On Friday, May 5, 2023, more than 400 students came to lecture hall H1, the largest at the University of Münster, despite the upcoming weekend. The reason was a guest lecture by the company Picnic as part of the bachelor course Marketing Analytics 1.

Assistant Professor Frederik Ferié and his team were excited to welcome Martin Wolter, an alumnus of the University of Münster now working as a Business Analyst in Picnic’s customer division, and his colleague Yannick Männersdorfer, who is a Data Analyst in the expansion division. Together, Martin and Yannick presented Picnic, an online supermarket that allows customers to easily order their weekly shopping at home - at prices comparable to those of local supermarkets.

However, the presentation focused not on Picnic as a company but on a unique tool that had been developed with significant input from the two speakers: the Area Potential Model. This model allows Picnic to assess the business potential of a particular region for the company and helps to decide whether it makes sense to expand into that region. Martin and Yannick explained to the students how the Area Potential Model works and elaborated on their role in its development. In doing so, they also referred to a number of models and concepts the students had already learned about in the Marketing Analytics 1 course this semester.

The students were intrigued by the presentation and asked the two speakers several questions, both in class and after the guest lecture. The presentation provided an inspiring example of how a company can successfully combine data analytics and marketing strategies.

In sum, the presentation by Martin Wolter and Yannick Männersdörfer was a highlight of the Marketing Analytics 1 course. We want to take this opportunity to thank the guest lecturers from Picnic once again for the fascinating insights and for visiting us in Münster.

Image credits: Nina Mack.