Get a head start on the 2025-2026 competition season with Collegiate DECA's competitive event draft topics for the Business Research, Digital Marketing Strategies and Financial Statement Analysis events.
Business Research Topic
The 2025-2026 topic is for participants to collaborate with a local business or organization to seek and incorporate customer feedback into the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and overall business strategies. Using the research findings, participants will develop a CSR strategy to achieve internal/external results.
This means understanding what customers value, what concerns them, and how their opinions can inform a company's CSR actions and practices. Some examples may include:
- Environmental Initiatives: Customers can provide insights into which environmental issues they prioritize, such as reducing carbon emissions, protecting natural resources or promoting sustainable practices.
- Social Impact Programs: Customer feedback can help companies identify social issues they are passionate about, such as poverty reduction, education or community development.
- Ethical Sourcing and Manufacturing: Customers can provide feedback on a company's sourcing practices, labor standards and manufacturing processes.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Customer perspectives can inform a company's efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace and customer base.
Digital Marketing Strategies Topic
The objective for the 2025-2026 year is to create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy for a sustainable fashion brand that needs to highlight ethical manufacturing, eco-friendly materials and transparent supply chains. Digital marketing strategies include, but are not limited to, websites, mobile applications, social media outlets, animation, videos and the like. The strategy should include a clearly integrated brand identity for a sustainable fashion e-commerce company.
Financial Statement Analysis Topic
The Financial Statement Analysis event involves a team of 2 to 3 participants analyzing the financial statements of two (2) companies from the same industry, preparing a written analysis and then presenting their findings and recommendations. For 2025-2026, participants will analyze financial statements for Marriott International, Inc. and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. using the most recent Form 10-K for each organization.
Be sure to check the DECA Guide in late summer for official guidelines for the 2025-2026 school year.
