UWL is excited to announce that Claude Littner Business School (CLBS) undergraduates ‘The Three Marketeers’ have won the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)’s international competition The Pitch 2026, in an exciting live final on Tuesday 10 March.
Bethany Taylor, Ranveer Thakur and Clarice Pugales beat the 12 other finalists to the top spot as a result of their incredible creativity, marketing knowledge and excellent presentation skills.
The Pitch 2026 is a global student competition that challenges participants to react to a real-life marketing brief, pushing them to think strategically and providing them with the opportunity to gain valuable, practical hands-on experience – boosting their employability in an increasingly competitive job market. The Live Final featured 13 undergraduate and 13 postgraduate teams.
A global marketing challenge with real-world impact
This year, CIM joined forces with global technology company IBM, with the students coming up with a comprehensive digital marketing plan to help IBM enhance awareness of their AI services.
The four UWL teams who entered the competition were mentored by Senior Lecturer Colin Webb, Lecturer Mohamad Al Maassarani, and Senior Lecturer Gemma Pybus.
Colin Webb commented:
“We’re so proud of our students who chose to take on this challenge on top of their final year studies. They have learned so much and it will really help them to differentiate themselves as they enter the tough world of work! It has been a joy and pleasure to work with them on this journey.”
Gemma Pybus added:
“With over 250 entries from business schools across the world, to say we are proud feels like a bit of an understatement! We’re also incredibly proud of the other three teams who participated from CLBS who all submitted wonderful work alongside their full time study – the competition was fierce this year, and they all produced innovative, creative and professional work and developed effective and practical marketing skills that they can take into the workplace!”
Bethany, Clarice and Ranveer said:
“Wow, we did it! Our experience taking part in The Pitch 2026 has definitely been a long but rewarding journey, which has pushed us past our limits and helped us reach new heights. We feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge regarding AI and digital campaigns.”
This success reflects CLBS’ strong commitment to combining academic learning with meaningful real-world experience. Through opportunities such as student-led consultancy projects, industry guest lectures, company visits and competitions like the prestigious CIM The Pitch, students are encouraged to apply their knowledge to real business challenges. Supported by lecturers with extensive industry experience, CLBS students graduate not only with strong academic foundations but also with the practical skills, confidence and up-to-date industry insight needed to thrive in today’s competitive global marketplace.
