In 2018, the Department of Marketing worked with Albertsons executives and SMART (Strategic Marketing + Analytical Research Team) to create a new course — Category Management (Marketing 424).
Category management is the process of using market research, sales data and shopper insights to craft fact-based retail solutions that improve the consumer shopping experience and product performance. Co-taught by marketing professors and Albertsons and SMART executives, this experiential course uses real data from Albertsons.
Multiple students from the last three semesters have leaped into this exciting field. Boise has a long legacy of being home to major retailers such as Albertsons which compete in the largest markets in the country with more than 2400 stores.
“Boise is considered a HUB for consumer packaged goods companies,” explains Nick Sabala, VP strategic insights with SMART. “Many opportunities await Boise State students and working with SMART and Albertsons is a gateway to a successful career path.”
Options for a career include working with a retailer (e.g., Albertsons), an agency (e.g., SMART) or a manufacturer (e.g., Proctor & Gamble). Careers in analytics, merchandising, marketing or sales are waiting for graduates in the retailing industry here in Boise or multiple other locations throughout the United States.