Marketing Challenge Competition

Students from 14 Kenyan Institutions of higher learning on 19 August 2011 participated in a competition hosted jointly by Brand Kenya Board, Vision 2030 and The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Kenya. The initiative, dubbed “The Pitch 2011” is the first of its kind to be held in Sub – Saharan Africa and sought to generate key communication messages that would promote patriotism, pride and national cohesion as innovative ways of marketing Kenya. Team Awesome from the University of Nairobi scooped top honours while Team Excelsior form African Nazarene University and Team synergies from Daystar University came in second and third respectively in the contest that featured other universities and colleges including Masinde Muliro University of Science & Technology, Strathmore University, United States International University, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies, Jaffrey Institute (Mombasa), Makini College and ICE Training.

The contestants from the various universities were expected to come up with marketing ideas under the theme “Gearing Kenya Towards 50”, as a way of celebrating Kenya’s Golden Jubilee. The winning team, which received a full-year CIM membership and a Brand Kenya Board Prize, will be part of the Private-Public Sector Technical Team, which will be responsible for steering the “Gearing Kenya Towards 50” marketing strategy.

“I found the event very interactive; I did not expect the neck tight competition. Teams were super creative and this kept us on the edge to develop new ideas and put them into context,” said Harryson Mkala a Bachelors of Commerce Student and participants from Kimathi University.

The next pitch event will be held in September 2012.