Over 60 students on the University of Brighton’s Business with Marketing course are working in simulated ‘marketing agency’ teams to come up with the freshest, most effective and well targeted communications and branding strategy for Hove based company, Class Of Their Own. Class Of Their Own, who provide out of school care for children in the Sussex area, were recently awarded an Outstanding grade (A) for their Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the university. Keen to maintain collaboration with the university and build upon the success of the KTP – which was led by Jane Priddis from Brighton Business School (BBS) – Class Of Their Own engaged BBS students to help them develop a new communications and branding strategy.
Tanya Petherick, Class of Their Own Director said: “The KTP resulted in the development of a strategic plan that is the blueprint of our company operations for the next 6 years. Working with students on this project will bring further fresh ideas and enthusiasm to an important part of the delivery of this plan. We have been very impressed with the student response so far and are looking forward to seeing their ideas”.
The competition is the focus of the students’ marketing communications module and will culminate in a series of pitch presentations to Tanya, Sam Thomson (also Director at Class of Their Own) and the former KTP Associate, Andrew Black, who is now the company’s Marketing Manager.
The Marketing Communications module leader, Lyvia Royd-Taylor said “It’s an exciting project and the students are already cracking on with it. I’ve seen groups of students discussing the Class Of Their Own website in the canteen at lunchtimes!”
The Knowledge Exchange team at the University of Brighton supports the process of exchanging ideas, expertise and experience (know-how) through partnership, and KTP is one of the mechanisms the university has successfully used to deliver impact and bring expertise into companies. Contact us at knowledgeexchange@brighton.ac.uk or on 01273 642426 to find out more. You can also find out more on our website www.brighton.ac.uk/knowledgeexchange.