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  • AMA Collegiate Case Competition

    This year-long academic competition brings together top marketing students to collaborate as chapter teams in solving a real-world business challenge. Teams will receive a detailed case brief and be tasked with developing a strategic marketing plan that highlights creativity, analytical thinking, and real-world application. Gain hands-on experience and national recognition.

    Intent to Participate Sign-Up: Opens August 20, 2026 and Close November 11, 2026

    Full Written Case Plan and Case Entry Form Deadline: Friday, December 4, 2026

    Intent to Participate – Coming Soon

Attention Collegiate Community

Details for the 2026-2027 AMA Competition Season – including competition guidelines, judging rubrics, sign-up forms and prize outlines will be released on August 20, 2026.

As a gentle reminder, please make sure all incoming chapter leaders & e-board members are listed in your Chapter’s Community Admin Portal to ensure they receive important announcements and competition updates from the AMA.

Competition Objective

  • As a team, develop and propose an innovative marketing strategy in response to a detailed challenge provided by the Case Sponsor.
  • Showcase your skills and creativity in this nationally recognized competition.
  • Want to see a previous year Case Winner’s presentation? Click here and see the Case Competition Showcase Presentation.

Case Competition Sponsored By


Join us in shaping the future of marketing – become an AMA partner today! Click here and discover the AMA Sponsorship opportunities.

Competition Process

Note: You can hover over some of the bold bullet points in the materials below to access linked content and additional resources.

  1. Register for the Competition
    • Complete the Case Entry Form and the Case Competition Intent to Participate Google Form by Wednesday, November 11, 2026, sign-up deadline.
    • Note: Once your chapter’s Intent to Participate has been received, your submission will be verified and your chapter will receive the URL and password to access the gated Case Competition page, where you can download the full Case Brief, competition eligibility & guidelines, sponsor resources, FAQs, and additional helpful competition materials.
    • Submit your Intent to Participate as early as possible to gain earlier access to the Case Brief and competition resources.
  2. Develop & Submit Your Case Plan
    • All students who contribute to the development of the case plan must be listed on the Case Entry Form. This form will be required during the Intent to Participate sign up and during the Full Written Case Plan submission process.
    • Upon receiving the case brief, all teams should review all the materials and start a plan for how they want to address the challenge (remember: only active AMA national undergraduate chapter members are allowed to participate in the case competition).
  3. Case Plan Submission Requirements
    • Chapters must submit their Full Written Case plan and Case Entry Form, listing all students who contributed to the case by Friday, December 4, 2026 deadline.
    • Important Reminders:
      • One (1) Team per Chapter/School.
      • Review the Case Competition Eligibility and Presentation Rules (located in the gated competition page).
      • To ensure anonymous judging, do not include your school’s name, campus location, region, or any other identifying information within the written case. Case plans containing identifying information will receive point deductions.
      • Faculty advisors may provide guidance and feedback but should not direct the team’s recommendations. Instead, ask open-ended questions that encourage student thinking.
      • Chapter’s Full Written Case Plan: Save your Full Written Case as a PDF file using the following naming format (list the full name of the institution) – see examples below:
        • Texas State University_Full Written Case.PDF
        • California State University – Long Beach_Full Written Case.PDF
      • Chapter’s Case Entry Form: Save your Case Entry Form as a PDF file using the following naming format (list the full name of the institution) – see examples:
        • Texas State University_Case Entry Form.PDF
        • California State University – Long Beach_Case Entry Form.PDF
          • Remember: If your chapter is required to resubmit the Full Written Case Plan or the Case Entry Form, please use the word “UPDATE” at the end of the naming format. This will ensure the correct file is reviewed and judged – see examples:
            • California State University – Long Beach_Full Written Case_UPDATE.PDF
            • California State University – Long Beach_Case Entry Form_UPDATE.PDF
  4. Judging & Case Finalists Teams
    • Full Written Case Plan submissions will be judged by a panel of professional and academic marketing experts in December, following the case submission deadline – December 4, 2026.
    • NOTE: Faculty members with a chapter participating in the case competition are not eligible to volunteer as a case competition judge.
    • Top Finalist Case Teams will be notified by phone and/or email the week of January 26, 2027.
    • The official Top Finalists Case Teams will be announced and released to the AMA collegiate community shortly thereafter.
  5. Top Case Finalists Presenting at ICC
    • The Top Finalists teams will be required to present in person to the Case Sponsor and guest at the AMA International Collegiate Conference (ICC) taking place April 8-10, 2027 in New Orleans.
      • Top Finalist chapters advancing are typically between 9 to 11 chapter teams.
      • Finalist teams may include up to five (5) student presenters.
  6. All presenters must be current AMA members, have contributed to the case, and be listed on the submitted Case Team Entry Form. Students graduating in December 2026 or January 2027 remain eligible to present if they maintain an active AMA membership. Students enrolled in graduate school are not eligible to participate or compete.

