Beyond the Shelf, Into the Mind

The Marketing Mavericks Club of Apeejay School of Management successfully conducted an interactive and thought-provoking marketing activity titled Shelf Mind – The Ultimate Retail Memory Challenge on 3rd February. Held from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Room No. 305, the activity aimed to provide students with hands-on exposure to consumer psychology, memory recall, and buyer persona–based decision making. Guided by the idea that “Marketing doesn’t begin at checkout — it begins with what the mind remembers,” the session offered a refreshing departure from conventional discussions on advertising and promotions.

Designed as a practical learning exercise, Shelf Mind brought marketing psychology into action by testing participants’ observation skills, recall ability, and strategic thinking in a simulated retail environment. A total of 18 students participated in the activity, divided into six teams, each competing enthusiastically to decode how consumers perceive and remember brands on shelves.

As part of the game plan, each team was shown a 3×3 grid featuring brands from the same product category for just 10 seconds. The teams were then challenged to accurately recreate the grid from memory, testing their observation and recall skills. Adding a strategic dimension, participants were assigned specific buyer personas and asked to answer two critical questions: which two products the buyer would remember the most, and which three products the buyer would be most likely to purchase. This approach encouraged students to connect memory with consumer preferences and purchasing behaviour.

Once the grid disappeared, teams actively engaged in discussions, analyzing brand placement, visibility, color cues, and recall triggers. The buyer persona element pushed participants to think beyond mere memorization and justify their choices based on consumer traits, needs, and preferences. The classroom atmosphere remained energetic, competitive, and intellectually stimulating throughout the activity, fostering collaborative learning and creative thinking.

The competition concluded with impressive performances by several teams. The first position was secured by Shreya, Tanishka, and Jyoti, followed by Babita, Divyanshu, and Devanshu in second place. Pradeep, Teesha, and Lakshay claimed the third position, showcasing strong analytical and recall skills.

Beyond being a memory challenge, Shelf Mind offered valuable learning outcomes. Participants gained insights into the impact of shelf placement on brand recall, the role of buyer personas in influencing remembrance and purchase decisions, and the crucial difference between noticing a product and choosing to buy it. Most importantly, the activity demonstrated how marketing psychology operates in real retail-like situations.

The activity was conceptualised and guided by Faculty Coordinators Dr. Preeti Suryawanshi and Dr. Anushka Goel, with efficient coordination by student coordinators Anushka Rajawat, Neelam Rathore, and Isha Kumari. Student volunteers Ritik, Daksh, and Yashika also played a key role in ensuring the smooth conduct of the event.

Overall, Shelf Mind reinforced the idea that effective marketing is rooted in perception, memory, and decision-making. Through a simple yet impactful format, the Marketing Mavericks Club once again created a meaningful learning experience that successfully bridged marketing theory with real-world consumer behaviour.