​
This section describes the marketing and product objectives for the Khawater Story-Telling Competition, target markets, points of difference, and positioning of the poetry and short-story writing competition.
​
Marketing and Product Objectives:
​
The aim of the Khawater Competition is to emphasize the importance of encouraging and nurturing creative potential amongst the youth. Creative writing is said to have a positive influence on a child’s development of literacy, imagination, and overall mental health.
It is our mission to increase youth interest in creative writing competitions within the UAE by redefining literacy. According to the Emirati author and illustrator, Maitha Al Khayat, Children view reading and writing as an educational activity, rather than a fun, entertaining one (Al Khayat, 2019.) By promoting creative writing amongst the youth, students will be able to develop the below skills:
· Creativity and Imagination – By developing characters, settings, and a storyline, writers are able to use their imagination to create a unique story that allows one’s creativity to evolve.
· Expression of emotion and thoughts – Allows an individual to develop their voice through expressing their opinions, point of view and overall unspoken thoughts. Writing should be viewed as a safe place for one to express their feelings.
· Language – Grammar, a vocabulary improvement that will benefit them in an academic and professional environment..
CUD Reads – The Khawater Story-Telling Competition marketing intent is to indirectly increase recruitment at the Canadian University Dubai as well as establish an innovative space for creativity and the arts. These are detailed in four areas below:
​
MARKET PRODUCT FOCUS
Current Markets
In this respect, the current market would be existing CUD students who we aim to get involved in the competition.
New Markets
The competition will be open to schools within the UAE, specifically in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi. These are regions which make up most of the current student body at CUD. The competition will be open to students currently enrolled in CUD Partner universities in Canada.
New Products
As the competition is expected to be held Bi-annually, the theme will be different each time. This year’s theme is focused around the Covid-19 pandemic.
Target Market:
Our primary target market for the Khawater Story-Telling Competition high school students aged between 15-17 years old and university students between the ages of 18-22. Our secondary target market includes the current CUD students. We will be targeting local schools and universities that 1) prioritize quality education 2) encourage students to pursue enriching activities and hobbies and 3) that CUD has existing or potential recruitment relations with (including university transfer students). In addition, CUD students will be encouraged to participate in the competition. The competition itself will be segregated into various categories according to the age of the participants. The two categories are as following;
Category One: Age 15-17
Category Two: Age 18- 22
​
Figure 5: Local high schools that fit the target audience, aged 15-17, for the CUD Reads Khawater Story-Telling Contest
Figure 6: Local and Canadian universities that fit the target audience, aged 18-22, for the CUD Reads Khawater Story-Telling Contest
Points of difference:
​
As mentioned in figure 4, The characteristics/benefits that make CUD Reads- Khawater competition unique in comparison to other writing competitions in the UAE are:
-
The competition focuses on encouraging the creative potential amongst the youth in the UAE
-
Working alongside Diligent CUD Student teams in the Department of Communication and Media
-
Providing winners with a discounted rate for courses at the Canadian University Dubai
​
Positioning:
​
CUD Reads – Khawater Story-Telling Competition is positioned as being the foundation for children to narrate their lives, by writing stories on their individual covid experiences.