Marketing From a BHS Student Standpoint

As a marketing student at Blake High School, I have grown and developed a digitally inclined understanding of the media around us.

At the beginning of this month, the NFL’s Super Bowl showcased hundreds of high-end, high-budget commercials. From learning about target markets and the 4 P’s of marketing (product, price, place, and promotion) at Blake, I was able to see these advertisements in a new light. 

One commercial that stood out was the Redfin – Rocket Mortgage “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” advertisement. The commercial followed two young girls who moved out of their respective neighborhoods, forced to leave behind friends and familiarity. For one girl, her dog was her true companion in her new home. Apparently, after a few weeks, a storm hit the town. Of fear, the girl’s dog burst out of her new home. After an emotional upbringing of Lady Gaga’s rendition of Mr. Rodgers song, the second girl discovers the lost dog and returns her.

This commercial hit home to me as someone who has moved around four times. That being said, I feel the commercial was catered to those afraid of change and those who long to find support in their new homes. Creative elements such as ethos and emotional connection left a powerful viewing experience, hopefully to soon become Rocket Mortgage members. 

To zoom in and provide context, my love of media marketing first stemmed from the rise of NIL (name, image, and likeness) in sports. Specifically, in women’s sports. I am quite captivated by just how many opportunities, brand deals, and exposure these NIL deals, self-promotions, and national broadcasts have helped women’s sports grow. From the likes of WNBA star Caltin Clark to local DC soccer star Trinity Rodman, media marketing has brought an array of eyes to the game and is helping these athletes get paid. 

Students at Blake should highly consider taking a business or marketing course here at Blake. They will gain insight and perception into what the world consists of today: products and business. Business teacher, Ms. Chaplin (who teaches everything from marketing to management), provides excellent lessons and “Business U” modules in her classroom. Lessons are geared towards today’s events, but also show how data trends have progressed and changed over the years. When asked why students should take a marketing course at Blake, Ms. Chaplin stated that “the class, just like all other business classes at Blake, equips students with immediate, real-world skills in strategy, marketing, and leadership that are essential for success in college and the modern workforce.” Coursework consists of, “engaging in hands-on projects, [learning] to transform ideas into action, [while] gaining confidence, creativity, and professionalism needed to navigate the world with purpose.” 

Ms. Chaplin further shared, “Marketing classes provide an understanding of the world of media by teaching students how media is intentionally created, positioned, and consumed. Students learn to analyze the strategy behind advertising, how it targets the consumer, thus allowing students to begin to recognize that media is designed to persuade, inform, or influence behavior.” This helps students learn to question representation, branding ethics, and the emotional appeals used in campaigns. 

Overall, marketing classes provide a deeper awareness that empowers students not only to become smarter consumers but also more responsible creators of media.