Students from the University of Westminster’s Digital Marketing BA Honours, International Marketing BA Honours and Marketing Communications with AI Integration BA Honours courses experienced hands-on, work-based learning through the University’s Consumer Insights module. Throughout the module students had the chance to collaborate with three UK-based businesses, Eel Rides, Petal Philosophy London and LVL London, to address real marketing challenges through research-informed solutions and live client interaction.
The semester began with a Live Brief Delivery and Q&A session, during which each company presented its current marketing challenges, and students engaged directly with business founders to gain insights to inform their projects. This collaboration encouraged students to apply consumer behaviour theory to real-world contexts and develop practical, evidence-based marketing recommendations.
As part of the module’s first assessment, student groups acted as consumer insight consultants, conducting research into sustainability-driven consumer behaviour and delivering their findings through live pitch presentations to the business clients. A competitive element was embedded into the activity, with winning teams selected within each seminar group, recognising particularly strong insight development, application of theory, and quality of recommendations.
The second assessment required students to work individually as consumer and marketing analysts, identifying and justifying the selection of an appropriate opinion leader for their chosen business partner. Building on insights developed earlier in the semester, students analysed industry trends, competitor strategies and sustainability-driven consumer behaviour to recommend an influencer, expert or public figure capable of strengthening the brand’s positioning as a responsible and sustainable organisation.
The live engagement was led and guided by Module Leader and Lecturer Dr Maria Bortnovskaya and supported by seminar leaders Professor Charles Chi Cui and Lecturer Annetta Paps-King. The module highlights the University’s Zone29 ambition of preparing students for working life. Zone29 is the University’s new home for careers and enterprise, which is due to open in Spring 2026 and will provide students and graduates with access to work-related programmes, opportunities and experiences. It will connect students from all backgrounds to industry professionals to build the confidence and networks they need to succeed.
Dr Richard Berry, Head of the School of Management and Marketing at Westminster Business School, said: “The live client collaboration in the Consumer Insights module is one of the examples of authentic, work-based learning taking place across our School, designed to strengthen students’ readiness for the labour market. By engaging with real businesses, students gain meaningful experience, develop confidence and produce work that clearly demonstrates their capabilities to employers.”
Rona Bregu, a second-year Digital Marketing BA Honours student, said: “Working with Eel Rides really opened my eyes to how sustainability can genuinely set a brand apart. It helped me take everything we learn about consumer behaviour and actually apply it in a way that could shape real marketing decisions.”
Another student involved was second-year Digital Marketing BA Honours student Kenneth Orbe, who added: “Working with LVL London was a great experience, as it helped me sharpen my skills and boost my confidence with real-time challenges. This opportunity has made me feel much more prepared for my future career in the industry!”
Justina Cudbertson, Founder at Petal Philosophy Ltd, said: “I was really excited about the collaboration. The students did an excellent job identifying marketing areas where I can improve and showing me what I have been missing. This experience has been extremely valuable for both my flower shop Petal Philosophy and myself as a person, and I sincerely appreciate all the hard work they put in.”
This initiative actively supports both the University’s Being Westminster Strategy and the Education Strategy 2023–2029, by embedding inclusive and authentic learning opportunities that strengthen employability skills of Westminster students.
It also directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education and 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
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