“In this course, I learned how international brands adapt their products and messaging to fit local cultures and consumer preferences. Beforehand, I had no idea that companies like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Nestlé made such changes to remain accessible and acceptable in different countries. This knowledge helped me approach my service-learning project with a more global mindset, encouraging me to look at how organizations in El Salvador tailor their outreach to resonate with the community. It sparked my curiosity and gave me a framework for understanding why localization matters in marketing. 

To ensure success, our team began by learning the background of Friends of El Salvador through a meeting with Dr. Juan Sorto, the Head Chair. He explained the organization’s mission and history, which gave us context for our toy drive project. 

From there, we developed a promotional timeline to keep our efforts organized. 

We filmed a promotional video in front of one main building with downtown Houston in the background to symbolize joy and community spirit.

The video was designed to be uplifting, and it ended up receiving the highest engagement on social media—leading in views, likes, and reposts.

Although I was initially nervous about approaching people, I stepped out of my comfort zone by confidently asking students and staff to contribute. Once I explained the cause, many were eager to help. We even interviewed donors, including close friends and the provost, to highlight why they chose to participate. These personal stories added authenticity and strengthened our campaign. 

Participating in this project has influenced me both personally and professionally. 

Personally, it taught me the value of stepping outside my comfort zone and using my voice to inspire others. Academically, it reinforced the importance of connecting theory to practice—what I learned in international marketing directly applied to real-world outreach. Career-wise, it strengthened my interest in pursuing roles that combine marketing with community impact, such as nonprofit marketing or corporate social responsibility. I now see myself not only as a future marketer but also as someone who can use marketing strategies to create positive change. ”