Archetype Contest 2025
07-November-2025
By Anoushka Negi and Suvena Srivastav | PRCC
On 7th November, Archetype India, one of the country’s leading communications and reputation
management firms, hosted a Live Client Pitch Presentation Competition at XIC.
The preparations began a month in advance, with students laying down the groundwork for an
insightful and high-energy contest with their unique ideas and pitches. Students were asked to
create an end-to-end communications plan for the brand AICOFFEEBOT. The brand was an
Indian start-up redefining coffee culture with app-based orders served by robotic kiosks at
kerbside locations across Mumbai.
On the contest day, ten teams participated and pitched an impressive range of ideas and
concepts related to experiential marketing, digital campaigns, brand films and influencer
strategies. Every team pushed their boundaries and applied classroom learning to this
real-world challenge.
Many groups also displayed creative collateral such as branded cups, brochures and visual
mock-ups displaying their unique approaches. For most participants, it was their first hands-on
experience of pitching to a real client. This gave them a practical understanding of the client's
expectations and how to think strategically under pressure.
The judging panel included: Vidhya Aravamudhan Ma’am, Managing Consultant, Delhi & Vice President – Creative, India,
Archetype PR Sonia Mansata Ma’am, Managing Consultant & Branch Lead, Mumbai, Archetype PR
Rohan Moorthy Sir, Course Head, MCDM, XIC
Their sharp questions, detailed feedback, and industry insights made the experience even more
enriching. The judges tested the students’ rationale, pushed them to think deeper and offered
meticulous suggestions to strengthen their existing plans.
The winners of the competition were Ananya Thakur, Anoushka Negi, Nimisha Gupta, Suhasini
Sudan and Svasti Harit, securing a ₹50,000 cash prize along with a PPO opportunity. The runners-up were Kritika Khokhar, Krishna Dhabliya, Tanisha Mondal, Ujala Menghani and Vandana Vijay A. V., who received a ₹25,000 cash prize and a PPO opportunity.
Overall, the contest became a valuable learning milestone, exposing students to the excitement
and pressure of a real-life client pitch.