Study Guide
Welcome to the 2026 National Collegiate Digital Marketing Championship.
This study guide will give you the basic guidelines to be successful in competition. Use this guide to help you fine-tune your skills.
A faculty or staff member is not required to be present in order to participate.
Scoring Criteria: Review the points individuals and schools can earn in each event.
IMPORTANT: Students are welcome to participate in any event of their choosing. However, please be aware that event times may overlap. Successful scheduling is part of the challenge, and attendees should plan wisely. Please note if a student advances in a bracket competition, they may be short on time to participate in other competitions. Choose wisely and good luck!
PRESENTATION PRO
Individuals or up to 5 students working together on a team.
Presentation Pro is the premier event of the NCDMC. In this competition, schools will showcase their digital marketing skills in a march-madness style bracket. Each team will be role-playing as campaign managers for a digital marketing agency. You will receive a performance report for your client and will meet with them to review the results. The goal is to accurately present campaign performance data across various channels while highlighting important information relevant to the client’s goals.
Example prompt, including scoring rubric and presentation deck available here.
Tournament Structure:
Bracket Setup: The participating individuals or teams will be placed in a bracket, similar to the March Madness tournament. The team listed at the top spot on the bracket will present first, and the subsequent team will wait outside the presentation room.
Presentation Rounds: The tournament will consist of multiple rounds. The number of rounds depends on the number of teams participating.
Timing: The number of minutes for each team to present is 20.
QUANTUM QUIZ
Welcome to the Quantum Quiz! This competition will test your knowledge and wits across a range of subjects.
Subjects included: Social media marketing, search advertising, SEO, and optimizing for AI.
Take a test drive of the Quantum Quiz.
MAN VS MACHINE
Welcome to Man vs Machine, a single-round simulation where you will be tested for relevant skills.
All students may compete one time. No outside help is permitted.
No practice round available.
VIRAL
Dive into this interactive, room-splitting game that’s as addictive as scrolling through your feed. Participants square off in a room with a line down the middle. A question pops up on the screen, presenting two possible answers. Make your choice by physically standing on the side of the room that corresponds to your answer before the timer runs out. Choose wisely—only those on the correct side advance to the next round, while the rest are dismissed. It’s a battle of wits, strategy, and savvy. Do you have what it takes to be the last one standing?
There will be several start times. All students are welcome to participate, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
See how it looks here. (Use PowerPoint Presentation mode.)
Round topics:
AI search
Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
X (formerly Twitter)
YouTube
BRAIN SQUEEZE
Take an IQ test with an innovative twist. Buckle up–this one will require students to lock all the way in testing their working memory.
No practice round available.
SPEED SELL
Give an elevator pitch up to 60 seconds in length. The goal? Sell yourself as a graduate student or entry-level hire for a position of your choice.
Scoring Rubric:
Speech Content:
• Name, major and graduation date (December, May or August)
• Demonstrated research knowledge of company/school
• Spoke about important characteristics of a new hire
• Creative link between the company/school knowledge and characteristics with skills and/or experience of the candidate
• Included a Call to Action (CTA) to proceed to the appropriate next step in the application process or networking opportunity
Delivery, Voice and Language:
• Professional approach, not awkward
• A flowing discussion; not scripted or mechanical
• Neat and professional dress
• Appropriate eye contact; lack of distracting body movements
• Volume adequate to be heard
• Words clearly spoken; tempo neither too fast nor too slow
• Demonstrated strength and confidence
• Correct pronunciation and grammar
• Avoid filler words such as “uh,” “um,” “like,” “you know,” “actually,” etc.
All students are welcome to participate, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
PILLAR POWER
In today’s demanding business world, true career excellence and long-term success depend on a strong, integrated foundation across four essential pillars: spiritual, physical, mental, and financial. Weakness in any one pillar caps overall potential—diminishing the ability to thrive under pressure. The National Collegiate Business Championships (NCBC) recognize this holistic reality and has built Pillar Power to encourage competitors to be fully integrated business leaders.