Project Summary:
In this GLE project, students had the unique opportunity to collaborate with Sephora, a global beauty retailer, and client of the renowned Public Relations agency, Golin. Sephora, driven by a mission to celebrate diversity and empowerment through beauty, is committed to sustainability with a focus on creating a cleaner and greener planet. In collaboration with Pact Collective, Sephora has launched plans for an in-store beauty recycling program.
DePaul students collaborated with students at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Their task was to conduct research in beauty recycling, uncovering insights into best practices, effective communication strategies, and innovative ways to educate and engage Sephoras target audience. Target audience for this project were GenZ women, a demographic known for their commitment to sustainability and social impact. Student teams worked both inside and outside of the class time, using collaborative tools (Zoom, Google Docs). The culmination of the project was team presentations to the clients that encapsulated students’ research findings, strategic recommendations, and a captivating campaign proposal.
Project Length:
Technology Tools Use:
Interaction Mode:
- Asynchronous
- Synchronous
- Both
Learning Outcomes:
- Students explored the connections among strategy, brand identity, and CSR.
- Students gained a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of CSR across cultures.
- Students developed an understanding of diverse cultural perspectives in the context of sustainability and recycling initiatives.
- Students investigated the nuances of consumer behavior related to beauty recycling programs within varied cultural settings, with a specific emphasis on the preferences and attitudes of different cultures.
- Students developed critical evaluation skills to assess the impact of cross-cultural communication and sustainability initiatives.
Faculty Feedback:
"One standout highlight for me during this GLE was the collective success students achieved in crafting a culturally resonant campaign for Sephora's beauty recycling initiative. I was impressed by students’ ability to seamlessly integrate their unique perspectives into the project. I witnessed the transformative power of cross-cultural understanding in crafting meaningful and impactful communication strategies. " ~Nur Uysal
"It was great to see how much the participating students appreciated the importance of CSR/sustainability issues that companies face in the real world. The groups engaged very actively with the challenges of sustainability and were able to develop a better sense of how these issues also depend on the cultural context. Overall, I can say that GLE was an educational and enjoyable experience for the students and me as a lecturer." ~Ursa Golob
Nur Uysal
Institution: DePaul University
Discipline: Communication
Course name: CSR and Purpose Communication
Ursa Golob
Institution: University of Ljubljana
Discipline: Communication
Course name: Corporate Social Responsibility