Schulich MBAs Finish Top 10 for Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec

When you think of an MBA student, you don’t think of a car salesman, but that was exactly what Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec Competition asked their teams to become. Two York University Schulich School of Business teams, made up of two MBA students, Chelsea Margolis and Kelly Saltzman, as well as two undergraduates, Chantal Lim and Jenisha Pudasaini, had to answer the question, “How would you market a new car?”

To participate, the four students submitted their ideas in two phases. First, they initially submitted a two-page summary, and then when they made it to the top 25, they turned in a comprehensive marketing plan to launch a new GM car. In the end, their work led to a Top 10 finish in the competition.

Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec Competition occurs every year and invites student teams from top business schools across the country to participate. It’s a contest that involves both strategy and creativity to perform well. All participants have the opportunity to connect with Canada’s marketing elite and this year’s winners walked away with two 2017 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchbacks.

And while the Schulich MBAs didn’t leave with new cars, the work and experience was worth it.

“This competition was one of the most incredible experiences of my MBA so far,” Saltzman said in a press release. “Meeting inspiring people, both from the sponsoring companies and fellow competitors, I look forward to crossing paths with them again in the future and putting to use all the different skills I have acquired over the weekend.”

“We’ve had so much support from Schulich professors throughout the competition and learned so much,” Margolis added. “We’ve also been lucky to be taking classes this term like Brand Management and Social Media Marketing.”

In the end, the winning team came from Ivey Business School — Tom Grainger and Corrine Tansowny, two HBA ’17 candidates.

regions: Toronto

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