In my Consumer Insights course at UC Berkeley, my team and I collaborated on a real-world marketing challenge for GU Energy Labs, known for their performance energy gels. Tasked with uncovering deeper motivations behind consumer behavior, we focused on current and former college athletes. By conducting interviews with Olympians and elite athletes across disciplines, we identified key consumer segments rooted in personal motivation, training goals, and emotional drivers. Our insights shaped strategic brand recommendations, ultimately earning us 2nd place in a live pitch competition judged by GU’s CEO and President of Marketing.