What I Learned,
What I'm Going to Steal
THE MARKETING READER PROJECT
A semester-long reading & reflection experience · Red Mountain High School Marketing & DECA
Part 1 · 40 pts
Weekly Reading Log
One entry per week from any book in the class library. Capture · Connect · Question.
Part 2 · 40 pts
Steal Like a Marketer
Collect 5–8 ideas you'd actually use. Build your personal marketing playbook.
Part 3 · 20 pts
The $1 vs. $20 Test
Rate what each book was worth to you. What was actually worth your time?
Read deeply, not widely. You do not need to read every book cover to cover. One chapter that genuinely changed how you think about marketing is worth more than ten chapters you skimmed. This project rewards depth — and honest thinking — over page count.
How this project works
You have two lanes of reading running all semester. Breadth: each week you make one short log entry from any book you're browsing (Part 1). Depth: across the semester you pick a handful of ideas worth truly owning and turn them into your playbook (Part 2). At the end, you judge the whole library by what it was worth to you (Part 3). Every part connects your reading to a real DECA competitive event — see the DECA Event Menu on the back.
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AI-use policy — read this. You may use AI to help you find a passage, define a term, or understand a hard idea. But the thinking must be yours: the Connect, the Question, the Play, and every “Why this one?” must come from your own head and your own life. If an AI could have written your answer without reading the book, it earns a 1. Cite AI help honestly — using it well is a skill; hiding it is not.
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Once a week, make one entry. You choose the book, the section, and what you write about — there is no required book, only required thinking. Keep each entry short and use all three moves below.
1 Capture
One idea, quote, or concept that caught your attention. Include the book title and chapter/page.
2 Connect
Tie it to something real — a brand, a business, the news, your own life. Name the brand or situation.
3 Question
One question this idea raises that the book didn't fully answer — something you genuinely want to know.
Worked example — what a 4/4 entry looks like
Book / section: Influence (Cialdini), Ch. 4 — Social Proof
Capture: Under uncertainty, people decide what's correct by watching what others do — Cialdini calls it “social proof.”
Connect: Wendy's app tags items “#1 Most Ordered.” That's social proof steering me toward the Baconator instead of me actually deciding.
Question: Does social proof still work once people know it's engineered? Where's the line between honest proof and manipulation?
Entry 1RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 2RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 3RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 4RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 5RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 6RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 7RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 8RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 9RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 10RequiredBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 11Makeup / BonusBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
Entry 12Makeup / BonusBook: Chapter/pg: Date:
1
Capture — idea that caught my attention
2
Connect — real-world connection
3
Question — what I still want to know
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Find 5–8 ideas from the class library that you would actually steal and use — for a real business, a brand you admire, a cause you care about, or your own future. Every steal comes from a specific section of a specific book, and each one names the DECA event it would strengthen. Together, these become your personal Marketing Playbook.
✓
A real steal: it changed how you think, not just what you know — and you can explain exactly how you'd apply it to a real situation.
✗
Not a steal: “This chapter talked about social media.” That's a summary of what the book said — a book report, not a steal.
Worked example — what a strong steal looks like
Book / section: Building a StoryBrand (Miller) — the SB7 “customer is the hero” principle
The Idea: Stop making the brand the hero. Make the customer the hero and the brand the guide who hands them a plan.
The Play: For our DECA fundraiser flyer, stop bragging about the club. Say: “You want a stronger college app — here's how we'll help.” Student = hero, club = guide.
DECA event: Marketing Communications Series (MCS) — it reframes any promotional message.
Why this one: Every ad I've made made the product the hero. This flips a habit I didn't know I had.
Stolen Idea #1✓ Required
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #2✓ Required
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #3✓ Required
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #4✓ Required
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #5✓ Required
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #6Bonus · +EC
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #7Bonus · +EC
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
Stolen Idea #8Bonus · +EC
The Idea — in your own words, what exactly did you steal?
The Play — how would you actually use it? Who, where, how?
Why this one? — what makes it stick with you more than others?
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For each book section you engaged with, give it two scores: a 1–10 rating and a dollar value — what would you pay for just that section if it were sold on its own? $1 = fine but forgettable. $20 = I'd have paid for this. Then compare it to what the book actually cost. Your reasoning matters more than the number — and your ratings feed our class Value Survey.
| # | Book / Chapter or Section | Rating
(1–10) | $ Value | Why? What did or didn't you take away? |
|---|
| 1 | | | $ | |
| 2 | | | $ | |
| 3 | | | $ | |
| 4 | | | $ | |
| 5 | | | $ | |
| 6 | | | $ | |
| 7 | | | $ | |
| 8 | | | $ | |
| 9 | | | $ | |
| 10 | | | $ | |
| 11 | | | $ | |
| 12 | | | $ | |
Final reflection — answer all 4
1. Which single section had the highest value to you this semester, and why? What specifically will you do differently because of it?
