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Two UWA Marketing students have won the Inaugural Dukbill Quack Awards with a quirky video spoof of Australia’s cricketing culture.

The competition – launched this year by start-up company Dukbill - asks Western Australian marketing students to undertake guerilla marketing and public relations for a new business and brand.

Award winners Kirsty Marshall and Anouska Freedman, who are both studying Marketing and Communication and Media Studies at UWA, competed in the finals against five other teams and their guerilla marketing stunts.

Their video , which was shared on social media, achieved 1465 views in 12 hours – and won the students a $1000 cash prize and marketing internship with a local company.

“We couldn’t believe it when we won. All of the contestants came up with really exciting and creative campaigns, so we feel extremely privileged and proud to win,” Kirsty said.

“It’s been a great way to explore our creativity while gaining experience in a professional environment. It was also a great way to use the skills we’ve learnt in our marketing and communications courses at UWA,” Anouska said.

The competition was held in association with student group MARKAM (the Marketing and Management Association of UWA), and the Profectus Innovation Hub at St Catherine's College, a free co-working space for young entrepreneurs.

Students were asked to submit a marketing idea, then plan and execute a campaign to achieve awareness and sign ups to Dukbill – a new mobile quoting, invoicing, and payment system for small business.

The final pitch for the awards was held on Friday 17 May and judged by Dukbill co- founder and developer Brendon Ross, owner of The Fabric Printer Anthony Gaunt, and digital director at Workhouse Advertising, Stuart Riddle.

Dukbill co-founder Nathan Kerr said the competition was an ideal way for the new business to test the market for engagement, prior to officially launching the lite accounting software solution, and it gave students the opportunity to develop their marketing skills in a practical setting.

“I remember when I started out, just how important mentors were to achieving my goals. Simply put, it makes me feel good to help young people when I can – and it’s even better when they succeed off the back of it,” Mr Kerr said.

Media references

Karen Della Torre (UWA Business School)                                         (+61 8) 6488 8538
Verity Chia (UWA Business School)                                                   (+61 8) 6488 1346