SLIM ‘Marketing Rocks’ a huge success

The ‘Marketing Rocks Challenge’ initiated and organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) together with Alethia International School, to educate students about Marketing and to stimulate and unleash the hidden talent of GCE Advance level students was a roaring success.

Seventeen teams participated in the programme held at Bishop's College auditorium on Monday, 19 March. The participants were told to handle a case study and at the gaming session, they were given marketing related questions to be answered within the stipulated time frame.

“It was a fine learning experience for the students”, SLIM President Thushara Perera said.

“It exposed the youngsters to the challenges of the corporate world and helped them to start building self-confidence”.

Stafford International School emerged overall winners and were awarded a cash price of Rs 100,000 with St. Lawrence's Convent - Colombo been awarded second runner-up with a cash prize of Rs 75,000 and Royal College, Colombo were awarded the third runners-up with a cash prize of Rs 50,000 respectively.

Among the other award winners were Belvoir College International (Best package design), Royal College - Colombo (Best TV Script ) and Alethea International School and Girls High School - Kandy (Best logo - joint winners)

Serving in the panel of judges were Maxwel Ranasinghe, G.S. Sylvester, Ravi Opatha, Dilini Jayasooriya and Saravanan Ambikaibalan.

SLIM senior lecturer, experienced marketer Maxwel Ranasinghe was instrumental in planning the project and designed the case study for the students.

Addressing the students, Bhathiya Jayakody of ‘Bhathiya and Santush’ (BandS) fame explained what marketing means stressing on how marketing helped B and S towards its success and popularity.

The 17 teams who participated in the competition were from the following schools: Alethea International School, All Saints Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Ananda College, Asian International School, Belvoir College International, Girls High School - Kandy, Kingswood College - Kandy, Leighton Park International, Royal College, St.Lawrence Convent, St.Servatius College - Matara, St.Thomas College - Matara, Stafford International School, Vision International School and Yoshida Shokanji International School.

“It was encouraging to see so many schools participating, particularly schools from Kandy and Matara,” Project Chairperson Shohan Chandiram said.

Ms. Kumari Hapugalle Perera CEO/Managing Director, Alethea International School and Coordinating Principal said that they were happy to be associated with the event since it was something worthwhile for the students.

“It was of much benefit to the ones who are about to finish their school careers and go in for higher education and ultimately look for opportunities in the corporate world”, she said.