Dogs Trust joins CIM hunt for 'Marketers of the Future'

The Chartered Institute of Marketing is scouring the planet for student marketers to enter this year’s The Pitch competition, which challenges aspiring marketers to react to a real-life brief.

The global competition is open to university students, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, where students are studying for a marketing degree, or a business degree containing a marketing module.

Finalists go head-to-head in the hope of impressing a panel of expert judges and securing the ‘Marketers of the Future’ title.

Now in its 14th year, the 2024/25 competition is being run in partnership with Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and promoting responsible dog ownership.

Founded in 1891, Dogs Trust has been working to create a better future for dogs for over 130 years. As well as its work all over the UK, Dogs Trust runs and supports projects on five continents, in countries including Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Serbia, US, Ecuador, Malawi and Galapagos.

This year’s challenge will see student marketers tasked with developing a marketing plan to grow the membership of Dogs Trust’s Companions Club, with undergraduates and postgraduates competing in separate competitions.

Discussing the launch of the competition, Dogs Trust group head of individual giving at Debbie Clark said: “Dogs Trust is thrilled to partner with CIM for The Pitch 2025. This collaboration offers aspiring marketers a fantastic opportunity to gain practical experience by solving a real-life challenge and developing a marketing plan for Dogs Trust’s Companions Club.

“It’s a wonderful chance for students to have fun, engage in creative thinking and showcase their skills which will undoubtedly be beneficial as they embark on their marketing careers.”

The competition, which is open until Monday December 2 2024, is designed to provide students with experience pitching their ideas to industry experts, allowing them to develop their experience and boost their employability, helping them stand out in an increasingly competitive job market.

Successful teams will advance to the finals and be granted the chance to pitch their ideas and impress a panel of judges. There will be two separate finals of ten teams, taking place on Thursday March 13 and Friday March 14 2025. The winning teams from both categories will be announced after the finals conclude.

CIM director of qualifications and partnerships Maggie Jones commented: “The quality of teams entering The Pitch is always impressive. Every year, the innovative ideas and concepts from the participants show the huge potential of student marketers and the value The Pitch provides as a platform for them to develop their skills, build their confidence, and offer them a glimpse at how rewarding a career in marketing can be.

“The experience of entering the competition can bolster a CV and provide future marketers with a competitive edge when starting out in the profession. There are also plenty of benefits and prizes for the teams who win, including: a year’s CIM membership, money off a CIM qualification and the coveted ‘Marketers of the Future’ title.”

More information, including how to enter and details of the challengeav, is available at the CIM website>