On the Road to Success: First Bus Competition

26 Notre Dame A-level Business students took part in the first heat of the Bus to the Future Competition on Thursday April 22.

The event took place in college, with a team of judges attending via Teams. They included key figures from the Marketing and Logistics Departments of First Bus, and Tracy Brabin, who has since been voted in as West Yorkshire Mayor.

Three teams of lower sixth business students pitted their marketing skills against each other, having been briefed by Competition Coordinator Faron Convey from First Bus. Their goal: to work together and create a marketing campaign aimed at eight to ten year olds, to increase their use of public transport. Each campaign had to explain the environmental and social benefits of public transport, as well as presenting it as an appealing and safe option.

Our teams then had to develop the idea for an animated advert to support their campaign. Two students from each team pitched the key strategies of their campaign and the details of their animation to the judges. All produced innovative, thoughtful and robust ideas and the judges were extremely impressed with the quality of their work.

After thorough deliberations, the winning team was announced as Zenon Brzoza, Konrad Schwab, Lucy Brereton, Ashleigh Bennett, Rose Diskin, Zara Qandah, Alice Liversidge and Chile Mumba, who the judges unanimously agreed had produced an influential, informative and extremely persuasive pitch.

The next stage for the winning team will involve formalizing their initial marketing strategy and advert idea, then using professional software - and the support of an animation expert - to create a 30-second animated advert, which they will present at the final of the competition in June. We hope Notre Dame will retain the title as First Bus competition winners, following the success of last year’s students.

Mr. Ronan McKernan, A-level Business teacher at Notre Dame, said, “I am extremely proud of all the students who competed. The work they produced was impressive, and I look forward to helping prepare the winning group to compete at the finals, where I am 100% sure they will represent themselves - and Notre Dame College - exceptionally well.”

 Some of the students who took part are pictured above.