Erin Corcoran (ercorcoran@ursinus.edu)
Media on Main is a student-run digital marketing agency which provides students with an opportunity to gain real-world experience and up to one credit.
Due to the lack of digital marketing agencies catering to small businesses in Collegeville, the U-Imagine Center created the program. The goal? To give students real world experience utilizing their skills to bring small businesses into the digital world, no matter their major. The program launched in fall 2021 and has since partnered students with local businesses, bridging the gap between traditions and digital marketing strategies. Additionally, students learn valuable business skills, both from the companies themselves and through the general management of an agency.
Media on Main provides content strategy development, web design/SEO, social media management, and other services to their clients. This semester, the venture is taking on two clients: Refresh-A-Can and TLC Massage Thèrapie. Refresh-A-Can, a business the agency worked with last semester as well, provides trash can cleaning services to the greater Montgomery County area. Media on Main’s newest client, TLC Massage Thèrapie, offers customized massage services to fit customers’ needs.
The students are divided into two main groups dependent on their interests and skills: sales/business operations and content creation. Their weekly meetings consist of updates, brainstorming, and collaborative work between members of the smaller teams and Media on Main as a whole. The collaborative nature of the program provides students with an opportunity to share their own skills and perspectives with the group and clients.
This semester, the team has been working diligently towards their goals. Students began by updating the agency’s branding, social media, and website to attract new clients. To find potential clients, the sales team drew upon their existing networks and reached out to many local businesses. In early October, the entire group had a chance to speak with the owner of TLC Massage Thèrapie to better understand the business’s needs and provide her with the necessary tools for digital marketing success. Currently, each member of the program is working to assist their assigned business by completing tasks including content creation, drafting proposals, and creating promotion materials for Media on Main itself.
The team is spearheaded by three student leaders: Julia Paiano ‘23, Esther Akande ’24, and Olivia DeFusco ’24. When asked about Media on Main, Paiano states, “my favorite part is being able to collaborate with other students and learn from their experiences. It allows me to build on skills I am weaker in. We have really exciting clients and strategies for them to succeed and I am eager to see the results of our hard work.” DeFusco echoed this statement by saying she enjoys “working with other students towards a common goal” and emphasized that “it’s been a great experience and I’m looking forward to continuing work with Refresh-A-Can and TLC Massage Thèrapie.”
To sign up for Media on Main next semester, register for course BE-005-008. For more information about the program, contact Maureen Cumpstone at macumpstone@ursinus.edu. To follow along with their work, follow @MediaonMainCV on Instagram.
