“Acting as co-CEO for our integrated marketing campaign with Real Simple has been an incredibly unique and enriching experience that has taught me about communication, leadership, and collaboration.”

Michelle Tu, ’23, International Studies

Students in Professor Leslie Kendrick’s Advertising & Integrated Marketing Communication course spent the spring 2022 semester developing and implementing an integrated marketing campaign to gauge interest on the JHU campus for the lifestyle brand Real Simple.

Michelle Tu, a junior majoring in International Studies and minoring in Marketing and Communications, served as co-CEO for the course. “Acting as co-CEO for our integrated marketing campaign with Real Simple has been an incredibly unique and enriching experience that has taught me about communication, leadership, and collaboration,” said Michelle.

The students created an ad agency for the course, Hopview Advertising, to promote their marketing campaign, which they dubbed “Live College Simply.” The project aimed to increase brand awareness among Gen Z females on the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus through workout classes, tabling events, and social media.

Hopview Advertising partnered with Good Part & Co. to develop the Real Simple Pina Colada Smoothie that was offered at the campus Recreation Center. The smoothies not only sold well, they also attracted thousands of views and impressions on social media sites, helping to promote awareness of the Real Simple brand.

Alyssa Kattan (’24, Writing Seminars), a Campaign Strategy and Events co-manager, stated that “Working with Real Simple to bring their brand to life on campus has been an incredibly informative and creatively fulfilling experience. The Real Simple mission has given us an empowering license to improve upon the prioritization of mental/physical wellbeing while in college, something I think we can all really benefit from.”

The course’s collaboration with Real Simple was facilitated by Rachel Reed Campellone, Director of Audio Innovation at Dotdash Meredith. Ms. Reed Campellone, who also took Professor Kendrick’s course, graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2014 with a B.A. degree in International Studies. “This innovative, experiential learning opportunity is a wonderful example of how alums can partner with and inspire current students,” said International Studies Program Director Sydney Van Morgan.