The marketing industry is undergoing one of its most drastic periods of change, fundamentally transforming what is expected of entry-level talent. Artificial intelligence is no longer in the experimentation phase; it has evolved beyond being a simple tool for productivity or content creation and is becoming embedded into marketers’ everyday workflow.
According to HubSpot’s “State of AI in Marketing”, 98% of marketing teams use AI across several areas of their work. As these tools take on more executional tasks, incoming marketers must know what to ask, what to trust, and how to convert an output into a smart decision. While creative thinking and effective communication are still critical, AI fluency, analytical thinking, and data literacy are becoming just as important. Employers are increasingly demanding entry-level workers equipped with the skills needed in this new environment. DeGroote Marketing Association’s (DMA) annual Envision competition is reshaping its format to help students build those competencies and prepare for a fast-changing industry.
For years, Envision has followed a traditional case competition structure that involves students researching problems, developing solutions, and then presenting them. This year, DMA is shifting to an analytics and AI focused format that helps students learn how marketers actually use these tools as part of their workflows. The challenge is not whether students can use AI, but whether they can use it judiciously and efficiently. The DMA is working to ensure Envision prepares students for the environment that entry-level marketers are increasingly entering.
Envision gives partners something a resume cannot: a window into how the next generation of marketers think. In a rapidly changing industry, credentials can only say so much. Partners can watch, in real time, how students use AI, interpret data, and refine outputs. This is an opportunity for organizations to identify gaps between what students learn in their institutions and what the industry expects from them. Partners will get the rare opportunity to help shape what the next generation of marketers will look like.
Envision 2025 Winners
Last year’s competition challenged teams to build a marketing strategy that would bring more McMaster students to The Westdale. Congratulations to the three teams who took home the top prizes, and thank you to every team that competed.
First Place: $500
Second Place: $250
Third Place: $100
