In preparation for the final showcase, Advanced Coding interns attended a Marketing Research Session in Temple University’s Blackstone LaunchPad–a co-curricular, hands-on campus program that is designed to help students develop entrepreneurial mindsets.

Interns watch a video about Supersoaker creator, Lonnie Johnson.

First, interns watched a video about Lonnie Johnson, an engineer and entrepreneur that created the Supersoaker watergun, which uses manually-pressurized air to shoot water with greater power, range, and accuracy than normal water guns. This video served as a source of inspiration for the Interns during the Marketing Research activity and would give them a basis of knowledge when creating their apps for the Final Showcase.

Julie Stapleton, a member of the Blackstone LaunchPad Team leads the youth in their first activity of the Marketing Research session.

Interns first learned about the process of turning an idea into a business. They also discovered how to utilize marketing tactics, such as a company’s slogan, to the business’s advantage. Interns were then expected to come up with a mission statement for a randomly designated company to better understand this concept.

Youth learn how to create a business plan

A mission statement that a group came up with about the Avon make-up company.

For the next activity, interns had to create a marketing strategy for a candy that isn’t generally extremely popular with the public–the York Peppermint Pattie. First, interns discussed the current marketing strategy of the York Peppermint Pattie through its commercials in real life. Interns then worked in small groups to create the strategies and share them with the rest of the people in the session.

Video of Interns Discussing Strategy:

Interns will continue to attend Marketing Research Sessions as they develop their apps. The Marketing Research sessions will help the interns better understand the design process and how it relates to a marketing strategy involving computational thinking.

Written By: Sienna Vance

Photos & Video By: Sienna Vance