Opportunity brief
BRAND WARS | Alpha Consulting Club
About the Competition:
Think strategically. Adapt quickly. Negotiate smartly.
Brand Wars is an online inter-college business strategy competition organised by Alpha Consulting Club, Lady Shri Ram College for Women. Designed to test participants' strategic thinking, analytical abilities, decision-making and negotiation skills, the competition places teams in the role of leading brands navigating a dynamic and competitive business environment.
From developing expansion strategies to responding to unexpected market disruptions and negotiating alliances, participants will need to make informed decisions, use data effectively and stay aligned with their brand's objectives.
Eligibility:
- Open to students from all colleges and universities. - Participation is in teams of 2-3 members. - Inter-college and inter-specialisation teams are allowed. - Each participant may be part of only one team. - All rounds will be conducted online.
Competition Format:
The competition will consist of two rounds.
Round 1: The Strategy Quiz
- Mode: Online quiz
- Duration: 25 minutes
- Format: 25 multiple-choice questions
This elimination round will assess participants' analytical and business aptitude through questions covering:
- Statistics and probability
- Data interpretation
- Logical reasoning
- Business and brand awareness
- Numerical aptitude
Each question carries one mark. There is no negative marking. The highest-performing teams will advance to the final round. In case of a tie affecting shortlisting, a tie-breaker may be used.
Round 2: The Brand Wars Simulation
Mode: Live online event
Shortlisted teams will represent assigned brands and compete through three stages:
Stage 1: Strategic Pitch
Each team will receive a brand profile, business objective, relevant market data and constraints. Teams must develop and present a concise, data-informed strategy to help their brand achieve its objective.
- Pitch duration: 3 minutes - Judges' questions: 1 minute - Teams may be asked to submit a short strategy document or presentation in advance.
Stage 2: Market Shocks
Teams will face unexpected developments in the business environment, such as a competitor's price war, supply-chain disruption or a shift in consumer preferences. Using the information provided, teams must adapt their strategies and justify their decisions under time pressure.
Stage 3: Alliances and Negotiation
Teams will negotiate with other participating brands to form partnerships, exchange resources or arrive at mutually beneficial business agreements. All proposed agreements must be submitted through the designated form within the stipulated time.
Evaluation Criteria
Final-round teams will be evaluated out of 100 marks on the following parameters:
- Strategic thinking and feasibility of the pitch – 30 marks
- Use of data and numerical reasoning – 20 marks
- Response to market shocks and adaptability – 25 marks
- Negotiation skills and value creation – 15 marks
- Alignment with the assigned brand objective – 10 marks
The Round 1 quiz will serve only as an elimination round and will not contribute to the final-round scores.
Rules and Guidelines:
- Teams must consist of 2–3 registered student members.
- Participants must provide accurate registration details and ensure that all team members meet the eligibility criteria.
- Only registered team members may contribute to their team's submissions and decisions.
- Teams must adhere to the deadlines, time limits and instructions communicated by the organisers.
- All strategies, pitches and responses must be the team's original work. Plagiarism, impersonation or misrepresentation may result in disqualification.
- Teams must not share quiz questions, answers or confidential competition material with other participants during the competition.
- During the final round, teams must make decisions based on the information provided and submit all required responses and agreements through the designated platforms.
- Any attempt to manipulate scores, interfere with another team's participation or gain an unfair advantage may lead to disqualification.
- The organisers reserve the right to make reasonable changes to the schedule or conduct of the competition, with due communication to registered participants.
- The decision of the organisers and judges will be final.
Important Dates:
- Registrations close: 2 November 2026, 6:00 PM -
Round 1 – Online Quiz: 3 November 2026
- Finalists announced: 4 November 2026 -
Round 2 – Live Brand Wars Simulation: 5 November 2026
Further instructions, quiz access details and final-round materials will be communicated to registered participants through the contact details provided during registration.
Get ready to think like a strategist, respond like a decision-maker and negotiate like a leader. The market is yours to conquer.