South Tyneside pupils scoop marketing prize for smart phone app idea

Enterprising pupils from South Tyneside College have won the Newcastle Business School Marketing Challenge 2014, for their ideas to promote a smart phone app for students.

Teams were invited to create a 10-minute presentation explaining their rationale for their smart phone app content and layout, what Newcastle Business School’s unique selling points are, how they link theory to practice and what they have learned from the exercise.

Finalists came from Joseph Swan Academy in Gateshead, Park View Community School in Chester-le-Street, South Tyneside College and Wolsingham School in Bishop Auckland.

The winning team from South Tyneside College included Natasha Dodds, Charlotte Knott and Rebecca Porthouse.

David Brown, senior lecturer in Marketing at Newcastle Business School, said: “The standard of entry from all our finalists was extremely high, and I would like to congratulate all the participants.

“I hope we see some of them back here in a year or so as full time students with us. Natasha, Charlotte and Rebecca gave a particularly creative and fluent talk, with all the hallmarks of a strong final-year undergraduate presentation. In fact, it would not have been out of place in a corporate boardroom.

“Our Marketing Challenge competitions have become extremely popular with the pupils, who get to see a slice of university life, and for their teachers who can use it as a valuable addition to the course syllabus.”

Sandra Gillott, from South Tyneside College, added: “Our learners thoroughly enjoyed the experience at Newcastle Business School, and it has reinforced their desire to study business. They all did extremely well and clearly impressed the judges.”

Started in 2009, the Marketing Challenge is open to pupils in years 12 and 13. After the presentations all the teams were given a tour of Newcastle Business School.

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