The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has announced that the University of Westminster postgraduate student team The Hive, made up of Sunakshi Shetty, Aadil Raza and Judy Wu, has been shortlisted to win the student competition The Pitch and the title of Marketers of the Future.
The Pitch is a global student competition designed to give university students real-world experience to equip them for their first professional role in Marketing. This year students were tasked to tackle a real-life Marketing challenge for the charity Every Youth, which exists to help the most disadvantaged young people succeed in life.
There are two separate competitions for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The postgraduate participants were tasked to develop a volunteer engagement Marketing strategy for the charity, while the undergraduates were asked to consider the current economic climate and, with a budget of £5,000, devise a plan to help Every Youth drive a positive online experience and increase donor engagement.
The top ten teams now have been invited to a live virtual final on 15 March 2024 to present their idea to judges from across the industry who will pick a winner.
The Hive is made up of a trio of students studying Marketing Management MA/MSc at Westminster: Sunakshi Shetty, Aadil Raza and Judy Wu. Their strategy for their pitch was to carefully disintegrate the case study into smaller and manageable areas and apply the taught theories and concepts into the analysis and discussion. They focused on creativity and practicality and put together their key strengths in different areas to achieve their end goal.
Winners of the competition will receive CIM’s Marketers of the Future award, a one-year complimentary CIM professional membership for each team member, a complimentary Specialist Award qualification from the CIM Academy and a virtual one-hour session with HAYS Chief Marketing Officer Inken Khulmann-Rhinnow. They will also receive a virtual CV writing workshop, the chance to feature in a case study posted on the CIM website and a digital winner’s badge issued by the CIM.
The Hive team member Sunakshi Shetty said: "Team Hive is thrilled to have qualified for the CIM contest. We were excited to work on the noble cause of Every Youth. Our journey to the finals was made easier thanks to the skills and knowledge we gained from our modules, the collaborative spirit through our group assignments and the invaluable guidance of Dr Kate Ingsa. We're eager to pitch our final concept and hopefully make an impact with Every Youth and CIM."
Dr Kate Ingsa, a Lecturer in Management and Marketing and the team’s tutor, added: “The group was working on this pitch in the middle of assessment and dissertation deadlines which was very challenging for them. As a Course Leader, I was happy to see that the team was excited and enthusiastic in joining The Pitch 2024 competition. For The Hive team, I can see clearly their ambition and determination was the main drive to the success of this project and I strongly believe that this is purely the team’s effort, as Aadil, Sunakshi, and Judy, are unique in their own ways. I was proud of them in the classrooms and I am now proud of them outside of the classroom. Congratulations to The Hive!”
Maggie Jones, Director of Qualifications and Partnerships at CIM, said: "The applications for The Pitch this year have showcased a remarkable level of talent. The creativity, passion, and dedication on display serve as a testament to the hard work of our student teams and producing a shortlist from the high number applicants was no easy task.
“I’m very much looking forward to the live final on 15 March, where the shortlisted teams will present their pitches to our judging panel and have the chance to win CIM’s coveted Marketers of the Future award. Good luck to all our shortlisted teams.”
Find out more about Marketing courses at the University of Westminster.
