The Marketing Management honours students got involved with the Wollies Animal Project, with the goal of putting their marketing skills to good use while gaining practical experience in non-profit marketing with the ‘give-a-dog-a-bone’ challenge, as part of the Strategic Marketing module.
The Wollies Animal Project is a registered non-profit organisation that does not receive any government funding. It currently has 699 homeless dogs and 280 cats in the shelter, which they lovingly feed and care for, while also supplying food to pets in underprivileged areas and running a sterilisation project.
Absa made available its innovative Equinox venue to the students on 23 August 2017 to help inspire creativity for a good cause. The main aim of the evening was to create awareness for Wollies animal shelter via social media platforms such as Twitter, but also to promote its annual sleepathon fundraising event that was held on 2 and 3 September, using Facebook.
Absa’s strategic innovation zone, Equinox, was purposely build in such a way as to transcend people from the everyday to a creative space to be experienced with all the senses. From a ‘London underground’ entrance with all the station noise, to a classic library stocked with books about people that changed the world and a mini Imax theatre, many surprise elements awaits you. The Marketing honours students were challenged to use the venue to think outside the box by completing several marketing-related activities.
Students chose dog breeds as team names and each team leader or ‘dog walker’ had to ensure that their team completed a series of marketing activities. These activities ranged from tweeting, identifying brands in a quiz show and creating a Facebook post, to designing a marketing graffiti wall and a new burger, while having fun and supporting a good cause.
The entrance of Equinox
The Twitter feed of team Pug with the hashtag #Wollies and #UP4Marketin
Teams creating the graffiti wall.
Student teams completing the various activities in the different zones
Students also created videos to document their experience of the evening. Watch the videos of team Pug and team Poodle to get a glimpse of what students experienced.
Not only did the students volunteer their marketing skills, but also donated dog food and treats to the shelter to make a difference. It is clear that our students do not just love marketing, but also furry friends.
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Food and treats donated by the students for the Wollies Animal Shelter
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Wollies was very appreciative of the students’ efforts and marketing, as is evident in the Facebook post of team Chihuahua that they shared
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The Equinox team was amazing in providing the venue for the evening as well as the technical backup to make the event a huge success. Hats off to Absa Corporate and Investment Bank for opening up the minds of prospective marketers.
Thank you Wollies Animal Project for allowing us to be part of your motto: ‘Adopt to save a life, volunteer to show you care and donate to make a difference!’
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