Marketing Students Research to Revitalize a Neighborhood

Is Uptown dead? This question has reverberated through many Twin Cities circles as Uptown—a business and entertainment district in south Minneapolis—recovers from a slew of changes and challenges.

Carlson School undergraduate Marketing students tackled this issue in their Marketing Strategy capstone course this semester. They met with a range of Uptown stakeholders to research the challenges facing the area and develop marketing recommendations for increasing vibrancy and improving public perception.

“I don’t think there is one straightforward answer on how to revitalize Uptown. It’s definitely going to be a collaboration,” says Sydney Waite, a senior Marketing major who is working on the project.

As the students continued their research, the scope of the project grew. Even Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey visited the students during class to discuss the project.

“The students are defining the path as we go, which is very representative of the real world,” says Senior Lecturer Allison Murn, who teaches the course. “Almost all the stakeholders we’ve talked to want to be a part of the project. It’s turned into something much bigger than I would’ve ever imagined, and it’s been fun.”

Researching a Neighborhood

The students decided to focus on Uptown for their capstone project after Murn posed two questions on the first day of class: What are your favorite neighborhoods in Minneapolis, and which neighborhoods need improvement? Uptown was a top answer for both.

“We were like, ‘OK, what is that disparity?’ I think that’s really what kickstarted this project,” says Andrew Nguyen, another senior Marketing major. “Uptown is a neighborhood that people really like, but it’s a neighborhood that hasn’t been getting as much love as it needs.” In particular, the area has been through a lot of changes since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Divided into groups, the students conducted surveys and interviewed residents, business owners, and government officials. Some students also visited Uptown for in-person observations. “The students are working to dissect and understand what’s going to be feasible with all the stakeholders as they develop their marketing plans,” Murn says.

What They’ve Learned

Students say some common concerns they’ve seen across stakeholder groups are: negative public perception of crime in Uptown, empty storefronts, and lack of parking options.

“People keep responding with the same thing—it’s safety, commercial vacancies, and transportation,” says Evan Thornton, another senior Marketing major.

Thornton and Waite both say communication between stakeholder groups is another area that could be strategically improved, based on their research. “For example, maybe small businesses need help in some way, but the City Council may not be aware,” Thornton says. “Having good intergroup communication is wildly important.”

At the end of the semester, the students presented their research and recommendations to Uptown stakeholders.

Angie Lee, owner of Moona Moono, a coffee shop and store that recently opened in Uptown, visited the Marketing Strategy class as part of a panel of Uptown business owners. She’s excited about the fresh perspective the students can bring to the neighborhood.

“This is a very complicated problem to solve. Students can offer a perspective that isn’t hindered by ‘this is how it’s always been done’ mindsets that often hold established organizations back,” Lee says. “We need novel thinking to solve difficult problems.”

A Different Kind of Business Project

Waite and Thornton both say the Uptown project helped them understand how important it is to listen to different opinions before coming to a conclusion.

“There are different stories and different feelings about Uptown, so being able to give everyone a voice and make them feel like they’re valued with this project is something that I think is going to be crucial moving forward,” Waite says. She adds that the business communication skills she’s learned at the Carlson School helped her approach this issue. “Carlson has really taught me that you can work together, and just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean that their opinion doesn’t matter.”

One of Nguyen’s big takeaways from the project is how different this hands-on learning opportunity was compared to his other coursework. “In business, a lot of times things come down to, ‘How are we driving value? How are we generating revenue?’ But this project is something that’s completely not within that realm. This is, ‘How can we bring back vibrancy? How can we bring back people?’ And I think that’s what’s gotten so many people to care.”

The students all say the Uptown project helped them gain skills and perspective that they envision themselves taking into their future careers.

“I’ve been able to step out of my comfort zone,” Waite says. “Growing up in Minneapolis, I know how important community is for people, and this class has pushed me to share my viewpoints on things. I’ve been able to learn how to do that and to trust that my opinion matters too, and I think that is something that will help me moving forward.”