It isn’t often that you come across a class that you get the opportunity to see the application of the theory that you learn in practice.  The course project from Comm 296 gave that chance, following a company from a situational analysis, to segmenting, targeting and positioning and finally to making recommendations based on the company’s current marketing mix.  Working in a team environment is always a struggle, between actually coming up with an actionable idea, dividing the work content and somehow integrating 5 different people’s writing styles and perspectives into a singular, holistic product, but this project was effective in demonstrating how a real marketing team would operate in the industry.  For me, my largest takeaway from this marketing course was the disconnect that exists between a company’s product or service and advertisements that we see in day to day life; so much more is put into developing a marketing plan than coming up with a creative and engaging way to promote the product.  The frameworks that I learned throughout this course solidify a step-by-step approach of how to develop a company’s marketing, and learning what I did I find myself criticizing advertisements and PR strategies that companies have employed that aren’t congruent with their target market, or don’t engage their consumers with the benefits their product offers.  This critical eye is something I believe to be of the upmost importance in business, especially when industries are becoming increasingly competitive and brand awareness is crucial, so knowing how to capitalize on your competitor’s mistakes could be the key to success for many businesses.  In the broadest sense, Comm 296 has shown me how true it is that “Business has only two functions – marketing and innovation.” (Milan Kundera)