Three Syracuse University Sport Management students -- Kelly Harrington, Michelina Mandarano and Lauren Smith -- recently received a $4,400 academic achievement award from KeyBank. The students received the honor by presenting the best overall research and marketing plan to promote "44 Rewards" to SU sports fans. The "44 Rewards" program is the multi-tiered partnership between KeyBank and SU that provides student internships and scholarships, ongoing prize winning opportunities for SU fans and a charitable giving component, all building on the legendary significance of the number 44 in SU athletics.
The three honored students were part of a sport marketing management course taught by Gina Pauline, assistant professor of sport management. Students spent the spring semester conducting extensive market research of SU basketball fans, analyzing data and developing creative marketing plans to enhance KeyBank's existing "44 Rewards" program and position it in the minds of area consumers.
"Students, in groups of three, were asked to take into consideration the marketing needs and sport sponsorship goals of KeyBank, and formulate an activation plan for promoting the KeyBank brand to SU sport fans," says Pauline. "The expected goals of these plans were to drive revenue, increase traffic to KeyBank branches, increase favorability, and drive brand and visibility."
Vice President/District Marketing Manager of KeyBank Fran Yanulavich says, "44 Rewards is truly a win-win for SU and our bank. The program offered students valuable, real-world experience in their academic career, while
KeyBank learned of new sport marketing ideas from an extremely talented pool of young adults."
The student groups presented their plans to a panel of judges that included Yanulavich; Dave Meluni, associate general manager of Syracuse ISP Sports; Joan Peloso, SVP/director of marketing services for KeyCorp; Matt Yonan, president of Tigris Sponsorship and Marketing; and Susan Moyer, SVP/regional marketing director for KeyBank.
Marketing executives at KeyBank will evaluate all of the ideas from the students over the next several weeks to determine their activation plan. "We will be able to mesh and tweak all of their ideas to execute our new Syracuse University sponsorship plan," Yanulavich says. "All of the students did an excellent job."
"KeyBank and Syracuse University have served the community together for more than 130 years, which is why this collaboration and extension of Key's longtime support for Syracuse athletics is a natural fit," says Stephen D. Fournier, president of KeyBank's Central New York district.
Sport Management, part of the College of Human Services and Health Professions, is SU's fastest-growing academic program. Students in the department study marketing, management, communications, law and other areas, and gain hands-on experience in a required internship while preparing for careers or graduate study in sport.
KeyBank N.A. is one of New York's largest financial services companies, with one of the largest statewide networks of branches and ATMs. The 12-county Central New York District has 59 KeyCenters (branches), 95 ATMs and more than 500 employees. KeyBank is a leader in community involvement and a strong proponent for local economic growth. Cleveland-based KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of about $96 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally.
