Â鶹Éçmadou

The Marketing Analytics Hackathon is an annual competition organized by the School of Marketing at Â鶹Éçmadou, and in 2025, it is co-organized by the Â鶹Éçmadou Media Engagement & Analytics Lab (MEAL) and the Â鶹Éçmadou Marketing Analytics Society.

The event attracts top-tier students with strong marketing and analytical skills to participate. Participants form teams to compete in solving real-world problems, using their marketing knowledge and analytical skills within a limited time period (e.g., one week).

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• Expanding beyond Sydney—welcoming participants from across Australia and around the world.
• A fresh challenge—once again, a real-world, intriguing problem to compete on: How can marketing analytics help us uncover insights to more effectively promote climate actions on TikTok?
• Exciting recognition and prizes—tutor positions at the School of Marketing and an internship opportunity at Â鶹Éçmadou Marketing & Digital Experience Analytics Team.*

Any students from domestic or international universities, who are interested in solving real-world marketing problems using analytical tools and possess necessary marketing knowledge and analytical skills are welcome to compete.

• Both undergraduate and postgraduate (i.e., master) students are welcome.
• Form a team of 2-5 people, and register your team at:
• Download the sample dataset after your registration.

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The Winning Teams will be announced at the end of the final presentation.

• 1stÌýplace winner: $750 gift card per group, up toÌýtwo tutor positions at School of Marketing and one intern position at Â鶹Éçmadou Marketing & Digital Experience Analytics Team. (The outcome of job opportunities depends on a further selection among the applications from this group and is subjective to requirements such as degree qualification and visa conditions.)
• 2ndÌýplace winner: $500 gift card per group.
• 3rdÌýplace winner: $250 gift card per group.

Participants will work with a dataset comprising:

• 1,597 TikTok video posts (Jan 2023–May 2025) around hashtags such as #ClimateChange, #ClimateAction, etc.
  • Detailed post information accompanied by videos (or image + audio/music formats)
  • Each post includes up to 200 user comments
• 1,126 corresponding video authors, each with:
  • Up to 400 following accounts
  • Up to 400 followers
  • Up to 200 uploaded posts
  • Up to 200 favourite posts

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The data dictionary can be found using this .

After the team registration, you will find a link to download a sample dataset.

• Helps you understand the dataset and its structure
• Allows you to prepare code to read the data
• Gives you an opportunity to plan your analytical methods and test them on the sample

• Registration: Now until 17 Aug 2025
• 18 Aug 2025: Proposal submission opens
• 25 Aug 2025 (5pm): Proposal submission deadline
• 28 Aug 2025 (9am): Finalist teams announced
• 5 Sep 2025: Final presentations and award ceremony

The final presentation will be a hybrid event

• In person: Â鶹Éçmadou Business School Building, Level 6, Business Lounge
• Online:Ìý Details to be announced

Schedule (subject to change):

• 10:00 - 10:15: Opening and problem briefingÌý
• 10:15 - 11:15: Team presentations
• 11:15 - 11:30: Morning tea
• 11:30 - 12:30: Team presentations
• 12:30 - 13:30: Lunch and networking
• 13:30 - 14:00: Awards and conclusion

Proposal judging criteria

• Originality of the idea (30%): Does the proposal offer a novel or creative approach to promoting climate action on TikTok?
• Practical relevance of the proposed analysis (50%): Will the analysis produce insights that are meaningful and applicable to real-world climate communication or marketing strategies?
• Project feasibility within one week (10%): Can the proposed project be realistically completed within the available timeframe and using the provided dataset?
• Clarity, structure, and creative communication (10%): Is the proposal clearly written and logically organized, with innovative or engaging ways of presenting objectives, methods, and expected outcomes?

Final presentation judging criteria

• Judging panel (80%)
  • Originality of research question (20%): Does the team pose a novel and compelling question that advances understanding of climate action on TikTok?
  • Analytical approach and execution (20%): Are the chosen methods appropriate for the research question, and are they applied rigorously and effectively?
  • Insights and communication (20%): Does the presentation offer meaningful and data-driven insights? Are the findings clearly interpreted and communicated in a compelling or creative way?
  • Managerial implications (20%): Are the insights translated into actionable implications for marketers, creators, or climate communicators?
• Audience choice (20%)
  • Based on live audience voting. The top-voted team will receive full 20% marks, with other teams receiving proportionally scaled scores.
  • Audience score = 20% × (Team votes ÷ Highest team votes)

Registration

• Register via this webform:
  
• After registering, you will receive a link to the sample dataset.

Requirements

• Specify the aim of your project, outline the methodologies, the data items you plan to use, the expected outcomes from the analyses, and the expected managerial implications. (You are not expected to complete your full analysis at the proposal stage.)
• Recommended Proposal Structure:
  • Title, names, and affiliations
  • Project aim and research questions
  • Proposed analytical approaches
  • Data items to be used
  • Expected outcomes and managerial relevance
• Maximum word count: 1,500 words (excluding references).

Submission

• Submission window: 18 Aug (9am) ~ 25 Aug (5pm) 2025
• Email your proposal to: MA.Hackathon@unsw.edu.au

• Proposal evaluation
  Your proposal will be evaluated by a judging panel. Those who advance to the final presentation will be notified via the registered email.
• Finalist teams work on the project
  Up to six teams will advance to the final competition. The finalist teams will receive the full dataset, and have one week to work on the project and prepare for the final presentation.
• Final presentation
  The finalist teams will present their work on the final presentation day. Winners will be announced on the day.