National brands look to students for marketing

As some UW-Madison students frantically search for summer internships with national companies, others already represent some brands through a unique, peer-to-peer advertising agency.

RepNation, an advertising company known for finding creative ways to reach media consumer groups, currently employs UW-Madison students.

The company began as one of the media’s lead marketing agencies, Mr. Youth, but converted into RepNation in 2006. Today, RepNation prides itself on using unconventional media tactics to reach consumers. It looks to college students to promote these companies through peer connections.

According to Eric Schoenberg, director of brand engagement at RepNation, the agency works with companies including Dell, Ford, MTV and JetBlue Airlines.

“We tend to work with fairly large, significant clients around the world who are looking to target students in college,” Schoenberg said. “They are looking to utilize how to promote to this target because audiences are challenging for them to reach. So, we offer promotions through nontraditional media, not with the television or radio, but through peer-to-peer connections.” RepNation hires “brand ambassadors” to help promote these companies to students on campuses across the nation.

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