2. Which idea from your “Steal Like a Marketer” collection will you actually use 5 years from now? Why that one above all others?
3. If you could add one book to next year's class library, what would it be and why? You may research this.
4. What's the most important thing about marketing you did NOT find in any of these books — something you learned from class, DECA, a trend resource, or real life this semester?
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When a steal names a “DECA event,” pick one of these — the exact events Red Mountain competes in. Match the idea to the event it would strengthen.
| Acronym | Event | Great match for ideas about… |
|---|
| PMK | Principles of Marketing | Core marketing concepts, the 4 Ps, consumer basics (intro event — no experience needed) |
| MCS | Marketing Communications Series | Ads, messaging, branding, storytelling, persuasion, social content |
| IMCP / IMCS / IMCE | Integrated Marketing Campaign — Product / Service / Event | Full multi-channel campaigns, promotion plans, content calendars |
| BSM | Business Services Marketing Series | Marketing a service business rather than a product |
| SEM / STDM | Sports & Entertainment Marketing (Series / Team) | Sports, events, entertainment brands and sponsorships |
| RMS | Retail Merchandising Series | Retail, in-store, product display and promotion |
| MTDM | Marketing Management Team Decision Making | Strategy, positioning, managing a marketing mix (team case) |
| PSE | Professional Selling | Sales pitches, one-question value props, closing a customer |
| BOR / SEOR | Business Services / Sports & Ent. Operations Research | Research papers backed by data, consumer studies, white papers |
| BLTDM | Business Law & Ethics Team Decision Making | Authenticity, ethics, honest vs. manipulative marketing |
| ESB / EIB / EBG | Start-Up / Independent / Business Growth Plan | Building or growing a business; the 1-page plan; funnels |
| BFS / PFN | Business Finance Series / Principles of Finance | ROI, budgets, profit-driven marketing, cost vs. reach |
Part 1 — Weekly Reading Log (40 pts)
| Criterion | 4 — Exceeds | 3 — Meets | 2 — Approaching | 1 — Beginning |
|---|
| Capture | Accurately quoted/paraphrased with book & chapter cited; shows careful reading | Idea captured with title; some citation detail missing | Vague; unclear what was read | Missing or copied text only |
| Connect | Specific, named connection to a real brand/business/event; clearly explained | Connection made but general | Superficial or unrelated | No connection attempted |
| Question | Original, specific question that pushes beyond the text | Relevant but generic | Answerable within the same chapter | Missing or restates the idea |
Scoring: Each entry is scored 0–4 holistically using the three criteria above (4 = all three strong). 10 required entries × 4 = 40 pts. Entries 11–12 replace a missed entry or add up to +4 bonus.
Part 2 — Steal Like a Marketer (40 pts)
| Criterion | 4 — Exceeds | 3 — Meets | 2 — Approaching | 1 — Beginning |
|---|
| The Idea | Original synthesis in student's own words; precise | Accurate summary; mostly own words | Paraphrases the book without synthesis | Copied or missing |
| The Play | Named application with who/where/how — reads like a real plan | Application explained but lacks specificity | Vague (“I'd use this in marketing”) | No application |
| DECA connection | Correct event named; explains how the steal strengthens a specific solution | Correct event named; connection general | Event named but connection unclear | No DECA connection |
| Why this one? | Honest, reflective reasoning showing genuine engagement | Some personal reasoning; partly generic | Generic (“it was interesting”) | Missing or one sentence |
Scoring: Each steal = 4 criteria × 4 = 16 rubric points ÷ 2 = 8 pts. 5 required × 8 = 40 pts. Bonus steals #6–8 add up to +6 extra credit.
Part 3 — The $1 vs. $20 Test (20 pts)
| Component | Full | Most | Some | Little / none |
|---|
| Value ratings (6) | All sections rated; ratings & dollars clearly differentiated — real evaluation | Most rated; some differentiation | Rated but all similar; no real evaluation | Few/no ratings; arbitrary |
| Reasoning (6) | Each rating tied to a specific takeaway or gap | Most have reasons; some generic | Brief and vague throughout | No reasoning |
| Final reflection (8) | All 4 answered thoughtfully; genuine growth & honest self-assessment | All 4 answered; some depth lacking | 2–3 answered; surface-level | 1 or fewer answered |
Scoring: Value ratings 6 + Reasoning 6 + Final reflection 8 = 20 pts.
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Teacher note. This project rewards depth over breadth: a student who read 3 books carefully and reflects honestly should outperform one who skimmed 10 and wrote generic entries. The Capture → Connect → Question structure mirrors the analytical thinking scored in DECA role-plays and written events — and the Value ratings feed the class Value Survey.