DECA has partnered with StukentCTE for the Social Media Marketing Challenge!
The Challenge is an interactive social media simulation. Each participant manages a $10,000 monthly ad budget for a global brand across six real platforms — Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest.
The Challenge is open to any registered DECA member — both the student and their advisor register individually —who will target an audience, allocate a budget, and track performance like a real social media marketer.
Participants have an opportunity to win cash prizes — $1,500 for 1st place, $1,000 for 2nd, and $500 for 3rd —with top strategies recognized nationwide.
Access the Challenge Guidelines here.
Registration is open now — the competition runs October 14 – December 1, 2026!
Lesson Plan + Classroom Activity
Start the activity by holding up a product and asking students who they think the target market is — then challenge their assumptions with an unexpected twist.
What if the real audience for a skincare brand wasn't teens scrolling TikTok, but their parents scrolling Facebook during a Sunday morning coffee?
Jumpstart student participation in the Social Media Marketing Challenge, which focuses on target market strategy and ad budget allocation across platforms.
