Students Collaborate with Indigenous Businesses for Real-World Marketing Success

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Students Collaborate with Indigenous Businesses for Real-World Marketing Success

Wednesday, 15 January 2025

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In a transformative program, ECU Marketing students and Indigenous entrepreneurs teamed up to do more than just business. They created connections, shared knowledge, and delivered real results for their businesses and communities.

Students in ECU School of Business and Law’s Retail Marketing unit stepped out of the classroom and into meaningful collaborations with Indigenous business owners. This hands-on course equipped them with advanced marketing skills while immersing them in Indigenous knowledges and practices, fostering cultural competency.

Last semester, students worked closely with MaOchre Indigenous Art Gallery and Whadjuk artist and entrepreneur Julianne Wade, learning directly from their stories and experiences. Acting as marketing consultants, students developed retail marketing strategies, designed Shopify-based websites, and pitched innovative ideas to these industry professionals.

At the start of the semester, students attended a cultural briefing to ensure their work was grounded in respect for Indigenous knowledge and values. Over several weeks, they combined this understanding with marketing discipline and technical skills, utilising industry-standard platforms like Shopify for e-commerce and Mailchimp for email campaigns to create actionable solutions for their business partners.

The course emphasised reciprocity and respect in its engagement with Indigenous communities, and the results spoke for themselves. Business owners gained fresh perspectives and practical strategies, while students developed industry-ready skills and a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity.

The program also opened doors for students, with several being offered paid employment because of their efforts. Most recently, ECU student Kelly Pieterse was invited to revamp MaOchre’s website—a testament to the quality and impact of the students’ work.

“It has been such an amazing experience connecting with MaOchre through the Retail Marketing unit. Being able to work with MaOchre and gain some real-life work experience, as well as learning about Indigenous culture, has been an incredible opportunity” said Kelly.

This collaboration is led by the Unit Coordinator, Melissa Fong-Emmerson working alongside and guided by Indigenous colleagues, in particular Bek Dougan, External Relationships Coordinator at Kurongkurl Katitjin and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous) Professor Braden Hill. The program is a community -based, collaborative approach that highlights the vital role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses while equipping students with critical skills and authentic learning experiences to thrive in the marketing industry.

One student reflected on the lasting impact of the experience: “In addition to learning about retail marketing strategies, I gained an invaluable understanding of First Nations business practices and the immense value they bring to society.”

As one of Australia’s largest employment sectors, retail offers countless opportunities for graduates. ECU’s Retail Marketing unit not only prepared students to succeed in this dynamic industry but also ensured they could do so with cultural awareness and respect.

The collaboration between students and Indigenous entrepreneurs demonstrated the power of mutual learning and growth, for both the businesses involved and the next generation of marketing professionals.

School of Business and Law