Sustainable digital marketing experience

CHANGING the world one digital influence at a time” was the theme for the Digital Marketplace Exhibition 3.0 co-organised by Sunway University Business School (SUBS), Sunway University Marketing Society (SUMS) and Sunway Youth for Sustainable Development (SYSD).

This year’s theme was aptly named in conjunction with promoting the United Nations’ “17 Sustainable Development Goals” following the success of the previous two events in December last year and July this year.

The exhibition presented a culmination of an entire semester’s work of final year students from Business Management, Business Studies and Marketing programmes. They showcased their innovative and creative digital marketing ideas to industry professionals as the final assessment for their E-Commerce and Marketing Planning and Execution subjects.

Fourteen groups were tasked to sell any product or service online via Shopee and had to project the awareness of one of the 17 goals.

The students incorporated the use of tools to enhance their presentation, comprising QR codes and augmented reality, for a more immersive interaction at the booths on display.

The Carpenters group led by Ng Swee Lynn, pitched their idea of selling a subscription box of beauty products with a surprise element, where consumers would not know which brand or product they would receive.

“We hope to materialise this idea and begin as a start-up as soon as we graduate” said Ng.

The Pussycat Dolls group came up with the idea of selling sanitary pads composed of banana and bamboo fibres in conjunction with promoting good health and wellbeing, as this was the third element of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Group leader Nazierah Mat Amin said her group hoped to raise awareness about cervical cancer and women’s health.

Mayday group presented their idea of incorporating games and tourism into a mobile application.

Inspired by online game MapleStory, the group introduced TravelStory, where individuals can visualise attractive destinations via the mobile app and purchase attraction tickets via Shopee.

“I never thought marketing can be this difficult until we had to prepare for this exhibition. We learnt so much despite the limited time we had. This exhibition gave us an insight of what the working world has in store for us,” said group leader Lee Wei Min.

Sunway College Victoria University Bachelor of Business lecturer A. Alagarani, Multimedia University Law lecturer Dr Bahma Sivasubramaniam, Malaysian Global Innovation and Creative Centre Community Outreach manager Khairul Mazwan Ibrahim Pati, Epic Collective chief finance officer Loh Jon Ming, RHB Banking Group Digital Transformation assistant vice-president Christopher James Martin and Alliance Cosmetics Advertising and Promotions executive Raja Ishwalisa Puteri made up the panel of judges.

Sivasubramaniam said: “What is most important to have when you venture into the working world is the passion to do something you love. Then, you will be successful.”

Senior marketing lecturer Dr

Derek Ong Lai Teik said: “Business graduates need to be ready and equipped to not only take advantage of this and make a profit, but must be able to understand the impact of online businesses on social awareness and society.”

Ong is the students’ subject lecturer for the semester.