The Marketing Management honours students partnered with the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) during the first semester for their practical marketing project. The students were challenged to create brand awareness by means of an integrated marketing communication (IMC) campaign for the Gautrain and several of its partners, namely Freedom Park, Mail & Guardian, Pink Drive and Discovery Insure.

Students started the project by forming their own advertising agencies, creating brand names and logos for their teams. ‘Crealive’, ‘Brandit’ and ‘Boundless Marketing’ were just some of the creative names. The second phase of the project included completing an amazing race to solve various marketing challenges as part of a team building activity, but also to gain a better understanding of the client, the Gautrain. After several guest lectures from various industry experts and a lot of behind-the-scenes work, students pitched their final ideas to an expert industry panel of ten people on Tuesday, 21 June 2016.

Team Ingenium suggested a pop-up business lounge on selected stations where businesspeople could enjoy a quick cup of coffee and free wifi, or have a short meeting before catching the next Gautrain.

Above: Team Ingenium with their ‘I have arrived’ campaign promoting the Gautrain and the Times Media Group partnership. Front: Tayla Clipstone and Sarah Cox; Back: Wendy McFarlane, Robyn Schermann, and Hanri de Boer

Groups members of the ‘#99 problems but the Gautrain isn’t one of them’ campaign with their lecturer and external panel. Front: Left to right: Barbara Jensen (GMA), Ingrid Jensen (GMA), and Aleta Moloi (GMA) Back: Melanie Wiese (UP lecturer), Jacqui Swart (Discovery Insure), Rwimbo Mumdondo, Meagan Mushungwa, Nandi Gama, Brigette Thwait, Andrea Kriek, Ashleigh Keyser (Discovery Insure), and Ashton Bodrick (GMA).

The students forming Crealive proposed a superhero transformer theme that was evident not only in their ideas but also in their presentation. This superhero idea impressed the representatives of GMA and Discovery Insure and ultimately resulted in them winning the second prize.

Front: Ladene Havenga, Mohladi Kgatle, Lerato Dlamini, and Thando Cele Back: Ashton Bodrick (GMA), Jacqui  Swart (Discovery Insure), Ashleigh Keyser (Discovery Insure), Werner Pienaar, Barbara Jensen (GMA), Aleta Moloi (GMA), Melanie Wiese (UP), and  Ingrid Jensen (GMA)

The members of the winning team, March1Marketing, each received R2 500 from the GMA for their innovative #itjustmakesense campaign, promoting the Gautrain as part of an integrated transport system – a few of their marketing ideas included a billboard and a social media competition.

The day ended on a high note when Dr Barbara Jensen, Head of Marketing and Communication at GMA, said: “We were completely bowled over by the creativity of the students and the high standard of presentations!”