International teams develop AI-supported campaigns in Görlitz
Author: Sebastian Benad
Pictures: OMC2025 / Sebastian Benad
How do you create compelling content with a small budget - and maximum impact? Over 40 students from more than 20 countries asked themselves this question at the beginning of May as part of the Online Marketing Challenge (OMC). The international practical project, coordinated by the SEPT Competence Center at Leipzig University under the direction of Jazmín Ponce Gómez[1], brings students together with companies - and combines digital marketing, cultural diversity and entrepreneurial thinking. At the heart of the OMC is the development of real online marketing campaigns:
In international teams, students design strategies for regional companies under real conditions - with a real advertising budget, professional coaching and tight deadlines.
For the first time this year, a central boot camp weekend took place in Görlitz - organized in cooperation with the International Business Communication course of the Faculty of Managerial and Cultural Studies (F-MK) at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. For two days, the focus was on creative tools, AI, video production and intercultural exchange. What did the teams from Görlitz take away? New skills, strong ideas - and a real boost of motivation for the upcoming campaign phase.
The kick-off event on May 9 took place in the creative environment of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Under the direction of Sebastian Benad, lecturer at the F-MK, everything revolved around the question of how artificial intelligence (AI) can support content creation in marketing - without losing the human core of good communication. In practice-oriented exercises, the participants practiced the targeted use of tools such as ChatGPT, Canva and prompt generators.
We don't just want our students to use tools - we want them to use them in a reflective, creative and responsible way.
”The atmosphere was both relaxed and productive: international teams discussed ideas, tried things out and developed initial drafts.
In the evening, an intercultural city tour through historic Görlitz followed before the day ended with an open get-together at the Bierblume Görlitz - a popular meeting place with a beer garden, music and a creative atmosphere.
It was immediately obvious how good we complemented each other culturally - Görlitz was the perfect place for this.
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Saturday, May 10, was all about moving images and storytelling. Jannis Koppatsch, Head of Media at Libertec GmbH, gave the teams an insight into the basics of efficient video production - in line with the principle: low budget, high impact.
After a keynote speech, it was straight into the implementation: each team designed, filmed and edited their own video prototype for the planned online campaign within a few hours.
We were surprised how much can be achieved with simple means and a clear story.
”The results were impressive: pointed reels, creative editing ideas and clear messages, developed in a very short time. Jannis Koppatsch was also impressed:
The ideas were spontaneous, straightforward and the execution was quite professional, but always at least oriented towards the input. This is a good example of how practical learning environments can motivate and simply work.
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What made this weekend so special was the holistic nature of the learning: theoretical input, practical work, intercultural interaction - all closely interlinked. The Görlitz campus became a meeting place for people, perspectives and ideas.
We are proud that we at F-MK were able to help shape this meeting space.
”The OMC as a learning format impressively demonstrates what modern university teaching can look like: practical, international, collaborative. The F-MK students worked closely with fellow students from other universities - such as Leipzig, Magdeburg and Halle - and benefited from intensive support from lecturers and external professionals.
Jazmín Ponce Gómez puts it in a nutshell:
The OMC is not just a project, but a space for encounters, learning and creative collaboration. Görlitz has shown what is possible when students from all over the world work together on real challenges.
”In their luggage: valuable experience, new skills and initial drafts for real online marketing campaigns, which will be further developed together with companies in the coming weeks. The final of the OMC will take place on July 2, 2025 in Leipzig - and it will be interesting to see what else emerges from the prototypes from Görlitz.
