What students really think of clients

The Google Online Marketing Challenge has attracted over 45,000 students from 800 universities globally since 2008. Research on the Google Challenge has primarily focused on benefits of the competition but not on the experiential reflections of what students really think of clients, who are fundamental to the Challenge. This paper analysed the learning reflections of 40 marketing communications students who worked with 10 clients in a 2010 Google Challenge class. Themes that emerged were ‘Committed Clients’, ‘Uncommitted Clients’, ‘Positive Neglect’, and ‘Sustained Commitment’. Findings have implications for future student teams and clients of the Google Challenge, including other student-client projects.