In a series of articles, we look back at the events that brought our community together after two years of hybrid life.
Three real-life business cases. 48 motivated participants. 12 highly qualified mentors. More than 53 sponsors. The fifth edition of the annual Business Club Marketing Communications Challenge brought together AUBG students and experts from the marketing field, providing both sides with the opportunity to network and exchange skills and ideas.
Divided into 12 teams, the participants started working on the assigned cases on Friday, Feb. 11 2022. This year’s cases were provided by Delirium Exclusive, a premium cosmetics store; MyFin, the newest digital wallet application; and Crystal, a well-known brand in the sweet goods industry. All cases were based on actual marketing problems that needed efficient and innovative solutions (e.g. lack of differentiation, insufficient brand awareness, decreasing sales). The star this year was Pascal, a curious chameleon who observed the participants’ journey.
Over the course of the weekend, the participants got a taste of modern-day marketing. They conducted marketing research, gathered and analyzed data, developed and pitched a marketing strategy. Each team was mentored by a professional in the field. The culmination of the challenge was on Sunday evening when the teams presented their ideas before the jury.
“The guidance of experienced professionals, as well as the direct access to the companies seeking those innovative marketing solutions, helps the students gain valuable insights on how a marketing department operates and how it is supposed to meet the business objectives,” said the President of the Business Club Ivan Georgiev.
For each of the three cases assigned to the teams during the challenge, students were evaluated separately leading to three first-place winners. The students with the most impressive marketing strategy for the Delirium Exclusive case were Brigita Andonova, Aleks Slavchev, Nadya Mladenova and Stefani Evtimova. The biggest biscuits lovers that won the Crystal Tea Biscuits case were Ivan-Asen Enchev, Eva Yordanova, Iren Dimitrova and Kristina Dimitrova. The third winner team that got the golden badge was the one that worked on the MyFin case — Teya Pavlova, Ivan-Svetoslav Petrov, Martin Nedev, and Emil Mandadjiev.
Valuable connections and valuable hands-on experience. That’s how Ivan-Svetoslav Petrov, one of the first-place winners, summarized the event.
“The marketing challenge was an excellent opportunity not only for networking but also for practicing and executing the knowledge you have acquired in the courses you have taken,” Ivan-Svetoslav said. “The mentor of my team was Katerina Zisova-Christou, Marketing Manager at Pharmacy Chain 36.6. It was a pleasure to work with her. She is an absolute professional with rich experience in the sphere of marketing. Being able to work next to her and surrounded by motivated people was the thing that made the Marketing Challenge an unforgettable experience.”
An event of such dimensions wouldn’t have been possible without the contribution of numerous sponsors. For the fifth year in a row, the team of the Business Club managed to secure a long list of partners for the organization of its premium event. The rich portfolio of sponsors exemplifies the spirit of friendship and cooperation that exists between the AUBG community and the local businesses.
“The process of finding sponsors is a key element for the successful growth of each club,” Georgiev said. “What is a lot more important though is the way you handle those relations. Building sustainable partnerships has always been my goal.”
This year’s edition of the Marketing Communication Challenge was successfully held thanks to the support of both financial sponsors (P&G, OBB, Raiffeisen Bank, Asarel, Credissimo, EMAG) and sponsors who provided goods and services (SkyOptic, Museum of Illusions, The Comedy Club Sofia, Rage Room, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, CoffeeSpot, Sport Depot, Martinez, Hobo, South-West Burger, Flavor Bar & Restaurant, MiRaBelle Hotel, Villa Sintica, Hotel Radina’s Way, Decollage Studio, the Castle of Ravadinovo).
“AUBG has always strived to deliver more than the average,” Georgiev said. “This is the exact motto behind every AUBG club. In my opinion, this is the main reason for local companies to be willing to collaborate with us. They understand that we are motivated to be well prepared for the job market and value the hands-on experience those collaborations give us.”
