Marketing and Sales Competitions
Put your marketing and sales knowledge to the test!
Academic competitions play an essential part in learning for students. Participation offers a unique opportunity for students to use the knowledge they have gained in the classroom and apply it to real-work situations. These competitions are great for building skills, including leadership, teamwork and communication. They can also be a great way to make new connections and friends. If you want to further your education and knowledge, consider signing up for an academic competition today.
AMA Minnesota Collegiate Case Competition
Matthew Bunker, Professor
319-273-6947
The AMA Minnesota Case Competition challenges student teams from across the region to develop a solution to a real-world business challenge for a participating company. Teams have three weeks to analyze the case, develop their recommendations and prepare a presentation for a panel of company executives. The competition gives students hands-on experience applying their marketing knowledge while strengthening their research, strategy, teamwork and presentation skills. In 2025, the UNI-AMA team placed third in the competition.
Center for Professional Sales Excellence Sales Competition
Marty Hansen, Associate Professor of Practice
319-273-2630
The Center for Professional Sales Excellence Annual Sales Competition gives UNI students the opportunity to demonstrate and strengthen their professional selling skills in a realistic, competitive environment. Students prepare for a business-to-business sales scenario and participate in role-play meetings evaluated by experienced sales professionals and business leaders.
Competitors are assessed on their ability to build rapport, ask effective questions, identify customer needs, communicate value, respond to concerns and advance the business relationship. Top-performing students progress through multiple rounds and may earn scholarships and other recognition. The competition also provides participants with valuable feedback, professional connections and exposure to companies recruiting for internships and full-time sales positions.
National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC)
Emma Wilson, Associate Professor of Practice
319-273-6046
NSAC is one of the largest advertising competitions for participating college chapters of the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Each year a corporate sponsor provides a difficult marketing challenge detailed in an extensive case study for students to solve. Students are given access to high-level marketing research tools such as Experian Simmons OneView, AdMall, SRDS, and Nielsen ratings data. Student teams complete extensive research and develop an integrated communication campaign for the client - including the media plan, messaging strategy and creative ad executions.
The team selects five presenters to pitch the campaign concepts they developed to a panel of judges at the AAF District 9 competition in Kansas City in April. The district winners advance to compete in semi-finals, and the top eight teams in the country compete at the AAF national conference.
Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) Regional and National competitions
Marty Hansen, Associate Professor of Practice
319-273-2630
Members of UNI’s Epsilon Theta chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon have opportunities to compete against students from across the country through PSE’s Fall Conferences, National Convention and semester-long competitions. Events include the Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon® National Sales Competition, National Speakers Competition, Interview Competition, Marketing Challenge, Music2GO Marketing Simulation, Sports Selling Competition and Case Study Competition. Through individual and team events, students apply their knowledge and demonstrate their abilities in professional selling, marketing strategy, public speaking, interviewing, critical thinking, problem-solving and business presentation. Competitors also receive valuable feedback and build relationships with industry professionals, potential employers and PSE members from universities across the country.
Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) Epsilon Theta Business Olympics
Marty Hansen, Associate Professor of Practice
319-273-2630
The PSE Business Olympics is an annual competition organized and hosted by Epsilon Theta, the University of Northern Iowa chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon. Open to all UNI students, the event challenges participants to apply their classroom knowledge in realistic business situations through competitions in professional selling, wealth management and marketing case analysis.
Participants develop valuable skills in communication, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership and professional presentation while receiving feedback from business professionals. The event also connects students with corporate partners seeking talented candidates for internships and full-time positions. In addition to providing an experiential learning opportunity for UNI students, the Business Olympics is an important student-led project that supports the activities and professional development programs of the Epsilon Theta chapter.