Entry Requirements

  • The AMA Collegiate Case Competition is exclusively open to undergraduate student teams from schools with an active AMA-affiliated collegiate chapter. Graduate students are ineligible to participate.
  • The information in the case is confidential. Case teams may not share the document or its information with others outside of the case team members and their advisors.
  • Participation is restricted to active, paid national AMA members. Non-members are prohibited from accessing the case or contributing to its development. Additionally, graduate student members are not allowed to participate in any capacity related to the case.
  • The collegiate chapter is responsible for ensuring that all individuals involved in the case are active, paid national AMA members.
  • At schools where the AMA faculty members use the case as a basis for a Fall semester course, they must ensure all course registrants are active, paid national AMA student members.
  • Failure to comply with these requirements will result in disqualification from the competition.
  • If you wish to participate in the competition but your chapter has not yet been established, please initiate a petition to start a collegiate chapter by contacting AMA Customer Support at customersupport@ama.org.

If you wish to participate in the competition but your chapter has not yet been established, please initiate a petition to start a collegiate chapter by contacting AMA Collegiate at Collegiate@ama.org with the subject line: Case Competition | AMA Affiliation Inquiry.

Round Details

Round 1

Chapter teams will meet during the Fall (Mid-September – Late-November) to review the case, develop a plan of action to address the issues identified in the case, conduct research as appropriate, create their strategies, tactics and metrics, organize those into a full written strategic plan, and submit the plan document by the designated deadline (Full Written Case due on Friday, December 4, 2026). Following the submission deadline, all full written cases will go through the Round 1 judging review process in December. Teams should focus on content and presentation in their case documents. Remember: Read the entire Case Competition Eligibility and Guidelines.

Finals

The Top Finalists will advance to the Final Round and present in-person at the AMA International Collegiate Conference (ICC). Each chapter’s presentation team can consist of up to five (5) students. Note: If a team member graduates in December 2026 or January 2027 and they participated in the project planning and case development, they will qualify to present with the team.

How is the Competition Judged?

Round 1 Judging Process
Round 1 case competition judging begins in mid-December and is conducted through a blind review process during the final two weeks in December. Judges evaluate each submission without knowing the identity of the participating institution. The volunteer judging panel consists of AMA collegiate academics, faculty and marketing professionals. Want to become a volunteer judge? Sign up today.

Round 1: Judging Rubric and Categories | Up To 100 Points:

  • Situation Analysis – 20 Points Value: The situation analysis should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the situation facing the case sponsor in the desired markets, and should include a SWOT analysis or comparable alternative.
  • Market Research – 20 Points Value: Primary and secondary research pertaining to the project.
  • Target Market, Positioning, Strategy and Objectives – 20 Points Value: Target markets should be sufficiently described and grounded in research. Brand and Product positioning, and marketing strategy should be clearly articulated and flow logically from the situation analysis and market research. Objectives should be realistic and measurable.
  • Marketing Tactics – 20 Points Value: As appropriate, the tactical implications should include an integrated marketing communications plan, pricing plan, media plan, etc. The tactical recommendations should be a logical extension of the positioning and marketing strategy. Proposed timelines and budget should be included.
  • Metrics—10 Points Value: Performance measures to be tracked and the benchmarks to be achieved should be identified to determine if the proposed marketing strategy and tactics are successful.
  • Presentation—10 Points Value: Proper use of grammar, spelling, punctuation, visual appeal, white space, graphics, flow, etc.

