AUCC STRAT-COMM STUDENTS WOW GUESTS WITH COLOR AND NOVELTY AT 2ND BRANDING DURBAR

By Deborah Titus-Glover PHOTOS by Pince Fidele Boussaugou

April 28, 2023. Discovery House, Adabraka: Today was a highly anticipated moment for the Level 300 students of the Strategic Communication Department at AUCC. It was the day for them to display their hand-made brands. This they did through hard work and teamwork amongst themselves.

Today, at the AUCC Forecourt, 15 canopies were occupied by 26 groups of four to six beautifully dressed students from various sessions (Morning, Evening and Weekend) who arrived early to mount their stands where they would display their various products with their brand names.

Today was a special day because the durbar, ‘Poster presentation: branding and brand management’, was also the grounds for the students’ end-of-semester examination.

The day began at 9:30 with the arrival of Management of the school, invited guests and assessors, family and friends, and students. AUCC vice President Dr. Nefertiti Puplampu, Registrar Dr. Juliana Owusu Ansah, Corporate Affairs head Bismark Owusu-Baah, SRC President Ernest Kpebu and sundry faculty and staff were there in full support.

Also present to grace the occasion were special guests of honor Nana Kum Gyata VI, Ankobiahene of Abura Traditional Area Abakrampa, and Mrs Gifty Mensah, head of Guidance and Counselling Unit at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

In all, 26 brands including Black Pearl Shower Gel, Aromatic Shito Sauce, Kings Smoothies, and Limash Natural Body Essential were exhibited by as many student groups.

The architect of the durbar is Strategic Communication lecturer and Branding guru Peter Wonders.

“Practical application of knowledge leads to a deeper understanding of theory through personal experience. The essence of this durbar is to give students the opportunity to show what they’ve learnt in branding all semester. It is time we shift from the all-theory approach towards a more practical-focused model,” he explained.

Last year, the school’s president unveiled a new eight-point strategic vision that links academia to industry aimed at fixing Ghana’s economic problems.

In her welcome address, Dr. Nefertiti Puplampu said she was excited to see the branding products of the students. Guest speaker Nana Kum Gyata VI said he was grateful for being invited and praised the organizers and students for “a tremendous work done”.

TVET’s Mrs. Gifty Mensah said she was “moved by the brand products being displayed”.

“We should be looking at introducing this model to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training since it is to do with handmade items… This can even help [students] to create their own businesses or jobs rather than they being unemployed… it will help boost the economy,” she said.

Mrs. Mensah said she was particularly impressed by the G9 Medicated Soap, Crèmelait coffee, Black Pearl Shower Gel, and Teps Beauty Cosmetics stands.

The overwhelming reaction of students at the end of the programme was one of fulfilment, achievement and joy for an amazing work done.

“The process of selecting a product, developing it, and branding was difficult, but I prefer this form of assessment to the theory-theory examinations,” said a member of the Limash Natural Body Essentials team.

Coordinator of the event, and durbar MC Ernestina Boatemaa Fayah, said she learnt a lot while organizing the event.

“I am glad it all came together the way this did. We all covered so much this semester in the classroom. And we were given the opportunity to showcase what we actually learnt. This is what today was about,” the AfroNova radio executive explained.