In a business field project with Coca-Cola HBC Austria, students in the Bachelor’s program in Marketing & Sales developed modern concepts for a multisensory, interactive shopping experience.
During the summer semester of 2026, full-time students in the Bachelor’s Program in Marketing & Sales (6th semester) worked on a business field project with Coca-Cola HBC Austria to develop new shopping experiences for teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 25. The goal was to create emotional and interactive moments designed to encourage purchases.
Interactive shopping experiences for a young target group
To this end, the students formed “agencies” and worked on in-store concepts that combine the Coca-Cola brand universe with current Gen Z consumer trends. This resulted in creative point-of-sale displays, ranging from customizable flavors to interactive experience booths.
Throughout the development process, the students received regular coaching from head of study program Thomas Schmidt and academic expert and lecturer Hilda Helyes.
Final presentations at the agency level
In the final presentation in May, the student teams impressed not only with their creativity but also with their agency-level professionalism. Julia Stimpfl, Trade Marketing Director; Elisabeth Lindtner, RGM – Category Initiatives Lead; and Doris Bläuel, Portfolio Development Lead at Coca-Cola HBC Austria, were excited about the results:
“The perspective from the target group’s point of view was particularly valuable to us. The ideas were extremely diverse. We will definitely consider which measures we can implement in the short and long term!”
The students were also thrilled to collaborate with one of the world’s best-known brands. They were able to apply the knowledge they had acquired during their studies to a real-world project and gain valuable insights into actual marketing and sales processes.