Undergraduate students widely consider management programs outdated due to the proportionately high emphasis on theoretical learning, while practical skills are often peripheral in the classroom. The learning experience of undergraduate students can be increased if the theoretical base is solidified in practice inside the classroom setting. This paper examined the positive outcomes of a student-to-student immersive learning technique that allows students to imitate real-life customer research in their international marketing planning project work. Students worked in groups in the classroom and were given a set of purchasing scenarios connected to the buyer's journey. They were asked to create and impersonate specific customer roles and then develop a story about their target persona while staying in their assigned character to imitate a variety of customer mindsets, relying on their previous research and personal buying behaviors. The sample included 30 undergraduate students who registered for marketing specialization and attended the International Marketing Planning course. The data were analyzed with multivariate ANOVA, and the main hypotheses were that this teaching method enhanced the student learning experience and creativity, provided deeper learning, increased memorability of the theoretical base, and allowed more active engagement and collaboration than traditional class group project work. Based on the results, most measured dimensions showed improvement, suggesting that this method can effectively combine theory with practice, allowing students to build on their strengths while preparing them for the real-life corporate world.

Keywords: Real-life learning experience, Practical teaching, Creative learning.