A team of marketing students from the University of Greenwich has been named among the top 13 undergraduate teams in the world in The Pitch 2026, the Chartered Institute of Marketing's (CIM) prestigious global student competition.
Team B.A.T, made up of Greenwich Business School students Brennan Stabler, Anh Van and Tahera Zaman, competed against a record number of entries from universities across four continents to earn a place in this year's final. The Pitch, now in its fifteenth year, challenges students to respond to a real-world marketing brief from a leading global brand.
This year's competition is run in partnership with IBM. Undergraduate teams were tasked with creating a bold, content-led campaign that tackles common misconceptions around artificial intelligence and positions IBM as a trusted leader in practical, responsible AI.
The concept behind "Be the You, You Imagine"
Team B.A.T's campaign, "Be the You, You Imagine", reframes the AI narrative from something intimidating and out of reach into something empowering and accessible, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized businesses.
Their creative approach traces IBM's evolution from its earliest tabulating machines to today's AI innovations, built around one central idea: people, not technology, drive progress. The campaign uses a documentary-style format blending strategy, storytelling and big-picture thinking to connect IBM's history with the current AI moment.
What the judges said
Maggie Jones, CIM's Director of Qualifications and Partnerships, said the standard this year made shortlisting exceptionally difficult:
We saw an increase in submissions, and the standard continues to rise year on year. It has been especially encouraging to see students from across the globe engaging so thoughtfully with the brief.
Justin Ablett, Strategic Partners Lead for UKI in IBM Consulting, added:
We've been hugely impressed by the creativity, skill and passion shown by participants from around the world.
Support from Greenwich Business School
The team thanked Greenwich Business School lecturers David Jennings and Klairoong Phairor for their guidance and support throughout the competition.
The Pitch mirrors the pressures of a real agency pitch environment, allowing students to develop strategic thinking, creative problem-solving and presentation skills that are highly valued by employers.
What happens next
Team B.A.T will compete in the live virtual final on 10th March against teams from universities in the UK, Malaysia, Kuwait and beyond. The winning team will be named CIM's 'Marketers of the Future' and receive a one-year CIM Affiliate Professional membership, access to a CIM e-learning course and an interactive session with IBM experts.
The University of Greenwich is proud of Brennan, Anh and Tahera and wishes them the very best of luck on finals day.
Study marketing at Greenwich
Our marketing programmes at Greenwich Business School are designed to give students real-world experience and the strategic skills employers are looking for. Find out more about our marketing and advertising degrees.
The Pitch 2026 is run by the Chartered Institute of Marketing in partnership with IBM. Originally reported by Ethical Marketing News.
