UP Marketing students get the MAX out of Epi-max

Posted on November 22, 2022

The University of Pretoria’s Department of Marketing Management collaborated with Adcock Ingram’s Epi-max brand in a practical project for the BCom Marketing Management second-year students. The objective of this practical project was to provide second-year Marketing Management students an opportunity to develop skills in solving a real-life marketing challenge for an industry partner.

The project officially began on 3 August 2022 with an introductory lecture by Epi-max Business Unit Manager, Annemi Strydom. This session introduced the students to the Epi-max brand, South Africa’s number one selling and recommended emollient cream. Background insights about the brand values of this proudly South African brand were shared during this session. Students then used these key insights about Epi-max as input in their marketing communication campaign.

The primary objective of this project was to develop an integrated brand communication plan to increase the awareness of Epi-max Man (cream and lotion) by means of a digital marketing campaign and an experiential in-store sales promotion campaign. To complete this project, student teams who comprised of six members per team had to complete three deliverables. Teams had to present their ideas verbally and in writing to a panel comprising of the module lecturers and Epi-max representatives. In developing the integrated brand communication plan, student teams had to conduct market research (to understand the brand, product and customer lifestyle) and competitor analysis, and create an empathy map to profile the target market.

The second-year Marketing Management class of 2022, students with Epi-max representatives

Prior to presenting their final ideas to the industry partner, student teams had an opportunity to share their envisaged ideas on their proposed integrated brand communication plan with Epi-max representatives. This sound-boarding session enabled student teams to get valuable input on their ideas from the Epi-max team in preparation for the final assignment.  

The final Epi-max Man integrated brand communication plans for respective student teams were presented to an exam panel on 9 November 2022. The exam panel comprised of representatives from Epi-max, an advertising agency and the University of Pretoria. The panel members included representatives from:

  • Epi-max – Annemi Strydom (Business Unit Manager), Lezille Bouwer (Brand Manager), Estelle du Plessis (National Sales Manager), Dr Suvishka Rohith (Sales representative), Rona Slabbert (Sales Representative), and Ruqayya Jallal (Sales Representative)
  • Advertising agency – Elizabeth Dunsmuir (Whodunnit? Agency)
  • University of Pretoria – Prof Liezl-Marié van der Westhuizen (Internal Examiner), Mafanedza Makumbi (Lecturer) and Dr Thinkwell Ndhlovu (Lecturer)

The fourteen student teams impressed the panel with their outstanding presentations and unique marketing communication campaign ideas. The overall top three teams that emerged during exam deliverable presentations comprised of Smarketers (first place), Vivid Solutions (second place) and MockingJays (third place). Epi-max rewarded each deliverable winner and the overall top three teams with prizes for their efforts.

To bring the curtain down on a successful project, a prize-giving function was held on 18 November 2022, where the overall top teams was honoured and the successful completion of the project celebrated. The Head of the Department of Marketing Management, Prof Yolanda Jordaan, thanked Epi-max for this valuable partnership and praised the second-year students for their professionalism and dedication during the project.

At the same function, the Business Unit Manager for Epi-max Annemi Strydom heaped praises on the students and shared how impressed she was with their excellent work in this project. She thanked the Department of Marketing Management for availing their second-year students for this practical project. Students expressed gratitude for this practical opportunity and commented on the valuable experience, making them part of the Epi-max family. Indeed an Epi-max life for second-year Marketing Management students: “Our family, your family”.

Annemi Strydom (Business Unit Manager at Epi-max) giving an introductory lecture to the second-year Marketing Management students 

- Author Department of Marketing Management

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