Making learning fun and entertaining

MANGLORE: How do you combine learning as a means of business tool, disguised as entertainment? Initiated nearly two decades ago, one of India's largest annual market research fair organized by the students of TA Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal, forms an ideal platform for the corporate to understand the minds of their customers through unique means of disguised games.<br /><br /> The 19th edition of BrandScan, the two day event which ended on Sunday at Manipal, gave TAPMI students take up market research projects from clients and conduct a comprehensive research on the stated objectives. Professor K J Jaimes, Faculty Coordinator, BrandScan told TOI the event involved a seven months gestation period and the actual work started a month before the actual event, when the companies indicate their willingness to participate in the event. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> This year students undertook projects from 15 companies including principal sponsor Vodafone.<ep,1>“Students get the actual understanding how market research works and know how to conduct it realistically,’’ says Amit Kumar, co convener, BrandScan, who is specializing in marketing. <br /><br /> Vodafone, Karnataka CEO BP Singh says: “Market research is the key to the sustainability and growth of any brand in a market where consumers are spoilt for choice. An innovative approach towards eliciting unbiased opinion from a consumer is of great relevance in building brand equity. Jaimes said: ``before the actual project starts, there is a dummy project. Around 27 project leaders participate and the top 15 ideas were selected based on clarity of the concept, methodology and creativity of disguised games.’’ <br /><br /> The disguised games ensure that the data collected is free from bias and errors. The data collected from the event is analyzed over 45 day period and then handed over to the company after ratification by the market research partner. <br /><br /> In 18 years, BrandScan has completed 200 projects for various clients making it the largest market research fair by a B- school in India. ``This year, BrandScan took two pronged approach- a retail format in addition to the usual gala fair format, the first for any B school in India,’’ asserts Jaimes. <br /><br /> Stanly.pinto@timesgroup.com <meta name="cmsei" content="cms.next" /></ep,1>