Buy Tickets For Our Seminar in San FranciscoMay 3 2011 Starts at $100 |
Buy Tickets For The Awards CeremonyMay 3 2011 Starts at $125 |
Receive News Faster Register NowFREE |
5 Minutes Case Studies Weekly!Every Monday FREE |
Submit Your Work Participate in the CompetitionEntries are closed |
2011 World Student Brief
The Bees Awards and Mango Languages want to recognize the best students of the world and are inviting all students to submit their campaigns for The 2011 World Student Brief.
Pretend that you are an agency, respond to the brief online before March 31, 2011. You could win a Bees Award on May 3, 2011 and a grant of $2,000.
- Read the brief below
- Create a profile (login/password)
- Complete the online form
- Proceed to payment ($25.00)

Product name
Mango Passport
Product description
Mango Passport is a downloadable self study language learning software for international travelers. Contrary to other products in the market, it is developed around actual conversation skills. This unique approach focuses on teaching practical conversations within context instead of just vocabulary and nouns in isolation. For example, with Mango you would learn how to ask a question like, “Where is the bathroom?” and then to understand the answer instead of just learning that a ball is red or that a box is square. 16 Foreign languages and 12 English as a second language courses are available for download.
Note: Mango Languages offers additional language learning software products geared towards additional target markets.
Product key feature
Mango’s Intuitive Language Construction Methodology is a key feature of the product development process.
This methodology includes all four key conversational components, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and culture. Many other language learning programs offer some form of the first two components of vocabulary and pronunciation but completely disregard how important both grammar and culture are to conversation and engagement success. Within 35-50 hours of study the user will have a strong foundation to navigate a variety of everyday situations — get directions, order a meal, make new friends. The possibilities are endless!
This unique approach of learning makes Mango Languages products more fun, easy to use, and engaging which leads to better results. Mango Languages is the number one language learning software product used by U.S. public libraries. They are also increasingly used in U.S. government agencies current customers include the Pentagon, US Marine Corp, U.S. Air force.
Competitive Advantage
Mango Passport is a self study language learning software that focuses on the needs of the international traveler for leisure or business. It is:
- Fun and provides instant results for first-time learner
- Acclaimed: US libraries and government agencies (Pentagon, US Navy, others)
- Concrete: focused on actual conversations
- Universal: downloadable from anywhere
Mango Languages distills the language learning process to provide only the actual words, phrases and sentences a traveler needs to know to navigate a new country, seek out authentic cultural experiences, and engage in polite conversation without offending the locals.
Actual market
Learning the basis of the language concerns everyone who is about to visit a country and wants to remain safe and get the most from each social interaction. Mango Passport addresses the market of the international traveler, either for leisure or business.
Mango Languages designed Mango Passport based on a persona named “Traveling Tom.” He is a beginner in his new language and is looking to learn enough to “get around.” He won’t have much time to spend, so he can’t be exposed to a learning environment that overwhelms him. We’ve got to keep it simple and efficient for Tom! He just wants to know the basics.
Traveling Tom is an individual that wants a bit more out of his travels than just relaxation. He values the ability to build rapport with people in the countries he visits. To accomplish this, he wants to learn some local lingo. Curious and adventurous, Tom wants to dive in to new cultures just a little deeper – but likes to stick close to the beaten path and revel in the amenities offered to tourists.
Tom is outgoing and enjoys learning about the world. He exercises this desire through vacations outside of his home country. Trips are taken once every one to two years for about 2- to 4-week periods. While he’ll sometimes return to a favorite destination, variety is what he craves. This gives him the desire to pick up a little bit of several different new languages, perhaps focusing more attention on one or two.
Traveling Tom is between 20 and 60 years of age and earns middle to upper income. He typically travels with a companion: a good friend, girlfriend or wife. He likes the security that comes with visiting a tourist destination, but also longs for the ability to explore the fringes. He recognizes the value of learning the basics of a new language to facilitate this desire. Since many of his excursions allow him to whet his appetite for exploration, he understands the benefits of learning about cultural differences. He feels empowered to know that an underlying empathy for an unfamiliar world is there to guide him through embarrassing faux pas.
Please note: We can reverse the gender of the persona to Traveling Theresa.
Product challenge
This is a branding and recognition challenge.
Mango Languages is just under 4 years old and has to establish its brand. Everything about building a brand has to be implemented and no step can be skipped in that process.
Brand recognition is key in the selling process. Consumers feel that a language program is better and will bring more results if they know the brand and have confidence in the brand. Mango Languages needs to uplift and secure a strong position for their brand and specifically the “Mango Passport” product to realistically compete with the current competition.
Campaign goals
Mango Passport has the following goals to establish its brand in the market place (in order of importance):
- Mango Passport name recognition (people need to see our name and remember it)
- Mango Passport is the number one choice for US Libraries and US Government agencies. (People must understand that we have a proven product)
- Mango Passport has a unique approach that makes learning fun, useful and achieves faster result for first-time travelers. (People must like us)
Campaign target
Mango Passport addresses the market of the international traveler, either for leisure or business.
Note: You may target smaller segments within the Traveling Tom persona if you feel that would have the strongest cost/benefit.
Consumers buying process
Consumers typically have three months or more to plan a trip abroad to a foreign country. They do not want to get lost, they want to know what they are eating, and they don’t want to offend anyone or embarrass themselves. They will use the web and other resources to research what language learning options might be available in the market.
They will ask themselves these questions:
- How do I best learn? Self paced, tutor, audio, book etc.
- How in-depth do I want my learning experience to be?
- What is my budget?
- How much time do I have to invest?
- Will I have the motivation to go through the learning process and make the required effort?
In addition they will ask friends/family/native speakers for referral to a language-learning program that they know or that has worked for them.
Reasons to buy a Language Learning program:
- Self-Confidence
- More secure when traveling – can navigate being lost etc.
- Perceived as friendlier or sexier – can meet people
- Make friends and see some places that only the locals go – a true window into the destination
- Better return on investment of costs of vacation – better memories, friends etc.
- Get better deals in markets, able to negotiate.
- More educated, source of pride
Obstacles:
- Fear of being too old to learn a foreign language
- Fear that they spent too much money
- Fear they won’t stay committed
- Fear it won’t work – They have tried other programs
- Fear of unknown brand – not proven
- Fear of online purchase – not able to touch and feel product
Campaign period & budget
- September-October 2011
- $25,000 - $150,000
Graphic material
- Mango Logo (.jpg)
- Mango Logo (.eps)
- Mango branding guide
- Mangolanguages.com
- Intuitive Language Construction Methodology Video
- Why Mango Languages Video
Deliverable
- Strategy (1,500 characters max)
- Campaign description (1,500 characters max)
- Example of execution: We expect students to present mockups or videos
- Estimated results (1,500 characters max)
- Credits (student, school)
Questions? Comments?
Participate now, send your campaign.