Helping to define and protect the brand of a global company whose assets grew by more than 40 percent in just two years might seem like a job for a team of seasoned marketing professionals. But that\u2019s exactly what Maryville students Austin Davis, Jordyn McCulley and Madeline Miana did for St. Louis-based Energizer Holdings, Inc.<\/p>\n
Davis and McCulley, communication<\/a> students, and Miana, who studied graphic design<\/a>, were part of an innovative hybrid program created by Energizer and Dustin York<\/a>, EdD, director of undergraduate and graduate communication programs and associate professor of communication. The idea was born during the Communication Portfolio Defense.<\/p>\n \u201cThe portfolio defense is always a great opportunity for students to share the real-world projects they\u2019ve completed with business professionals, but the Energizer staff in attendance were amazed by the projects and wanted to do more with Maryville,\u201d York said. He recognized the opportunity immediately.<\/p>\n \u201cI had worked full time following my own graduation from college, but when I tried to get a promotion, I discovered my degree was coming up short,\u201d York said. \u201cI wanted to do more, but they were looking for more real-world skills than I had.\u201d<\/p>\n When he joined Maryville in 2013, York was determined to give students a better mix of real-world experience and professional skills so they could market themselves better. \u201cMy goal is to set students up for success at every stage of their careers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n So Maryville and Energizer joined forces. The students worked on projects for Energizer\u2019s recent acquisition of battery and lighting company Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. The product line has two full-time communications professionals in its St. Louis headquarters, so it was easy to identify ways for the students to help out with the growing workload.<\/p>\n \u201cWe developed a large wish list of projects, and we weren\u2019t sure at first how to prioritize them and get them done,\u201d York said. \u201cWe ended up creating a new program that connects students\u2019 passions to the tasks on the list. The students chose which projects to work on based off their interests and completed the tasks at their own pace. This project-based model is very similar to how work is structured in the professional world.\u201d<\/p>\n Davis and McCulley endured a selective process among communication students before joining the inaugural Energizer program. They worked hand-in-hand on a project to share Energizer\u2019s dynamic, century-plus history with 4,000 employees in 14 countries through multiple channels.<\/p>\n \u201cEnergizer is very proud of its story,\u201d Davis explained. \u201cMost people in the U.S. know them for batteries and the Energizer Bunny, but the company is so much more than that now. In fact, outside of the U.S., Energizer doesn\u2019t even use the bunny mascot. Everywhere else it\u2019s Mr. Energizer, and they manufacture everything from sunscreen to car fragrances.\u201d<\/p>\n That kind of product diversity presents both risk and opportunity for the value of a company\u2019s international brand \u2014 and that\u2019s where Davis and McCulley found their niche.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job was to create a new corporate fact sheet representing all of the company\u2019s businesses,\u201d McCulley said. \u201cBut in the process, I collected and analyzed a lot of data that Austin used for the company\u2019s new intranet site.\u201d<\/p>\n Davis\u2019 job was to research the best platform for that internal website, as well as meet with C-suite executives to discuss podcasts and other communication tools. \u201cJordyn built the common language so that employees around the world could understand Energizer\u2019s diverse, global brand, and I built the platform to deliver that message,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The two are looking forward to what comes after graduation. Davis completed an earlier internship with Vidzu Media, which helped him narrow his focus in the social media marketing space, while McCulley interned with the U.S. Army in Fort Knox, Kentucky, learning about many aspects of journalism and communications. Both of them are grateful for the competitive edge they gained through their work with Energizer.<\/p>\n \u201cI am happy to have been selected to participate in this program and to have the opportunity to work alongside industry leaders,\u201d McCulley said. \u201cI was able to gain experience that I know I will use in my professional career.\u201d<\/p>\n