Entrepreneurship Comes Alive on Campus

As part of the continuous emphasis on experiential learning at Apeejay School of Management (ASM), Dwarka, first-year PGDM students showcased their entrepreneurial and marketing acumen through New Product Development (NPD) stalls set up during the Christmas Carnival hosted at the campus. 

The activity was conducted under the New Product Development project in the subject Marketing Management, designed and guided by Dr. Preeti Suryawanshi, Area Chair  Marketing.

The project required students to move beyond classroom discussions and apply theoretical frameworks in a real-market setting. Students were tasked with conceptualising a new product and systematically working through all stages of the New Product Development process—from idea generation, screening, concept testing and product development to market testing and commercialisation. Each team was also required to design and implement a comprehensive marketing mix strategy, carefully integrating all four Ps—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. 

At the carnival, students not only displayed their products but also manufactured, priced, promoted, and sold them directly to consumers, providing a hands-on understanding of customer response, pricing sensitivity, distribution challenges, and promotional effectiveness. The live selling environment helped students appreciate the dynamic nature of marketing decisions and the importance of agility and teamwork.

In line with contemporary marketing practices, students also created Instagram pages and basic websites for their products. This enabled them to understand the growing relevance of digital platforms in brand building, customer engagement, and promotions. The activity reinforced how online and offline marketing channels complement each other in today’s multichannel environment.

Reflecting on the experience, a student Hridya shared, “Designing a product was exciting, but selling it to real customers taught us what marketing truly means. We finally understood why the four Ps must work together.” 

Another PGDM student Harjas Kaur added, “Our experience of setting up the NPD stall at the Christmas Carnival was both enriching and insightful. We carefully decorated our table to reflect the premium positioning of our brand, which helped attract attention and engage visitors. There was considerable footfall from faculty members as well as students, which enabled us to create awareness and directly pitch our product. Interacting with customers gave us valuable insights into preferences and buying behavior. Creating Instagram pages helped us realise the power of digital marketing and real-time feedback.”

Overall, the NPD stalls served as a meaningful learning platform, successfully bridging theory and practice. The initiative not only strengthened students’ conceptual understanding of marketing but also nurtured creativity, problem-solving skills, and entrepreneurial thinking—key competencies required in today’s competitive business landscape.