How does $7,000 and a trip to London sound? That’s what’s on the line during UniGame, Unilever’s annual competition that challenges college students to come up with the most innovative business solutions possible. You can read all about the competition here, but these are the basics:
- Step 1: In a team of three, respond to Unilever’s 2018 prompt: “Ideas for a Sustainable Future.”
- Step 2: Film a three-minute video about your idea and submit it here before November 27th.
- Step 3: Voting runs from November 28th to December 11th. Anyone can vote on the site for the popular vote winner. A team of judges will also assess each idea.
- Step 4: The top contestants will head to Unilever’s New Jersey office to present in person.
- Step 5: From there, the top 10 teams get an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City.
- Step 6: North American winners head to London to compete with UniGame winners from around the world.
Want a competitive advantage? Last year’s winners agreed to share their best UniGame tips—just for WayUp’s users.
(United States Winners Caleb, Alex, Margo)
(Canada Winners Winnie, Genesia, Talise)
Here’s what they had to say about…
Coming up with a great idea for your submission
- As a team, spend hours pulling apart each other’s ideas and putting the pieces back together.
- Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes and ask yourself, “would I really buy this?”
- While brainstorming, shout out anything you think of—even if it sounds crazy. Jot everything down no matter what because you might return to it later.
- Keep referring back to the UniGame prompt to make sure your idea is aligned with the theme.
Filming your three-minute video submission
- Everyone has the same prompt, so the judges will see similar videos over and over again. Think carefully about who your audience is and how you can do something different.
- Be clear and concise with your message and show examples as much as possible.
- Have a friend with video production experience? Ask if they’ll help film your video. Bonus: if your video wins, they get an impressive line on their resume!
Getting as many votes as possible on your video
- Post your entry on Facebook (and every other platform you use) early and often.
- Reach out to friends, family, professors, and classmates telling them to spread the word.
- See if any groups at your school will send the voting link to their listservs.
Impressing the judges (at any round)
- Whenever possible, use numbers, data, and company information to back up your idea.
- As you’re preparing your presentation, create focus groups to see how strangers react to it. Make tweaks based on their feedback.
- Rehearse a lot—to the point where you can walk down the street with your team and repeat your presentation without a slide deck.
- Be confident. Sure, there are a lot of big-deal judges, but you’re the expert on your specific idea.
- Know your facts, make eye contact, and be prepared for questions.
Ready to find two other classmates and put your creativity and business smarts to the test? You have until November 27th to submit your three-minute video. Good luck to everyone competing in UniGame 2018!