You're Hired! Pupils Take Part in Eco-Awareness Marketing Challenge

Posted: 18/07/2011

North East based strategic marketing specialist Horizonworks Marketing has been working with primary school pupils to help them raise awareness of environmental issues amongst their peers.

A group of eighty 10 year olds from West Jesmond primary school were taught the key elements of marketing communications and then were set an 'Apprentice' style challenge to come up with an awareness campaign for their school’s Eco Week.

The themes for the campaign included saving energy, recycling and re-using, minimising waste and renewable energy. In groups they had to decide on a theme and then carry out background research into their chosen area.

Managing Director of Horizonworks, Samantha Davidson, accompanied by her team, spent a morning with the pupils teaching them about marketing and how to create an effective brand and campaign that raises awareness and communicates their key messages.In true ‘Apprentice’ style they were tasked with creating a logo, slogan, sales proposition, leaflet and poster in their groups. They had to ‘pitch' their finished campaigns to the class, whilst ensuring they communicated their key messages. The winning group was presented with an eco friendly prize to reward their hard work.

Samantha Davidson of Horizonworks has previously worked with West Jesmond primary school on a Year 4 advertising project. She comments: “We were delighted to be asked to teach the pupils in Year 6 about how to get their Eco Week message across to the public.”

“We themed the class around the Apprentice to give the kids something to relate to, and to teach them that in the real world sometimes you don’t have a lot of time to come up with and carry out a strategy, similar to the tasks on the TV show. We were extremely impressed with the level of work presented by the pupils – I may be hiring some of them in a few years time!”

West Jesmond’s Community Arts Coordinator Deborah Hainsworth was responsible for organising Eco Week at the school. She commented: “The children have really enjoyed looking at ways in which they can make a difference to the environment this week. Having the workshop with Horizonworks has raised their awareness of how the media can be used to communicate their eco messages, and how other companies and brands do this.”