Projects

Real-World Experience Working on Real Problems

Students don't work on case studies or simulations. They work with real companies that have real issues. Partnering with between six and eight companies, students get a diverse mix of regional, national and global businesses. Below are some of the most well-known companies Accelerator has worked with recently.

Coca-Cola Enterprises is the world's largest producer, promoter, and distributor of Coke products, spanning most of North America and Western Europe and making everything from Coca-Cola to Vitaminwater. Coca-Cola asked Accelerator teams to interview millennials to learn if they are interested in Coca-Cola’s recent corporate responsibility and sustainability (CRS) efforts. Teams then created marketing plans based on the survey results in the CRS areas of climate change, water stewardship, sustainable packaging, wellness and culture.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is the state’s largest provider of health benefits, and is working closely with Gordian Health Solutions to provide next-generation health services and technologies. As the cost of health care rises, BCBST is hoping to leverage social media to instill behavioral changes in its customers that promote preventive care and healthy living. BCBST challenged Accelerator teams to create a social network that protects an individual’s right to privacy while providing the opportunity to link people with similar illnesses, interests and health goals to share information.

Sony Music Entertainment is the second largest global record company, boasting nearly $4 billion in revenue for 2008 and representing top artists such as Pitbull, Foo Fighters and Alicia Keys. In the typical contract today, Sony doesn’t receive any revenue from tours, merchandise or sponsorships, yet invests significant sums of money to make an artist successful. Building on the notion that Sony creates brands that extend beyond record sales, live concerts and merchandise, Sony asked Accelerator to help develop a 360-degree contract and marketing ideas to attract new talent. The 360-degree contract is designed to help align the incentives of the artist, record label and all others involved.

American Airlines is the largest airline in the world in terms of total passengers. With a significant increase in fuel costs in recent years, and a decrease in overall airline traffic, American Airlines asked Accelerator teams to help position the company as the leading carrier for travelers from small to medium-sized enterprises. When addressing the challenge, teams created a frequent flier program that addressed the specific needs of these business travelers.

Bridgestone Corporation is the leading manufacturer in the global tire market, dedicated to serving its customers and conserving the environment. Bridgestone's philosophy of building not just better products, but better communities has resulted in considerable donations of time, money and resources to hundreds of charitable organizations in North America. Despite this commitment to giving back, the majority of their customers remain unaware of their efforts. Bridgestone challenged Accelerator teams to create a marketing plan that would help increase their market share while making the company's customers aware of these environmental and charitable efforts.

In just over 15 years, Griffin Technology has become one of the largest and most innovative providers of accessories for personal computing and digital media devices. In anticipation of the release of the second generation iPhone, Griffin Technology challenged the Accelerator teams to develop a new iPhone-compatible accessory—in less than 72 hours!