RMIT’s Sticky Kitchen has finished runner up in the L’Oréal Brandstorm business game.

Made up of RMIT students Melissa Lay, Evan Montero and Benjamin Robertson, the team competed against 6,200 students. Around 180 business schools representing 36 countries featured in competition, which was held in Paris. Indian team Nouveau beat out Australia’s Sticky Kitchen.

Students were briefed on the market, the brand, the brand’s values and distribution channels and then tasked with producing a creative proposal. In developing their pitch, students were able to call on the expertise of McCann Worldgroup.

Students presented their projects before a jury of L’Oréal management. Headed by Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of L’Oréal, the jury included L’Oréal’s vice president and general manager of consumer products, vice president and general manager of human resources, general manager of Maybelline New York and the president of communications group McCann Worldgroup.

“Seeing our products and ideas come to life was one of the most rewarding experiences,” said Melissa Lay. “We’re very excited to have represented Australia in the international final – and to finish runner-up in the overall competition is just unbelievable. The entire experience has been amazing.”

Brandstorm began in 1994 as the worlds first ‘business game’ and this was the second consecutive year that RMIT represented Australia internationally at L’Oréal Brandstorm. The top three teams were awarded monetary prizes to be spent on a trip anywhere in the world.

2009 L’Oréal Brandstorm Winners:

• Team Nouveau (Symbiosis Centre of Management & HRD, India), 2009 winners
• Team Sticky Kitchen (RMIT University, Australia), 2nd place
• Team Paris Mission (Es. Sup. De Prop. E Mark, Brazil), 3rd place
• Team Madison & Bold (New York University, US), Prize for the Best Communication Campaign