing activities?

(3.1 mean)

It Would Be Helpful To Have An Unbiased

ResourceMean scores (1= strongly disagree, 5 = strongly

agree)

• Principals (3.6 mean)• Corporate marketers (3.8 mean)• Agency marketers (3.7 mean)

Likelihood to Participate in In-School Marketing vs. Likelihood to Use Non-Profit Organization

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Likely To Participate

% o

f re

sp

on

se

s

Unlikely To Use

Likely To Use

Don't Know

Follow-Up Recommendations

• Results shared with participants• Additional research opportunities

– Active corporate/agency in-school marketers

– National scope– Composition and viability of advisory

organization• Increase awareness & promote

win-win opportunities

Questions