Google Data

Back in February, Google gave hundreds of student teams across the world an AdWords online advertising budget of US$250 and three weeks to help a local business improve their marketing campaign in the seventh annual Google Online Marketing Challenge. Over 14,000 students from more than 80 countries and territories participated in this year’s Challenge and the results are in!

I. AdWords Business Awards

The AdWords Business Awards recognize the GOMC teams that made an outstanding difference to their business partners via superb online marketing campaigns.

Global Winner

The Global Winning team comes from the Warsaw School of Economics in Poland, under Professor Tymoteusz Doligalski. The team of Mateusz Rydlewski, Przemek Dmochowski, Agnieszka Żdanuk, Marek Janisiewicz, and Paweł Zawadzki worked with Legia Warszawa, one of the oldest and most titled Polish soccer clubs.

Regional Winners

• The Asia & Pacific Winner comes from The University of the Philippines, under Professor James Ryan Jonas in the Philippines. The team of Julian Anton Adia Yao, Allen Thomas B. Calica, Hillary Corinne L. Joven, Jadiene Shani Y. Teng, and Christelle C. Lao worked with KPub BBQ, located in Bonifacio Global City, a Korean barbeque restaurant and pub, specializing in a meat all you can eat buffet.

• The Americas Winner comes from Fanshawe College in Canada, under Professor Liz Gray. The team of Luis Guerrero, Benjamin Cartmell, Jihoon Han, Vit Sochor, and Nikola Ledwonova worked with Novack's Uniform Solutions, a company that distributes high-performance, specialized professional uniform apparel.

• The Europe Winner comes from the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt in Germany, under Professor Mario Fischer. The team of Lennart Geerdes, Konrad Hagelstein, Stephanie Beck, Hendrik Schöpe, and Florian Uhlirsch worked with Aquahandel.de, an online shop specializing in Ornamental fish for aquariums and garden ponds.

• The Middle East & Africa Winner comes from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria, under Professor Arulogun Oladiran Tayo. The team of Adedoyin Jelil Opeyemi, Akadiri Olawale Olugboyega, Adesina Jamiu Olawale, Olayanju Abiodun Ibraheem, Salami Ismail Tunde, and Adeosun Oluwole Titus worked with Automedics limited, an automobile maintenance workshop offering free advisory car care tips.

II. Google+ Social Media Marketing Awards

For the third year, we’re happy to present the winners of the Social Media Award, awarded to the GOMC team that runs the best Google+ page for their company or organization.

Global Winner

This year's Global Winner comes from Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania under Professor Elena Vitkauskaite. The team of Aivaras Juška, Povilas Mastauskas, Monika Ambrazevičiūtė, Rūta Žemaitytė, and Justina Mizeraitė worked with Miegantys Drambliai, a company offering rock climbing classes and services.

Regional Winners

• The Americas Winner comes from Fanshawe College in Canada, under Professor Liz Gray. The team of Luis Guerrero, Benjamin Cartmell, Jihoon Han, Vit Sochor, and Nikola Ledwonova worked with Novack's Uniform Solutions, a company that distributes high-performance, specialized professional uniform apparel.

• The Europe Winner comes from Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania, under Professor Elena Vitkauskaite. The team of Ieva Ulytė, Lina Kižytė, Julius Valantiejus, Povilas Gimžauskas, and Šarūne Zinkevičiutė worked with Woxx Barbers- Vilnius, a traditional barbershop providing mens haircuts, and beard and mustache styling services.

• The Asia & Pacific Winner comes from Indian Institute of Management Indore in India, under Professor Srinivas Gunta. The team of M Nitin Teja Reddy, Yukti Arora, Krishna GS Chirraavuru, Anne Mary Sebastian, and Santhanam Balaji worked with afkar.me by Intigral, a 4 month incubation program to help start-ups create a digital product in MENA region.

• The Americas Winner comes from Pennsylvania State University in the United States, under Professor Jim Jansen. The team of Elizabeth Sheaffer, Stephen Sheaffer, Erica Brinker, and Eric Pitts worked with Centre County PAWS, offering dog and cat shelter and adoption services.

• Unfortunately, this year none of the Social Media Marketing campaigns submitted by teams from Middle East & Africa made to the final, therefore the Academic Panel has selected an additional Regional Winner from one of the other three regions.

III. AdWords Social Impact Awards

The Social Impact Awards recognize the GOMC teams that made an outstanding difference to their non-profit partners via superb online marketing campaigns.

• 1st Place is awarded to Hanna K Macdonald, Amanda Tadgell, and Kaitlyn Krause, who were taught by Professor Liz Gray at Fanshawe College in Canada. The team partnered with Museum London, the leading establishment for the collection and presentation of visual art and material culture.

• 2nd Place goes to Shu Su, Neha Kejriwal, Benjamin Smith, and Sarah Burge, who were taught by Professor Steven Koch at The University of Houston in The United States. The team partnered with the Houston Grand Opera, which provides live opera performances that are relevant and financially accessible to the public.

• 3rd Place is awarded to Randall Miller, Saket Maheswari, Charles Shelton, and Varuniya Pushparajan, who were taught by Professor Steven Koch at The University of Houston in The United States. The team partnered with the Space Center Houston, a place where people can experience space; its history, present and future.

2014 Team Results have been posted to GOMC Past Challenges.

Congratulations to all 2014 Winners and a big thank you to all teams that participated in this year's Challenge.

To learn more about the Google Online Marketing Challenge and to pre-register for next year’s Challenge, please watch the GOMC video and visit our website: www.google.com/onlinechallenge


Posted by Claire Lloyd & McKelle Holyoak, Global Business