Inside the Marketing Capstone - From the Lions Lair to the Wolves Den
In the final semester of the Bachelor of Commerce Marketing program, students are required to develop and present a strategic marketing plan for a Canadian enterprise. This cumulative project is a two-part series - the Lions Lair and the Wolves Den.
The Lions Lair
Before the Lions Lair, students lay the groundwork for the capstone by completing four seminars, five marketing related case study presentations, and two major assignments. The Lions Lair is judged by four or five Bachelor of Commerce- Marketing professors who provide feedback and prepare the eight groups of students for their final presentation at the Wolves Den. This year, the judging panel consisted of Business Professors Dr. Na Sui, Yvonne Yip, Paul Pasquariello, and Mohamad Sawwaf.
The Wolves Den
The Wolves Den included a panel of external experts and the Canadian enterprises with whom the students were challenged to develop and design a strategic marketing plan for.
The judging panel included of the following external experts:
- Blair Ruelens, Pepsico
- Denis Sacks, Pepsico
- Mangala Dsa, Quaker
- Bilal Hamadeh, Xerox Middle East
- Seema Singh, Think Compass Marketing Agency
- Grant Lee, Canadian Institute of Marketing
- Sérgio Frias, Bombardier and The Federation of Canadian-Brazilian Businesses (FCBB)
The students were also required to answer questions of the panel on the marketing, branding and communication strategies. By the end of the presentations, the external judges also helped assess the group’s level of readiness to respond to the market needs for their future employers.
Learning Experience
The capstone aligns with The Business School's teaching methodology of "changing business" by implementing the changes required by an innovative market as well as by adopting and embracing current marketing trends. The students are exposed to real problems and challenged to design solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the four years within the Bachelor of Commerce Marketing program.
The Marketing Capstone was also featured in Marketing Canada, a monthly publication of the Canadian Institute of Marketing.
Student Groups and Canadian Enterprises
Group 1 - Peter W., Saloni S., Laura A., Stephani H., Lissy L., and Paula V.
Canadian Enterprise: A-Aaron Protection Services Inc.
Group 2 - Nick B., Neetika C., Samantha H.l, Braedon S., and Sarah V.
Company: RVDL Soccer Academy.
Group 3 - Michae D., Mihai M., Vernon M., Taylor A., Stephanie B., and Sarah B.
Company: On the Run Meals
Group 4 - Courtney E., Amy N., Amanda F., Derek L., and Jonty M.
Company: Compumobile
Group 5 - Sogand B., Allie R., Justin B., Stephanie M., Gergana N., and Jason Z.
Company: Collage Co
Group 6 - Natalie M., Naif Abdullah A., Belle Jessica F., Maor K., Rocco S., and Anna K.
Company: Nona Vegan
Group 7 - Lawrence D., Kerwin L., Winston L., Travaugn B., and Jevaughn R.
Company: Joseph’s Pasteries
Group 8 - Harvir C., Rachel M., Kirenjit U., and Danielle S.
Company: Mincards Canada