Griffith marketing students have developed concepts to help enhance the southern Gold Coast region, with the best winning $1000 and top marks.
First year Introduction to Marketing students were asked to develop a concept to rejuvenate the Southern Gold Coast region as part of Griffith’s Get Marketer Challenge competition, hosted by Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) and Gold Coast Tourism (GCT).
The Challenge task was created by the Enhancing Southern Gold Coast Steering Committee and required students to develop an identity and vision for the southern region.
Although Gold Coast City is Australia’s sixth largest city and one of the nation’s fastest growing regions, the committee recognised a need to reinvigorate the southern strip.
According to the committee, the southern Gold Coast does not have a clear identity, vision or united front or strategy to reinvigorate it as a premier holiday destination and pass on benefits to local businesses and the community.
Students were asked to prepare a solution, which also formed part of their assessment.
Judges from the GCCC, GCT, Connecting Southern Gold Coast project and Southern Gold Coast Future Directions Group voted the Logan campus team the winner and Gold Coast City Council Mayor Ron Clarke MBE presented them with a cheque from GCT.
The team of four students beat more than 1000 others from Griffith’s Gold Coast, Nathan and Logan campuses with their concept ‘Currumbin to Coolangatta and everything in between!’
Mardi Dunn-Smith, Sarah Cleghorn, Kelly Martens and Phuong Thi Lien Phan developed the concept after extensive surveys and interviews with members of their identified target market.
Team member Mardi Dunn-Smith said the concept was designed to reposition the Southern Gold Coast and create an identity centred around the core benefits of fun and relaxation, which are sought by holidaymakers.
“The competition really opened our eyes to what is required in the marketing field,” she said.
Griffith Lecturer and Logan campus Course Convenor Kerri-Ann Kuhn said the students benefited tremendously from the opportunity to be involved in a real project for a real organisation.
“Collaborative projects such as this help engage students and can be very rewarding for everyone involved,” Ms Kuhn said.
All team members expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to be involved in the project.
Photo by Gary Stubbs