Aspiring marketers reach national competition finals

Two talented RGS students have reached the finals of national marketing competitions. ANNABELLE PATERSON, whose pitch for a snack range campaign impressed judges, reports

UPPER sixth student Greta Taylor wowed judges with her entry for the Dentsu Marketing Challenge with her campaign for Cadbury chocolate company.

After wondering about marketing as a possible path after university, an email about the competition, which she received from RGS work experience coordinator Mr Walker, grabbed her attention.

Greta explained how the competition was set up like a course, talking you through ten modules about creating a marketing campaign. The modules looked into demographics, presentation and sustainability.

With some assistance from the competition mentors, Greta created a stunning booklet and audience insight report as well as a presentation, including the concept of a collaboration between Cadbury and the charity Mind.

Out of hundreds of entries from the UK-wide competition, Greta’s impressive entry took her straight through to the final with fourteen others.

Highlighting her brilliant branding, judges said: “The animations you made with the Powtoon animated video maker are magical and truly bring your idea to life.”

In the final Greta presented a virtual one-minute pitch to the judges. Mr Walker said: “She was fantastic and a real credit to the school.

I also have aspirations for a career in marketing and attended a summer programme run by IGD, a research and training charity for the food and grocery industry, after my attention was drawn to another of Mr Walker’s invaluable emails.

The charity’s Feeding Britain’s Future scheme offered students across the UK an opportunity to attend masterclasses by key business leaders, including the sales vice-president of multinational consumer goods company Procter and Gamble.

During the course, I entered a marketing and sales competition, designing a new flavour for plant-based food company Plantastic’s snack range, and thoroughly enjoyed the process of researching and presenting my pitch.

My submission looked into which platforms would be most effective at advertising my product, marketplace opportunities and packaging and I was delighted to be shortlisted as a top three finalist.