Winners of CIM’s global student competition ‘The Pitch’ announced

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has announced that the ‘3 Marketeers’ from the University of West London, and ‘Pitch Perfected’ from the University of Birmingham, have been crowned the undergraduate and postgraduate winners of The Pitch 2026, its annual global student competition.

In its fifteenth year, The Pitch saw 13 undergraduate and 13 postgraduate teams from leading UK and international universities compete to be named the ‘Marketers of the Future’, as they were tasked with responding to a real-life marketing brief.

This year’s competition was run in partnership with global brand IBM, who set undergraduates the task of creating a bold, content-led campaign that tackles artificial intelligence myths head-on and positions IBM as the go-to expert for practical, responsible AI. Postgraduates, meanwhile, were challenged to create a strategic plan that makes IBM the global leader in ‘Green AI’ – the future of sustainable artificial intelligence.

The 2026 competition set new benchmarks across the board, attracting submissions from a record-breaking 155 teams from 77 universities – and students from 13 overseas countries participating alongside their UK counterparts.

The finals were judged by a panel of industry experts representing leading organisations, including CIM, IBM, Hays and Mintel.

Winners of the undergraduate competition, 3 Marketeers (Bethany Taylor, Clarice Pugales and Ranveer Thakur), commented:

“Winning The Pitch has been an incredible experience for us as a team. The challenge really pushed our marketing knowledge, but it was absolutely worth it for what we’ve achieved today. From the brilliant resources and support we received, to the live final where we had the opportunity to present our ideas to the judges, every stage brought real value and gave us meaningful, practical experience in a true pitch environment.

“We honestly didn’t expect to reach the final given the number of entries from around the world, let alone win it – so we’re incredibly proud to be crowned the undergraduate winners. The skills and confidence we’ve gained will stay with us throughout the rest of our degree and into our future careers. A huge thank you to CIM, all of the judges and IBM for making this opportunity possible.”

Winners of the postgraduate competition, Pitch Perfected (Audrey Berling and Janhavi Tamhankar), said:

“We are so delighted to be named winners of the postgraduate category. The Pitch has given us an unforgettable experience that we will remember forever. Not only have we developed valuable, real-world marketing skills, but we’ve also had the chance to apply them in a high-pressure, industry-level environment. The Pitch has equipped us with confidence, practical insight and strategic thinking that employers look for, and now we have the belief that this is just the beginning.

“We would highly recommend this competition to any aspiring marketer looking to stand out in a competitive job market. Our biggest piece of advice? Never lose hope and never think you aren’t capable. We would like to say a huge thank you to CIM, IBM, the judges and our tutor, Dr Fahad Ibrahim, who supported two teams from University of Birmingham throughout this journey, helping both secure first and second place.”

Maggie Jones, Director of Qualifications and Partnerships at CIM, commented:

“We are delighted to congratulate not only our winners and finalists, but every student who took part in this year’s The Pitch competition. With a record number of submissions and an increasing number of universities from around the world participating, it’s inspiring to see the competition continue to grow in both scale and ambition. The Pitch truly reflects CIM’s commitment to nurturing and developing the next generation of marketing talent on a global stage.

“What stood out this year was not just the volume of entries, but the exceptional standard of thinking and professionalism demonstrated by the students. Each team brought fresh ideas, strategic insight and real passion for the marketing profession. A huge well done to the 3 Marketeers and Pitch Perfected for their well-deserved victories, and to all participants who rose to the challenge and showcased skills that will serve them throughout their future careers.”

Emma Flinter, UKI Customer Strategy & Marketing Transformation Leader for IBM Consulting, said:

“We’ve been genuinely inspired by the creativity and ambition shown by every team in this year’s The Pitch competition. Partnering with the Chartered Institute of Marketing for this challenge has been a privilege, and the standard of thinking, from sharp strategic insight to thoughtful, responsible AI innovation, has far exceeded our expectations.

“For students, experiences like this are transformative. Taking on a real-world brief, testing ideas with industry leaders, and presenting under pressure are the exact moments where future careers begin to take shape. To every participant: thank you for your energy, your curiosity and your commitment. Your ideas didn’t just answer a brief, they reminded us how exciting the future of marketing can be. We hope this experience has strengthened your confidence, expanded your skills, and given you a meaningful step forward on your professional journey.”

The winning teams will receive a one-year complimentary CIM Affiliate Professional membership and a place on a CIM virtual e-learning course, as well as an interactive session with IBM experts. All finalists will also receive a certificate celebrating their participation.

The finalists were:

Undergraduates:

• 3 Marketeers – University of West London (Winners)
• Catalyst – Manchester Metropolitan University (2nd place)
• The Turing Point – University of Nottingham Malaysia (3rd place)
• AI Allies – Aston University
• A.S.A. – Universiti Teknologi MARA
• B.A.T – University of Greenwich
• BLC: born to pitch – Leeds Beckett University
• Bright Minders – Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology
• METAMORPHOSIS – The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance
• NAM – Canadian College of Kuwait
• NEXUS – Universiti Teknologi MARA
• SMD – Leeds Beckett University
• Triad Methods – University of Portsmouth

Postgraduates:

• Pitch Perfected – University of Birmingham (Winners)
• DinoMighty Consultancy – University of Birmingham (2nd place)
• Apex Strategy – Heriot-Watt University (3rd place)
• Alina & Xijian – University of Glasgow
• CarbonLite Imaging – King’s College London
• EcoAi – University of Leicester
• Good Transport Coming – University of Glasgow
• GreenGlobal – University of Strathclyde
• GreenLens AI – University of Leeds
• Team Varry – University of Leicester
• Terra-tory Marketers – University of Glasgow
• The Greenprint – University of Strathclyde
• Verdis AI – Loughborough University