Marketing students compete to take social media platform WeAre8 to the next level

• The Pitch – Students challenged to develop a creative campaign to evolve WeAre8’s social platform
• Now in its twelfth year the global competition highlights the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s commitment to recognise up-and-coming marketing talent
• The top ten teams will be invited to a live judging final on the 17^th March 2023 to present their ideas to judges from across the industry

 22 September, 2022 - Applications to CIM’s 2022/23 global competition - The Pitch - are now open to international marketing students until the 2nd December 2022.

In its twelfth year, the competition challenges university students from across the world to respond to a live client brief, in a bid to win a cash prize of £1,500 and the esteemed title of 'Marketers of the Future'.

This year’s competition is sponsored by WeAre8, a social media app that aims to make a positive impact on people and the planet every day by sharing ad revenue with citizens, creators and charities / impact partners. Entrants will be challenged to explore ways WeAre8 can scale up and show that social media can be a kinder, better place - looking at growing the base of citizens and content creators and overall engagement, which leads to collective action to drive positive change.

The undergraduate students will be challenged to develop a consumer-facing creative campaign that raises awareness of WeAre8, while engaging the hearts and minds of customers. Each team will have a theoretical £200,000 budget to develop a campaign which takes advantage of earned, owned and paid media channels.

Discussing the launch of the competition Gemma Butler, chief community officer at WeAre8 said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing the entries for The Pitch competition and encourage all eligible young marketers to give it a go. At WeAre8 we celebrate and champion good, and work to have a positive impact every day, so we’re excited to see some fresh thinking on how to boost our impact even more.

“Based on the calibre of previous years, we’re expecting to see exceptional entries, so we'd encourage competitors to think outside the box and come up with creative ideas that will resonate with young like-minded people. We wish all the competitors the best of luck and look forward to seeing their campaigns."

The competition is open to second and third-year undergraduate students at universities across the world who are studying for a marketing degree or a business degree with a marketing module. In teams of two or three, entrants must devise a marketing plan and present it to the judges. The top ten teams will be invited to a live virtual judging final on the 17 March 2023 to present their idea to judges from across the industry, including representatives from WeAre8, CIM and leading brands. The ultimate winners will be announced at the end of the live final.

Natalie Spearing, marketing director at CIM, said: “We’ve been running The Pitch competition for twelve years now, but every year we continue to be inspired by the brilliant ideas presented by the marketing students. It is an industry full of individuals with exciting creative talent and cutting-edge technical abilities, both of which showcase the art and science of marketing.”

“Recent research of ours found that three-fifths (60%) of young people consider marketing a career choice, with good salary and career progression the top incentives to enter the industry. Being crowned ‘Marketer of the Future' is a brilliant way to bolster a CV, stand out from the crowd in an even more competitive job market, and start your journey in the profession.

“WeAre8 is such an inspiring social media app, making it the perfect project for young marketers looking to get into the industry. Its mission of providing a positive impact for both its users and the environment is a lesson that should be adopted across the industry, and we’re therefore really excited to see the submissions.”

Last year’s winners were a trio from the University of Strathclyde, who impressed judges with their level of depth and research undertaken into Boots’ partnership with the Prince’s Trust. The team rooted their campaign in strong insights about the challenges and opportunities of the Boots brand and how its partnership with the Prince’s Trust resonates with young people across the UK.

Discussing the competition, Eve Blaikie said: “I would recommend participating in this competition to any marketing student as it is a great way to practice presentation, communication and creative thinking skills. I am now very excited for my future career as a marketer.”

Marta Nowak added: “I know this experience will really help me in being recognised by more employers, especially the experience of pitching to a brand like Boots!”

The initiative has been so successful over the past twelve years that it is now integrated into the syllabuses of many universities across the UK, including Bournemouth, Leeds Beckett, Hull and Swansea. The Pitch is also part of a wider initiative that runs alongside the CIM Accredited Degree partnership programme, which maps marketing and business degrees against learning outcomes within CIM qualifications.

More information, including how to enter and details of the challenge can be found here.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

For media enquiries

For further media information please contact the Chartered Institute of Marketing press office at Good Relations on CIMTeam@goodrelations.co.uk

For CIM enquiries

James Delves, CIM Head of PR and External Engagement, james.delves@cim.co.uk

If you have any questions regarding The Pitch, please contact the CIM Events Team via thepitch@cim.co.uk

About CIM:

For over 100 years, CIM has supported the marketing sector. With over 20,000 members in more than 100 countries, CIM strives for business leaders and opinion formers to recognise the positive contribution professional marketing can bring to their organisations, the economy and wider society. We support, develop and represent marketers, organisations and the profession all over the world. Our ability to award Chartered Marketer status recognises a marketer’s commitment to staying current and abiding by a professional Code of Conduct. While our diverse range of training courses and world-renowned qualifications, enable modern marketers to thrive in their roles and deliver long-term success for businesses. Find out more about CIM by visiting www.cim.co.uk