10 January, 2020

Since opening their first store in Princes Street, Cork in 1971, family-run Cummins Sports now has a total of 8 stores, a website that delivers to shoppers throughout Ireland and employs over 100 staff.

Cummins Sports decided to collaborate with CIT MSc Digital Marketing Strategy students to increase their customer reach. The project was part of a module on 'Integrated Strategy and Planning', under the guidance of CIT lecturer Vivienne Griffin.

Students worked in teams and were tasked with creating an impactful integrated marketing strategy, focusing on both digital and traditional marketing methods to help Cummins Sports further engage with consumers.

They used rich consumer insights to inform recommendations on the brand message and came up with creative ideas on how to reach and engage the target audience online and offline. Proposals included utilising experiential marketing, cinema, outdoor and digital marketing campaigns.

Students then presented their proposals to representatives from Cummins Sports in CIT in December 2019. A key message that came across in their campaign ideas was to use the brand’s local Cork heritage to promote the business.

The Cummins Sports team including family members Áine Cummins, Mary-Claire Cummins and Kevin Cummins were very impressed with the level of insight students provided as well as the combination of both short-term wins and long term strategic marketing plans.

Áine Cummins said, “We were delighted to work with CIT’s MSc Digital Marketing Strategy students over the past couple of months. Their research and final presentations to us were very informative and we will certainly look at implementing many of their findings and suggestions”.

MSc Digital Marketing Strategy student, Lynn Moynihan said, “We really enjoyed working with Cummins Sports, as we got to know a business that’s always been at the heart of Cork. We are grateful for the opportunity to gain insights into the business and to also create a marketing campaign which encapsulates their family business story”.

CIT lecturer Vivienne Griffin said the collaboration with Cummins Sports was an excellent learning experience both for the MSc students and for the Cummins Sports team. “The students proposed lots of creative marketing suggestions, including digital and traditional methods, informed by insights they had gathered on the target market. It was a privilege to work with such an iconic Cork brand”, she said.

Cummins Sports now looks forward to reaching out to new and existing customers using the strategies developed by CIT Masters students.

To explore how CIT can collaborate with you, email extendedcampus@cit.ie or call 021 4335302.