Chester Business School students feed penguins as rewards in zoo marketing competition

Digital Marketing student Ruby Jones achieved first place with her submission, titled Wild Connections – Engaging a New Audience, while Business Management and Marketing management student Sam Gill was named runner-up with Wild After Dark – Making Chester the Must-See Summer Destination for 18- to 25-year-olds.

The pair had been inspired, along with other students, by a trip to Chester Zoo, hearing from the team there about making an impact to a business and marketing strategy at the zoo. Students were tasked with assisting the zoo’s marketing strategy, completing field research on how the zoo could better target a younger 18- to 25-year-old demographic of customers.

The event was organised by Chester Business School, with Tim Brown, Ross Frisby, Hayley Oakes and Chris Hayes leading on the trip and organising the prize with the zoo as part of the curriculum to embed learning outside the classroom and industry experience.

Ruby said: “Juggling the extra workload on top of a busy third year at university was a test of time management, but celebrating that win with some very hungry Humboldt penguins was the perfect reminder that pushing through the busy seasons can lead to the coolest opportunities! Thank you to the Chester Zoo experiences team for such a fun afternoon.”

Sam added: “Taking part was a fantastic opportunity to apply what I've learned throughout my degree to a real-world challenge, while developing skills in research, creativity, and strategic thinking. Like many students, balancing extra projects alongside the demands of a third-year workload wasn't always easy, but the experience reinforced how rewarding it can be to invest time in opportunities beyond the classroom.

“I was lucky enough to enjoy a penguin experience at Chester Zoo, getting up close with some incredible Humboldt penguins and learning more about the important conservation work taking place behind the scenes. A big thank you to everyone involved in organising the competition and to the Chester Zoo experiences team for making the day so memorable.”

Tim Brown, Acting Head of Chester Business School, said: “It is fantastic to see our students applying their knowledge and creativity to a real-world marketing challenge set by one of the country’s best visitor attractions. Opportunities like this are central to the Chester Business School experience, giving students the chance to work with industry partners, tackle live business issues and develop the skills employers value. I congratulate Ruby and Sam on their excellent submissions and thank Chester Zoo for its continued support in providing such engaging and rewarding learning experiences.”

Sean Dick, Senior Conservation Education Manager at Chester Zoo, added: “We love working with students who bring fresh eyes and new ideas to how we connect with younger audiences. Ruby and Sam’s submissions showed genuine creativity and a real understanding of what makes a visit to the zoo special, so it was a pleasure to reward that with some quality time with the Humboldt penguins.

“Inspiring the next generation to care about nature and conservation is at the heart of what we do, and working with Chester Business School to give students valuable real-world experience while helping us explore new ideas and perspectives is exactly the kind of local collaboration we want to keep building on.”