Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Northwest finals of the "Archer of the Future" competition took place in St. Petersburg. Eleven universities from six Russian cities participated in the competition. Undergraduate and graduate students developed marketing and PR strategies for real businesses. Eighteen teams presented their projects in the finals, including students from the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the Humanities Institute of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Higher School of Industrial Management of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics, and Trade.
The first-year Advertising and Public Relations student team "Balletkor" presented the project "Art Soaring Over Time" for the Anna Pavlova Mirror Room memorial space. Their supervisor was Anna Tanova, associate professor at the Higher School of Music and Social Sciences.
Students from the "Balletkor" team proposed an immersive exhibition format: using communication techniques, visitors are drawn into the atmosphere of seven iconic ballets associated with Anna Pavlova's work—Giselle, The Dying Swan, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, and La Sylphide. The participants demonstrated that Pavlova's legacy can be interpreted in a contemporary museum space as a vibrant cultural phenomenon, attracting new audiences.
"The competition wasn't just a test of our professional skills, but also a platform for experimenting with form and perception. We aimed to demonstrate that the language of communication can make classical art relevant and tangible to young viewers—through sound, light, interactivity, and thoughtful narratives. This experience gave the team confidence in working with cultural brands in a real-world setting and how to transform iconic stories into a modern communication tool," said team captain Anna Nikitina.
Graduate School of Management and Management students Elizaveta Erosheva, Maria Kochikyan, and Victoria Gerasimova won with their project on developing a development strategy for the premium handmade candle brand DEA. The team was mentored by Graduate School of Management and Management Associate Professor Anna Timofeeva.
The team conducted a detailed analysis of the premium candle market, identified competitors' key vulnerabilities, and proposed a creative concept built around a mindfulness philosophy rather than direct sales. Particular attention was paid to risk analysis across scenarios and the proposed media strategy, which created a "suspense effect" before the launch of offline sales.
From the very beginning, we understood that selling a candle as just another candle would mean getting lost among hundreds of others. The main goal was to demonstrate that the DEA brand is about a "pause" in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We proved that physical contact and trust are more important for a premium product than the number of impressions. Our presentation demonstrated that sincerity and a well-developed brand philosophy can compete with so-called aggressive marketing," the VSPM team members shared their impressions.
At the "Archer of the Future" competition, Northwest Polytechnic students demonstrated strong project management skills, an ability to work with cultural and business cases, and the ability to translate ideas into practical solutions.
"Our teams' victories are the result of systematic work to develop students' professional competencies: from the idea to the presentation and defense of the project before an expert jury," noted Marina Arkannikova, Director of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations at the State University of Engineering. "The client's tasks help young people develop the ability to solve practical problems, argue their case, and defend project solutions at a professional level."
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