Thinking Like Marketers: BGC Teens take on the Jimmy John’s Next-Gen Challenge
What makes a product catch someone’s attention and inspire them to give it a try?
That’s the question our Boys & Girls Club teens set out to answer when they partnered with the Jimmy John’s Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for the Next-Gen Challenge: Make It Fresh, Make It Matter.
This was far more than a typical Club assignment. Our members were challenged to think like real marketing professionals and help Jimmy John’s connect with the next generation of customers. Their mission focused on promoting Jimmy John’s newest limited-time treat, the Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie, with a portion of proceeds supporting the Jimmy John’s Foundation.
From Ideas to Marketing Strategy
Throughout the week, members worked in teams to tackle a real-world business question: What makes young people want to buy a product?
The conversation quickly went beyond sandwiches and cookies. Teens explored the factors that influence purchasing decisions today, including social media trends, eye-catching advertising, product quality, pricing, and authenticity.
One factor stood out above the rest: social media has a major influence on their generation.
With that insight in mind, both teams decided to create engaging, reel-style promotional videos designed to capture attention and encourage teens to give the new cookie a try.
Working together, members brainstormed creative concepts, wrote scripts, developed prop lists, filmed scenes, and edited their videos using humor, storytelling, and trends they knew would resonate with their peers.
Along the way, they strengthened valuable workforce skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and project management—skills that extend far beyond this challenge and into their future careers.
Presenting to a Local Business Leader
The week culminated in an exciting presentation celebration, where each team pitched its campaign to local Jimmy John’s owner and Boys & Girls Club Board President Brad Pachefsky.
Members confidently shared not only their finished videos, but also the research and strategy behind their marketing decisions. Brad asked thoughtful questions about their creative process, what they learned, and how they viewed the Jimmy John’s brand.
For our teens, it was an authentic opportunity to present their ideas to a local business leader, answer questions, and receive real-world feedback.
Their Ideas. Their Voices. Their Futures.
More than anything, the challenge showed our teens that their ideas matter.
They experienced what it’s like to collaborate with a business, tackle a real-world problem, develop a strategy, and confidently share their ideas in a professional setting.
One member reflected:
“I learned that marketing is more than just making a cool video. You have to think about what people our age actually want to see and what would make them stop scrolling.”
— Sierra M.
Another shared:
“Working with my team helped me build communication skills because everyone had different ideas, and we had to work together to create something we were all proud of.”
— Jeannie A.
Experiences like the Jimmy John’s Next-Gen Challenge demonstrate exactly what workforce readiness can look like at the Boys & Girls Club. When young people have opportunities to work alongside businesses and solve authentic challenges, they gain confidence, build career-ready skills, and discover that their creativity and perspectives have real value.
A huge thank you to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Jimmy John’s Foundation, and Brad Pachefsky for investing in our youth and creating meaningful opportunities for them to learn, lead, and make an impact. We can’t wait to see where their ideas (and their futures) take them next!
Do you have a teen who could benefit from opportunities like this? At the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac, we’re helping teens explore careers, build real-world skills, discover their strengths, and prepare for their futures.
If your teen is already a member, encourage them to actively get involved in the many programs we offer and discover what’s possible at the Club! Looking to enroll? Visit our Become a Member page to sign up!