The Story Of How IIM Lucknow Won Big at HUL TechTonic Season 4

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Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), one of India’s largest FMGC with 65 brands across 20+ categories conducted the HUL TechTonic Season 4, a B-School case study competition. The competition was a call out to both 1st and 2nd-year students pursuing full-time MBA programs from select institutions. It gave participants an opportunity to win PPIs and a pool prize of INR 4 lakhs by stretching their imaginations to come up with technology-driven solutions to solve a business problem. Team Original Famous Tunde Kebab, from IIM Lucknow, walked away with the national winner title. In this article, we’ll hear from team members Ankit Gami, Mridul Gupta, and Arkadeep Paul and get insight into how they went about winning the prestigious competition. 

We were sitting at our table in the mess when we overheard a few friends talking about a competition HUL TechTonic Season 4. Hearing that the competition was from HUL, which is one of the most respected companies at IIM Lucknow because of its strong brand image and the values it carries, definitely caught our attention. We immediately pulled out our phones and searched for the competition. We found out that the opportunity was open for select B-Schools (ours included), and was being held on Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete).

The competition was about adding value to one of its businesses through technical innovations. Participating in the competition was a no-brainer and we were all geared up for one of the best experiences of our lives, which it was. 

Building a Team

The first thing we did was to form a team where everyone complemented each other's skills. After a day of contemplating every aspect of how to participate in case study competitions and what we’d need to have a solid shot at winning, we finalized a diverse team. We were a mixed bunch, and members of our team had experience with research, effective presentation, hands-on experience with some sophisticated technologies, and, most importantly, the intention to give their best. 

Competition Structure

Registering for HUL TechTonic season 4 was an effortless decision for us. The competition comprised the following rounds:

1. Case Launch and Submission
2. Case Study - Video Elevator Pitch Submission
3. Detailed Groundwork for Final Presentations and Mentoring
4. Grand Finale & PPI

In the first round, we got the problem statement which was about improving organic repeat purchases for a brand that primarily targeted women. Given that our team was made up of three boys, we knew it would be an added challenge. But we were ready to go the extra mile to understand the brand's primary target segment's perspective. In the end, we made it work. 

Conducting Secondary and Primary Research

The event's first round also required us to make a one-slide submission covering all the aspects of the solution. Even though it was just a single slide, it still needed significant work. We needed to build the background, get a more profound understanding of the problem, conduct market analysis, and find reasons for the failure of similar initiatives by competitors. We then needed to create novel solutions which would not only address the issue but were also practical.

For this, we conducted extensive secondary research for almost four days about D2C platforms, their retention strategies, their impacts, etc. We used various tools ranging from simple google searches to reports by top consulting companies to information from libraries (thanks to IIM Lucknow).

After gathering a sufficient understanding of the subject, we started with the primary research, where we talked to the women falling under the brand's target segment. This gave us insights into their online shopping experiences, their thought process when they purchase, reasons for their behavior in an online environment, etc.

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Finding a Solution

Based on the inputs gathered through secondary and primary research, we identified the gaps that would directly or indirectly enhance customer retention when addressed. We then listed down ways to fill those gaps and made heavy use of technology and the latest trends, to deliver optimal results.

After doing all the groundwork, we put it all into a 1-page PPT, which was a challenging task, given the amount of data and the need to deliver it effectively. Finally, we made the first-round submission. Soon we got an email from Unilver about getting into the semi-finals and intimation about the subsequent guidelines for the next round. It was going to be challenging, competing with 14 other teams from the best institutes in the country. We decided to celebrate that day because it's equally important to have fun and dedicate the next four days to preparing for the competition. 

An Interactive Virtual Session

Unilever also organized an online interactive session with senior managers of Unilever where we got further insights about the competition. This was at the time when we made a video to explain our idea. We were confident of our solution, but it would be useless if not explained effectively in the video. This was the first time we made use of tools to create the video, animations, transitions, and voice-synchronization which was both challenging and exciting. We submitted and eagerly waited for the results. Unilever released results within a day and we got to know that we have made it to the final round. Even though we had a long road ahead, this feat seemed like a small victory in itself. 

Critical Mentor Input

The company assigned a mentor to us to help with the final round where we prepared a detailed presentation explaining our solution. We needed to highlight all the details of our work in a clear yet simplistic manner. The mentor input at this point in the competition was extremely helpful.

It took endless iterations, multiple reviews with our esteemed mentor, and five days of continuous hard work for us to achieve an aesthetic presentation that we were all satisfied with. There was an instance where we spent 40 straight hours in front of the laptop working. But the motivation from our mentor and the end goal pushed us to work through everything. 

The Grand Finale at UniOps Campus (Bangalore)

Six hours after the final PPT submission (which we spent partying) we left for the Airport to be hosted by the Unilever team at their beautiful UniOps Campus in Bangalore. After spending half a day recovering from exhaustion we started to prepare a script for the presentation. 

We spent three hours on script preparation and 5 to 6 hours on memorizing & rehearsing for the final day. We were so excited about the finale that we reached Unilever's office 2 hours early. There were sessions with the global leaders of Unilever, where they gave insights about the company, its values, culture, and the work (the kind of work we can expect if we convert the PPIs given to the five finalists teams). We had our presentations post-lunch which lasted for around 20 minutes for each team. Our team was the last to present, and the results were out before we even had the time to get nervous. 

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A Fantastic Experience

The moment when the announcement about Team Original Famous Tunde Kebab from IIM Lucknow winning HUL TechTonic Season 4 was made, felt surreal. It was a sudden moment of happiness for us. Our teammate Ankit jumped a foot in the air on hearing the results. We went on the stage, received the prize, had some photos, bounced around a bit, and headed back to the hotel.

And in a brilliant end to a fantastic journey, the Unilever team took us out for dinner later in the day. The people were all amazing and we could sense how good the culture at the company really was. We are looking forward to how things turn out with the PPIs, but irrespective we will cherish this experience for a long time to come. 

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