Lecturer Marianne Aardalsbakke welcomed sales manager Karsten Knudsen, event manager Kirsten Nyholm and former football pro Razak Pimpong. The auditorium was packed when a film about Viborg FFs last match before entering the super league in May 2013 was shown. Emotions, pleasures, business and city branding are parts of the products and the success of Viborg FF. Karsten Knudsen introduced the challenge:
"How can we make it more attractive for the younger target group to go to stadium when VFF plays superleague matches?" Event manager Kirsten talked about the mentor project VFF has with Viborg Kommune. Unsecure pupils get a mentor from VFF to cope with their school and everyday life. Former pro Razak Pinpong is one of VFFs mentors and can closely relate to being an unsecure kid. Razak told his life story with a big smile. Born in Ghana, living in a rough area in the biggest city, with a dream of a life with football. His work to achieve his goal; in a tournament in Europe he knew that he had 5-10 minutes to show his talent. And it worked. He started in Midtjylland, and played for the club for five years before getting to FCK. Then on to Norway and back to VFF to end his active football career as event coordinator and mentor in the club.
Inspired and informed about the challenge from VFF all the students at Dania in Viborg attended their groups and the facilitators got the brainstorm going. Close to 80 pupils from Mercantec attended the international innovation day at Dania in Viborg. They worked in groups with students from Marketing Management education at Dania as facilitators. Students who attend the topic Entrepreneurship are hired as innovation facilitator in the global entrepreneurship week.
Lecturers Sofie Weikop and Christa Larsen introduced silent brainstorm, while Gabriel from Hungary together with Patrick (It Technology), Thomas (Automotive Technology) and Belinda (Marketing Management) agreed that the challenge of the day was exciting. "More people are into football and everybody can relate to football," says Gabriel from Hungary. He attend the Automotive Technology education and came to Denmark because of the different education system, the mentality and way of life. Christa concluded that the students have to think differently because the product is not 100% tangible. The Administration Management students don't know that much about VFF but use the knowledge from Randers FC in their brainstorm. Many ideas are about food. "We don't have that much time to come up with new ideas" says a student while writing a post-it note. The wall is covered by post-it notes in many colours.
Christa noticed that the students are using other terms. They say they are a superhero or a dino. That refers to the Evolution exercisewith terms regarding a person as an egg, a bird, a dino and a superhero.
Lecturer Lars Holmgaard has mixed the students trying to get as much cross disciplinary innovation as possible. Football is not a key interest in the group of Daniel and Gergo, both Marketing Management student from Hungary and Soren, also Marketing student. Together with Robin, who study Auto Technology and Daniel from Romania, who study It Technology they tried to transfer the challenge into another sports as handball and volleyball. Learn what they do, be inspired by other sports. "I use to work at the bowling bar where all VFF fans come. So I know some about the emotions" admits Soren. Another group with Kennet (Auto), Kamilla (Adm.), Hanin (Adm.) and Danni (Marketing) think Razaks story has a good point. "You have to fight for what you will achieve," says Kamilla. Entrepreneurs to be Troels and Ezsther both concluded that the pupils from Mercantec have to think less narrow-minded about possibilities. "They have to go all in". HHX pupils were happy to be at Dania: "It's exciting, new and different to be at another place. We are all in the innovation class at Vinkelvej at Mercantec. Our idea for the challenge is to pick the idea that suits most people and is brand new." The pupils are Jonas, Kathrine, Maiken and Angelina.
Dorcas from Kenya studies Marketing Management and think VFF should include women much more. "Football speaks typical to the boys, so I think we should include the girls much earlier." Ideas for VVF from the groups at Dania included talent scouting, competitions before and after the matches, better web for international visitors and concerts on stadion.
The final presentation took place in the auditorium at Prinsens Alle in Viborg. The audience was excited and applauded. Karsten Knudsen from VVF announced the winning group after Kirsten and Razak had voted.