Marketing Mayhem 2026: Where Creativity Meets AI-Powered Marketing

The Department of BBA at PES University successfully hosted Marketing Mayhem 2026 on August 19, 2026, bringing together aspiring marketers for an engaging and competitive learning experience. Conducted in Class E225, the event challenged students to combine marketing knowledge, creativity, teamwork, and artificial intelligence to solve real-world branding and campaign problems.

A Dynamic Marketing Challenge
Marketing Mayhem was designed as a multi-round competition that tested participants' ability to think strategically while leveraging AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini. Teams worked collaboratively to develop brands, create marketing campaigns, and communicate value propositions within strict time limits. The event highlighted how modern marketers can use AI as a powerful brainstorming and decision-support tool while maintaining human creativity and judgment.

Round 1: Build the Brand
The first round, "Build the Brand – From Product to Customer," required teams to transform a simple product into a compelling brand. Participants identified target customers, analyzed customer needs, developed brand identities, and created logos using Canva AI. The round concluded with a 60-second product launch presentation, where teams showcased their strategic thinking and branding skills.

Round 2: AI Campaign Sprint
Building on their brands from Round 1, teams entered the AI Campaign Sprint. They were tasked with creating a complete marketing campaign, including

• A campaign theme
• Promotional messaging
• Social media content ideas
• Launch hashtags
• Audience engagement strategies

Using AI tools to generate and refine ideas, participants developed creative campaigns that appealed to their target audiences while differentiating their brands from competitors. The presentations demonstrated a strong understanding of consumer behavior, digital marketing, and communication strategy.

Round 3: One-Word War
The final round, "One-Word War," tested participants' ability to simplify complex marketing concepts. Teams were given a product and only 60 seconds to choose one word that best represented its value. They then justified their choice before the judges, showcasing clarity of thought, persuasion, and concise communication.

Recognizing Excellence
The competition witnessed enthusiastic participation and impressive performances. The winners were

Winner: Team 9

• Jahnavi V
• Shalini B
• Smitha R
• Yashwanth K

First Runner-Up: Team 11

• Sushravya Rao
• Tejasvi Raj
• Siri Hebsur
• Surya Dhikshit

Second Runner-Up: Team 5

• Vyshnavi V
• Bhuvana Shekar
• Y Nandini

Their innovative ideas, strategic thinking, and effective use of AI earned them top honors among the competing teams.

Collaborative Effort and Learning
The event was supported by the Kelpie Club heads, Shreya and Amrutha, along with a team of dedicated volunteers. Approximately 50 participants and attendees contributed to the vibrant atmosphere of the competition.

Students gained valuable practical experience in branding, campaign development, teamwork, problem-solving, and AI-assisted ideation. More importantly, they learned that while AI can accelerate creativity and research, successful marketing still relies on human insight, strategic thinking, and effective communication.

Conclusion
Marketing Mayhem 2026 successfully bridged the gap between traditional marketing principles and emerging AI technologies. By engaging students in hands-on challenges and real-world marketing scenarios, the event provided a meaningful platform for experiential learning. It demonstrated how the future of marketing lies not in replacing human creativity with technology, but in combining the strengths of both to create impactful and innovative solutions.