The Google Online Marketing Challenge: Classroom learning with real clients, real money, and real advertising campaigns

The advent of keyword advertising has had a tremendous effect on online advertising, Internet marketing, search engines, and Web sites that earn advertising revenue. Pay-per-click advertising therefore provides a critical topic for educators who hope to prepare students for professional careers in advertising and related areas. The Google Online Marketing Challenge offers an innovative way to achieve this goal in a unique hands-on context. With more than 8,000 participating students from 47 countries, the 2008 Challenge is, as far as the authors know, the largest in-class academic competition ever undertaken. The Challenge is also unique in its linkages among students, businesses, and the classroom. This article briefly reviews online marketing and Google’s advertising platform.