Today we’d like to introduce you to Annika Abell.
Hi Annika, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in Germany. In 2002, I participated in an exchange program that landed me at a university in the Southeast US. I always loved art and design, so when I returned to Germany after a year in the states, I decided to study design at the University of Stuttgart.
After I graduated, I worked for a couple of years in the corporate world for companies like Lufthansa and a global media & advertising agency. I also had my own marketing consulting business where I worked with a partner on social media campaigns for clients like Goodyear Tires.
The small Georgia town I had been placed in always had a place in my heart, so in 2010, I decided to return to the United States to pursue an MBA. Afterward, I moved to Florida and obtained a Ph.D. in Marketing while conducting academic research at the University of South Florida. I moved to Knoxville about three years ago with my husband and four-year-old daughter to begin a faculty position as Assistant Professor of Marketing at UT Knoxville’s Haslam College of Business.
What a cool cross-continental journey! Can you talk a bit about your experience teaching at University of Tennessee?
It has been an amazing experience so far! The students here are incredibly engaged, curious, and driven. Additionally, I get to work with some great colleagues to further research in the field of marketing. For example, I’m currently working on a project that investigates how people react to different types of star and number ratings on e-commerce websites.
Being able to blend research and teaching is a dream come true for me. I try to bring a real-world perspective to my classroom. My industry experience gives me a different perspective than most professors, and I think that comes through in my teaching.
So tell us a little bit more about WearKnox.com – what is it?
WearKnox is an online apparel and merchandise shop that is completely run by the students in my Digital Marketing class at UTK. The store sells T-shirts with designs created by local Knoxville artists. One hundred percent of the profits go to United Way of Greater Knoxville.
The class is tasked with creating and executing digital marketing campaigns to promote the sales of Knoxville-themed t-shirts, mugs, bags, and more.
That sounds like a great initiative! How did it come about?
I really wanted my students to have a hands-on experience with all aspects of digital marketing. I wanted them to understand how to develop a brand, create compelling content, drive traffic to a website, and convert visitors into customers.
Digital marketing is not a skill that can easily be taught in lectures or through simulations. So I had the idea of creating our own store that would give my students access to a variety of tools like email marketing platforms, Google Analytics, WordPress, and social media advertising suites.
The other aspect of this project that was important to me was to create something that would give back to the community. United Way is a great organization, and I wanted my students to understand the importance of using business as a force for good in society.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely was not a smooth road! I think anyone who has started their own business or initiative can attest to that.
There have been countless challenges along the way – from finding the right suppliers to working with local artists to getting our website up and running. But I think the biggest challenge has been getting people to actually buy our products!
That’s the nature of marketing. It’s a constant battle to get people’s attention and then convince them to take action. But it’s also what makes it so exciting. It’s a great experience to see the students experiment and see first-hand some of the challenges they’ll face upon graduation. The project also gives the students a taste of the creative ways they can face these challenges head-on.
Every day is a new challenge, and I think my students have really risen to the occasion. They have come up with some great ideas, and I am so proud of all they have accomplished.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about the project that you’ve experienced since starting it?
As I mentioned, the project has been a great opportunity for my students to get some real-world experience with digital marketing. They have worked on everything from developing our brand identity to creating social media content to designing email campaigns.
But I think the most important thing they have learned is how to work together as a team. This project requires a lot of collaboration. Each semester, I think the students really learn the importance of communication and teamwork.
They have also learned how to deal with setbacks and how to persevere when things don’t go according to plan. I think these are skills that they will take with them long after they graduate.
What are your hopes for WearKnox moving forward?
My hope is that WearKnox will continue to grow and thrive. I would love to see it become a go-to source for Knoxville-themed apparel and merchandise. I hope that WearKnox can continue to grow and sell more products! I would love to see us expand our product line and sell more items designed by local Knoxville artists.
I also hope they have learned the importance of giving back to the community. Business can be a force for good in society, and I want my students to understand that.
But most importantly, I hope that my students have learned something from this experience. I hope they have learned how to be creative problem-solvers and how to think outside the box. These are skills that they will need in any career, not just marketing.
Sounds great! Any other projects you’re working on in the future?
I will start teaching a graduate-level class in the fall for UTK’s new Digital Marketing Master’s program. It’s a new initiative, and I’m excited to have some graduate students also working alongside the undergrads on the WearKnox initiative. Aside from that, just tons of research projects in various stages!
Pricing:
- T-shirts are around $25, with products as low as $3. All proceeds are donated to the United Way of Greater Knoxville.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wearknox.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/wearknox
- Facebook: facebook.com/wearknoxco
