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Merger Masters Competition Overview

The 'Merger Masters' competition invites commerce students from Classes XI & XII to form teams of three to create an innovative product through the merger of selected companies. Participants must prepare a PowerPoint presentation that includes a unique selling point, target audience strategies, and alignment with sustainable development goals. Judging will be based on creativity, feasibility, and presentation quality, with entries due by September 25, 2024.

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Arunava Dutta
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
145 views2 pages

Merger Masters Competition Overview

The 'Merger Masters' competition invites commerce students from Classes XI & XII to form teams of three to create an innovative product through the merger of selected companies. Participants must prepare a PowerPoint presentation that includes a unique selling point, target audience strategies, and alignment with sustainable development goals. Judging will be based on creativity, feasibility, and presentation quality, with entries due by September 25, 2024.

Uploaded by

Arunava Dutta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Merger Masters

Combine and Conquer

Eligibility Commerce students of Classes XI & XII

Number of entries One per school

Number of participants One team of three students

‘Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.’ - Steve Jobs

Introduction:

Mergers can lead to creation of new products or significant enhancements to


existing products. This often occurs as merging companies combine their
resources, technologies and expertise.
Example:
1. The merger of Pfizer and Wyeth enabled Pfizer to expand its portfolio,
leading to the development of new vaccines and biologics.
2. The merger between Kraft Foods and Heinz combined their resources to
enhance existing product lines and create new food products.

The objective of the competition is to showcase participants' knowledge with


the application of business studies concepts further fostering innovative and
strategic thinking.

Task:
❖ A set of four companies will be allotted to each team after the
registration.
❖ The team must select 2-3 companies from the given set to merge and
create an innovative new product which must be a combination of
existing products from the selected companies.
❖ The product should be in line with sustainable development goals and
corporate social responsibility.
❖ Each team will have to prepare a powerpoint presentation with a
maximum of 10 slides illustrating how the merger of the selected
companies led to the creation of the new product.
❖ Participants may also come up with an attractive brand name, brand
mark and tagline for the product.
❖ The following points with respect to the product must be incorporated
into the presentation:
➢ unique selling point (USP) that differentiates it from existing
market offerings
➢ target audience & strategies for customer demography
➢ societal marketing concept - social purpose and long-term societal
well-being
➢ Sales strategies
➢ Cost and margin analysis
❖ At the time of presentation, participants may also use:
➢ Interactive props
➢ Fliers/Posters/Infographics
➢ Skit performance/ roleplay
Rules:
❖ Time limit to present is a maximum of 3 minutes.
❖ Use of inappropriate language will lead to immediate disqualification.
❖ Cross questioning by the judges will be allowed.
❖ Participants must mail presentations in .pptx format to
mergermasters@[Link] by 25th September 2024.
❖ Language: English

Judgment Criteria:
❖ Creativity and Innovation
❖ Unique Selling Point (USP)
❖ Alignment with Societal Marketing Concept
❖ Feasibility and Practicality
❖ Presentation Quality

For details contact : Ms. Priya Obhrai- 9650533113

Common questions

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The societal marketing concept can be integrated into the development and marketing of a merged product by ensuring that the product serves a social purpose and contributes to long-term societal well-being. This could involve adopting environmentally-friendly production processes, ensuring accessibility to diverse demographics, and engaging in community initiatives that promote social good. These efforts should be clearly communicated in marketing messages to align customer values with the brand's ethical commitments .

Teams can effectively highlight their product's unique selling point by focusing on its innovative features and benefits over existing market offerings, using a concise storyline or demonstration. Engaging visuals, like infographics or roleplays, can quickly capture attention and clarify the USP, while explicit examples showing the product's value addition compared to competitors can solidify its distinctive advantages .

Selecting the correct target audience and developing strategies tailored to customer demographics is essential for ensuring the product's market success. A precise understanding of the target market allows for focused marketing efforts and resource allocation. Strategies must consider consumer behavior, preferences, and socioeconomic factors, enabling the creation of compelling value propositions and effective communication that resonate with intended consumers .

Creativity and innovation are pivotal in the judgment criteria as they reflect the team's ability to think outside the box and create solutions that stand out in the marketplace. These elements are crucial because they demonstrate the team's potential to drive change, differentiate their product, and meet consumer needs in novel ways, which are key factors for success in competitive business environments .

Aligning new products with sustainable development goals and corporate social responsibility is essential as it ensures the products contribute to long-term societal well-being and environmental sustainability. This alignment can be implemented by incorporating eco-friendly materials, reducing carbon footprints, and ensuring fair labor practices, thus enhancing the brand's reputation and fulfilling ethical obligations while appealing to the conscious consumer base .

Submitting the presentation in .pptx format is necessary because it is a widely accepted and compatible format that ensures seamless viewing on different devices without layout issues. It allows participants to include animations, diverse multimedia elements, and interactive features, enhancing presentation quality. For judges, this format ensures ease of access and review, facilitating a more straightforward evaluation process .

Interactive props and roleplay can enhance presentation quality by actively engaging the audience, making complex concepts more tangible and memorable. Props can provide visual references that clarify product features or benefits, while roleplay can demonstrate real-life applications and customer interactions. Such dynamic presentation elements make the pitch more compelling and understandable in a short timeframe .

The merger of Pfizer and Wyeth allowed Pfizer to expand its portfolio significantly by integrating Wyeth's expertise and resources, which facilitated the development of new vaccines and biologics. This strategic move enhanced Pfizer's position in the pharmaceutical industry, exemplifying how mergers can lead to substantial product innovation and expansion by combining technologies and expertise .

Participants should consider factors such as production costs, pricing strategies, projected sales volumes, and competitive market pricing when analyzing cost and margin. Understanding fixed and variable costs and their impact on profit margins is crucial, as is evaluating potential economies of scale offered by the merger. Balancing these elements ensures the product is economically feasible and competitively priced .

Teams can ensure their presentation aligns with rules by focusing on key elements like the USP, societal marketing concept, and sales strategies within a concise framework. Efficient time management involves practicing to deliver clear and precise information, avoiding superfluous details. Utilizing tools like bullet points and summarizing main points can help convey essential content swiftly within the three-minute limit .

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