Honouring exceptional achievement with PPS and Marketing honours Class of 2025

On Friday, 20 November 2025, the Department of Marketing Management hosted the year-end celebration for the Marketing Management honours Class of 2025. It was an evening dedicated to reflections on the year and the journey of growth through a wide variety of learning experiences and opportunities. 

The event opened with an address from Prof Adré Schreuder, the Experience Management Practitioner. In his address, Prof Schreuder reflected on the remarkable energy and passion displayed by the students – qualities that remain essential for sustaining creativity and purpose in the marketing field. He highlighted how the students are more than equipped and ready to make a difference in the field as early-career marketing professionals. 

The event celebrated the bright ideas and innovative solutions proposed for practical marketing challenges, as well as the actual implementation of real-life projects. Throughout the year, the students engaged in various strategic marketing, service marketing, community-based and cause-related marketing projects. They also followed the research process to write their first research article. Some reflections from the students on their learning journey include: 

“This year, theory truly became practice. Every campaign and client project taught me how to think strategically, adapt quickly and communicate with empathy. I discovered how much I enjoyed turning ideas into real experiences.” 

“Every assignment taught me something that I needed to learn and I am grateful for each opportunity.”

“Honours taught me more than marketing theories or frameworks, it taught me self-discipline, vulnerability and how to grow through discomfort.” 

A highlight of the evening was recognising the top students. Congratulations to Zoë Taljaard for earning the Top Student Award in each subject category for 2025! The awards included Top Research Report; Top Student in Marketing in Practice; Strategic Marketing and Services Marketing. A heartfelt thank you is extended to PPS for their generosity in sponsoring the Top Student Awards. Thank you to Mangali Ngcobo from PPS for all her support in arranging the sponsorship. Mangali also joined the evening of celebrations, handing over the PPS-sponsored prizes to the top student. 

PPS further sponsored the annual honours group photo, captured by photographer Anton Hartman. Each student received a printed copy to commemorate the year. Thank you to PPS and to Anton Hartman for your continued commitment to and support for the students and the Department of Marketing Management. 

Thank you to all the lecturers involved in the Marketing Management honours programme for 2025, namely Dr Danita van Heerden, Dr Michelle van der Merwe, Dr Euodia Botha, Dr Jade Verbeek, Dr Tinashe Ndoro, Dr Bianca Frost and Prof Adré Schreuder. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence. The successes of this year would not have been possible without you. Thank you to Prof Jordaan for your support throughout the year and for making this celebratory event possible. 

A warm congratulations to all the students for their outstanding work throughout the programme. Here’s to your next chapter – may you continue to innovate, lead and make a meaningful impact in the world of marketing.