Teams from the AAA School of Advertising JHB were placed first and second at the finals of the National L’OREAL Brandstorm Competition held on Thursday, 13 May 2010. Team Brand Café (Thabang Leshilo, Lee Matabane and Amantle Mokubung)  captured  the top position and will be traveling to the International Finals to be held at L’OREAL HQ in Paris France on 16th and 17thof June 2010. The brand for this year’s competition was Diesel Male Beauty, and the brief was to come up with a new beauty product range for men, other than a fragrance. Team Brand Café won for their innovative razorless shaving and hair removing system concept which they branded Diesel Evolution.

 

“To win both first and second place in such a highly competitive forum is an incredible achievement,” says Ludi Koekemoer, Principal and Managing Director of the AAA School of Advertising. “These students are remarkably talented and driven, and I have no doubt that Team Brand Café will make their presence felt at the finals with their unique product that can take Africa by storm!”

 

The annual L’OREAL Brandstorm competition is a highly prestigious and closely watched event among the international marketing community. Since its inception in 1993, more than 37,000 students have taken part in the competition, which essentially revamps international L’OREAL brands. In 2009, over 6,200 students participated, spanning 200 universities and 36 countries.  Eighty teams entered in the highly competitive South African round this year, with only 7 teams making it through to the next round, i.e. the National Finals.   The competition is designed to give marketing students from around the world the opportunity to turn theory into practice, and to showcase top young talent on an international stage. It is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying marketing. 

 

Apart from the AAA School of Advertising (both the Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses), entries were drawn from the University of Cape Town, the University of Kwazulu Natal, Wits Business School and Vega Johannesburg and Cape Town.  Each of the seven finalist teams worked with the creative team from Publicis to design a DPS and packaging concept for their product.

 

“The L’OREAL Brandstorm competition is a phenomenal event which inspires students to produce brilliant campaigns, year after year,” adds Koekemoer, “and this year’s winning product is going to present a formidable challenge to the teams competing in Paris.”

 

The winning team at the International Finals will be awarded with a trip worth €10,000 and the L’OREAL Brandstorm Cup for their university. Second and third places will win trips worth €5,000 and €2,500 respectively. There is also a Best Communication Campaign prize, which will be awarded by a leading figure from the international advertising industry.