Memorial marketing award in memory of a Harborough businessman is given to De Montfort University student

The winner of a marketing award in memory of a Harborough businessman has been announced this month (July).

Set up in the name of the founder of a Market Harborough-based marketing agency, the Alastair Campbell Marketing Mentor Award is given to a third-year student on one of De Montfort University's marketing courses.

The winner of the 2021 award is third year fashion buying with marketing student Rosie Haymes.

Alastair set up and ran the Ideal Marketing Company in Market Harborough from 2003 until a heart attack in 2017 left him with a brain injury before his death in 2019.

Each year entrants are challenged to submit a real-world marketing plan for a company of their choice to be judged by current Ideal Marketing Company owner and MD Jess Shailes.

Rosie's prize includes the opportunity to do work experience at the Ideal Marketing Company plus a choice of a subscription to a industry publication.

Jess said: “When judging the entries, I always consider how a potential client would respond in the real world to the presentations. I was impressed by the standard of all the finalists’ entries but Rosie’s really stood out for its credibility and attention to detail.

"Not only did she show initiative in really getting to know the brand with interviews and visits, Rosie demonstrated highly effective competitor analysis. Also, her strategy included careful and feasible consideration of the cost of the marketing strategy she proposed. All in all I agreed wholeheartedly with all the strategies Rosie put forward.”

Jess added: "Alastair was a motivational leader with a great enthusiasm for supporting young marketers including myself. His ethos of nurturing marketing talent is something I hope to continue as a way of paying forward the support I was lucky enough to receive from my inspirational mentor.”

Kaye Herriott, senior lecturer in fashion buying with marketing at DMU, said: "I’m delighted with Rosie’s achievement and by the high standard of all the students’ entries. As everyone knows, this has been an incredibly challenging year in the higher education sector, so it is wonderful to see Rosie and her fellow students applying the expertise gained on the course to the real world.”

Commenting on her win, Rosie Haymes said: “I was surprised to be nominated for the award and shocked to win because everyone’s submissions were so strong. I’m very grateful to have my work recognised by industry experts and I enjoyed coming up with a marketing plan to boost an existing fashion brand.”