Students on track for marketing challenge

BUDDING PR professionals and advertising whizz-kids from Rotherham are competing with students from across Yorkshire by pitching their best marketing ideas to a tough Dragons Den style panel.

Teams from Rotherham College of Art and Technology and Dinnington School are ready to taking part in the Northern Rail Marketing and PR Challenge.

The team with the winning proposal to be used as part of Northern Rail's 2011 summer advertising campaign.

The challenge, held in partnership with the Young People's Enterprise Forum (YPEF), gives teenagers aged between 16 and 19 a real taste of the business world. 

Teams are expected to create a “business” of their own and then come up with ideas aimed at encouraging 15- to 30-year-olds to travel to the north's top tourist destinations by rail.

Students from Rotherham are battling it out with rivals from areas ranging from Hull to Bradford to produce a winning concept for their own radio or TV advert, a poster design and a marketing campaign to highlight their chosen destination, they will then present their ideas to a panel of top marketing experts.

The winning team will see their work brought to life by Northern, as well as scooping a three-month unlimited rail pass each.