Speaking on stage (with the spotlight on your face) before a crowded room and a group of executives that you have to convince is one nerve-racking experience. For University of the Philippines-Diliman Business Administration student Peter Avila, it’s the convincing-the-panel part that makes it so tough, especially for inexperienced students like him.
“The most challenging part is really how you can convince these bosses that your proposal is truly aligned to their brand,” the 20-year-old junior student says. Along with teammates Mirella Galang and Caitlin Gregorio, a.k.a. Team Storm Surge, Peter’s proposal was selected as the best from more than 100 entries. The team is set to compete in Paris in June and represent the country in the international finals of the annual competition.
Brandstorm national champions Team Storm Surge from University of the Philippines-Diliman (from left) Mirella Galang, Caitlin Gregorio, and Peter Avila
Now on its seventh year, the competition aims to challenge Business and Marketing students to create their own campaign and project ideas for various brands. Dubbed as the ultimate global business competition, it gathers thousands of the best students from around the world and let them experience the real business world. The contest allows them to put classroom theories into practice.
This year, teams from UP, Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), and De La Salle University (DLSU), were challenged to take on travel retail, specifically promoting luxury brand Lancôme. The teams made some pretty creative business innovations. Six finalists were chosen, but this year, for the first time, Brandstorm chose a wildcard finalist from online applications. The team from the University of Asia and the Pacific was chosen out of the 117 entries.
“The 2015 competition may be tougher, but that has made it all the more exciting,” says Tina Ampil, L’Oréal Philippines general manager for Human Resources. “The playing field has become bigger and tougher with the introduction of the wildcard finalist in the national finals. I am excited to see where Brandstorm will take these young intelligent minds in the future and see how this international competition can help hone their business acumen.”
AdMU’s team THGH with Vida Alegre, Emman Hilao, and Thurees Obenza, came in as first runner-up, and DLSU’s Teamon and Pumba composed of Nicole Galang, Miguel Goco, and Jake Yan placed second runner-up.
“We really had to deeply understand the consumer. As students, we don’t have that many experiences, especially in travel retail and luxury brand. We haven’t traveled that much,” Peter says.
This year, L’Oréal is hoping for another win. Last 2012, the Philippine representative won the international finals. “It’s the creativity that always come through—and we’re very good communicators,” says L’Oréal Philippines president Rowel Vijandre on the Filipino students’ edge in the competition.
The competition has been a good source of talent for L’Oréal as well. The company has hired students that previously competed in Brandstorm. He adds, “I think it’s a fantastic way to give students the opportunity fresh out of the university and really be able to experience this marketing game. This is very close to the real world and of course the ability to be able to compete with the leading universities globally. I think that’s a gift.”
#AteneoForTheWin
Ateneo de Manila University has edged out 20 other student teams from 15 countries across Asia Pacific to win the ninth CFA Institute Research Challenge Asia-Pacific Regional, and will advance to the global final in Atlanta in Georgia, US, on April 17. The CFA Institute Research Challenge, “the investment Olympics” for university students, is an annual educational initiative that promotes best practices in equity research through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis and presentation skills. This year’s win marks the third time that a Philippine team has been named Asia-Pacific champion—the most wins for any country participating in the competition. The five Ateneo students are Sarah Jane Cua, Jose Enrique Fausto, Shaun Wesley Que, Jayhan Regner, and Kyle Jemmric Velasco. www.cfainstitute.org.
#AnMISummer
Summer vacation is here. Finding a workshop or an activity for your kid during school break should be fairly easy with the metropolis brimming with plenty of options to choose from. The only thing to remember is to make sure your kid will have fun while learning something new.
Multiple Intelligence International School, an advocate of the Multiple Intelligence (MI) framework implemented in the US and other countries, is offering summer enrichment activities to help kids enjoy summer while developing their leadership skills and particular intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, body-kinesthetic, visual-spatial, musical, naturalist, interpersonal and intrapersonal, starting from April 13 to May 8. 02 433 4948 to 49 for preschool up to middle school programs and 02 929 1021 for upper school programs. admin@mischool.edu.ph.