Round 2 Judging Process
Round 2 Top Case Finalist teams advance to present their case in-person at the AMA International Collegiate Conference (ICC). Final presentations are evaluated by representatives from the Case Sponsor and a panel of guest, who select the winning team.

Round 2: Judging Rubric and Categories | Final Round | Up To 100 Points:

  • Case Setup and Research – 20 Points Value: Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the case challenge and provides a sufficient overview of the situation through primary and secondary research.
  • Target Marketing, Positioning, Strategy and Objectives – 25 Points Value: Description of the target market(s) for the proposed marketing strategies. Development of positioning and overall strategy, as well as measurable objectives.
  • Tactical Implementation – 25 Points Value: The tactical plan should be based on the research and situation analysis presented. Proposed timelines and budget effectively communicated.
  • Metrics – 10 Points Value: Identify the performance measures to be tracked and the benchmarks to be achieved to determine the success of the proposed marketing strategy and tactics.
  • Presentation and Q&A – 20 Points Value: The presentation is professional in appearance and engaging. Presenters can effectively address the judges’ questions.

Finals
Top Finalist teams will present their case at the AMA International Collegiate Conference (ICC). Additional details will be shared with the finalists in early February 2027.

In the meantime, once your chapter receives access to the Case Brief, we encourage all participating chapters and members to read the competition eligibility & guidelines, and the helpful resources in their entirety before beginning work on the case.

Case Competition Round 1 Finalists

The 2026-2027 Case Competition Finalists (Alpha Order) will be posted in late January 2027. For now, head over to AMA International Collegiate Conference (ICC) event page to register, and discover the AMAzing program that’s happening April 8-10, 2027, in New Orleans.

  • FINALISTS COMING IN JANUARY 2027
    • Note: All finalists will be receiving further instructions and next steps to help them prepare for their in-person Case Presentation.

Competition Prize

The Case Competition Chapter Team Prize Outline:

  • 1st Place: $2,000 & ICC Award (1 chapter winner)
  • 2nd Place: $1,000 & ICC Award (3 chapter team placements)
  • 3rd Place: $500 & ICC Award (6 to 7 chapter team placements)

Questions?

Contact AMA Collegiate at Collegiate@ama.org.

Chapter Case Questions / FAQs

Chapter Questions Regarding the Written Case Process?

Case questions regarding the written case process and where to submit inquiries will be provided on the case competition rules and guidelines. All questions and inquiries will be answered and shared with all participating chapters who have signed up with the intent-to-participate form.

Do I have to be registered for the 2027 AMA International Collegiate Conference to participate?

Yes. To participate in Case, chapters acknowledge their intent to register for 2027 ICC. All chapter teams selected to move forward as finalists will be required to register for ICC by December 4, 2026.

What should I wear for the competition?

Professional business attire is encouraged for the in person presentation. Look sharp, as you want to impress the case competition judges! Please remember to remove your name badge and avoid wearing attire that identifies a specific school.

Case Competition Resources

  • Case Competition Deadlines and Top Tips for Success – Coming Soon
    • AMA Collegiate will also be sharing and highlighting Top Tips during the monthly Chapter Leaders Virtual Forms in Sept and Oct – so make sure to join us!
  • Access a Previous Case Competition Winner’s Showcase Presentation – Get Inspired

Calling All AMA Volunteers!

Want to make an impact and support the AMA Collegiate Community?

Here’s your chance – AMA is looking for volunteers to help judge our Collegiate Opportunities.

Learn more and sign up today, visit the AMA Collegiate Volunteer Page. 

AMA Collegiate Volunteer Page

Become the next Case Competition Partner!

Got a Marketing Challenge? Let’s Make It Legendary! AMA is on the lookout for our next Collegiate Case Competition partner – and it could be YOU! Team up with AMA to turn your real-word marketing challenge into the ultimate Collegiate Team showdown and help us inspire the next generations of marketing leaders. Click here and discover the AMA Partnership & Sponsorship opportunities.

Go Back to the Competition Directory

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