LAHORE: The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) International Marketing Colloquium 2011 ended on Sunday. Awards were given for the best performance in the Brand Wars and Ad Effect categories.
Leading advertisers from Pakistan and Malaysia instructed the participants in the key points of marketing through a series of lecture sessions and presentations. The second day began with the sessions by Pakistan Google consultant Badar Khushnood and Naseeb Networks CEO Monis Rehman. The speakers elaborated on various aspects of e-marketing and how effectively it could be used to advertise brands online. “Online marketing is a tool that connects you globally with just a click and Pakistan is in desperate need of creating brands that reach a global market,” Khushnood said.
Young marketeers from top business schools in the country expressed enthusiasm and interest in the field, which was on evidence during charged Q&A sessions following the talks. A participant Anees Zahoor said ,“This is my first time attending a marketing competition and it is a great experience because I have learned things that I would never find in books.”
The experts supervised a ‘Brand War’ exercise where participants were asked to solve case studies on various brands and Ad Effects. The participants were given a target to make a video advertisement and a panel of judges from corporate marketing sectors in Pakistan and Malaysia judged them for creativity, communication, understanding and strategy.
Lahore School of Economics (LSE) won on two case studies in the first round of the brand wars, while LUMS and Institute of Business Administration (IBA) won the remaining two categories. Lums also won round two of brand wars and secured a cheque for Rs35,000. The Ad effect competition was won by the Institute of Business Management (IBM).
Coca-Cola brand manager Bassam Qureshi shared his views on capturing a target audience and how to think globally when planning a product campaign. “Thinking globally and acting locally is not just a catch line, it’s a technique to execute your ideas,” he said adding, “It allows us an insight into simple human emotions”.
Other speakers addressed the subject of pushing consumer goods in the market, Reckitt Benckiser Sales Director Saad Mehmood said, “There is a push and pull strategy that can be used if you know how to relate your ideas with the product.”
Participants were also given a detailed presentation on marketing in contrast with international standards by delegates from Malaysia, University of Sains Dean of Graduate Studies Dr Sofri Yahya said, “Students have a very keen understanding of what they are doing and such events enhance their exposure.”
Lums Marketing Club president Hamid Kazi said “The event aimed to expose students to what the international advertising market is like.” “We wanted to provide a common platform of engagement for students and corporate businessmen. The most constructive model to follow is the international model that combines new and diverse technologies,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th 2011.
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