Preceding the nationwide lockdown, the BCom (Hons) Marketing Management class of 2020 at the University of Pretoria visited Major Tech on 11 March 2020, unbeknown of what lies ahead. Major Tech, an industry partner of the Department of Marketing Management, is a respected brand in the electrical industry and a leader in professional test and measurement instrumentation. Major Tech has once again partnered with the Department of Marketing Management to provide the Marketing students in the honours programme with a real-life client challenge.
As a kick off for the challenge in the Strategic Marketing module, the students visited Major Tech’s head offices in Johannesburg and enjoyed a talk hosted by Pat Shaw, the CEO of Major Tech.
The Strategic Marketing class during the presentation by Pat Shaw (CEO of Major Tech)
The students went on a tour of the premises led by other staff members that included information on marketing and sales, and an explanation of the inbound and outbound logistics, finishing off in the onsite warehouse of the company. The tour illustrated the size and efficiency of the company’s operations. Students were treated to a spread of snacks and refreshments at the end of the tour. Adding to all of the excitement of the evening, students received Major Tech sponsored goodie bags filled with company branded items.
The students visiting the warehouse with Leigh Shaw (Marketing Executive of Major Tech)
The objective of the project was to develop an overall marketing strategy to educate the market, and ultimately increase sales of lamps of the Major Tech brand. Lamps – or sometimes know to the general public as globes – has certain quality specifications and Major Tech meets all of these specifications. The majority of the general public are unaware of the quality specifications of lamps, or they do not understand it. Therefore, the aim of the project was to educate the market.
About two weeks after the initial meeting with Major Tech, the country went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The honours class of 2020 were stretched to their limits, having to switch online. Due to a combination of determined students and a flexible industry partner, the project could continue and turned out to be a huge success. Students prepared group projects that was presented to Major Tech using the online Zoom platform. In spite of the trying times, the students gave the project their all. Major Tech availed themselves and provided the students with great feedback and advice for future projects.
Major Tech awarded the top team with prizes and announced the teams coming in second and third:
Winning team: Alessandra Bicego, Melissa da Gama, Katherine Hugo, Abigale Sprighton and Eltricia Swart
Runners up: Caylin Fortuin, Mashudu Makofane and Melissa O’Donovan.
Third prize: Francois Engelbrecht, Tarah Ferreira, Russel Kampani, Elria Kruger and Daniela Schutte.
Winning team: Alessandra Bicego, Melissa da Gama, Katherine Hugo, Abigale Sprighton and Eltricia Swart (Zoom screenshop)
The students visiting the warehouse with Leigh Shaw (Marketing Executive of Major Tech)
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