Marketing in Motion – What I learned building a pop-up stand for HAMK Design Factory 

My name is Sittichok Moungmee but everyone calls me MM, I’m a 3rd Year Smart and Sustainable Design student. I’ve had the opportunity to work as a marketing event assistant at HAMK Design Factory for a HAMKO event.

How the opportunity came

The chance to work with HAMK Design Factory came up when they were preparing a stand for the HAMKO event called Loppyrysäys. Loppyrysäys is an annual event for the Student Union of Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMKO). The event celebrates the start of Spring and the end of the academic year. For the event, they needed some extra support to showcase what HAMK Design Factory is. And to promote the Product Development Project course. I worked under the guidance of Anka, a marketing trainee, and Jali, the project coordinator. I discovered right away that this was a great chance to gain hands-on experience in event marketing and creative teamwork. 

Preparing for the event

Before the event, I took part in several brainstorming meetings where we came up with ideas for prizes and activities. One of my early tasks was to search for 3D-printable crowns that we could wear at the stand. Which could be a fun idea to draw the students’ attention. The idea was to not only make out stand eye-catching. But also to reflect the creative and experimental spirit of HAMK Design Factory.

I also got the opportunity to operate the laser cutter and 3D-printers. Making items like the laser-cut cats we would later give away as prizes. For the laser-cut cats, we took some precautions and decided use a thick cardboard material that’s more environmentally friendly. On the off chance that the prizes might be discarded after the Loppyrysäys event. It felt rewarding to see the creative ideas turn into real, physical objects while also taking the environment into consideration.

Event day, full of action

The day of the event was a rush and a lot of practical work. We transported everything from tables and chairs to prototypes and prizes to the venue. Together, we set up the stand, creating different areas for activities: 

• A display table full of 3D-printed and resin printed objects. Plus a prototype from the Product Development Project course and a monitor that played videos regarding the course.
• A table where students had two minutes to build the tallest structure using BBQ sticks and blu-tac (sinitarra).
• A spin-the-wheel station with design thinking questions where there were no wrong answers to the questions. The answers were written on sticky notes and placed around the tables for all to see.

For participating in the games students were given prizes. A choice between stickers, laser-cut puzzle cats and HAMK Design Factory patches were prizes the students could choose. My main role at the event day was running the stick structure challenge. Encouraging students to participate and explaining the rules. The variety of students from different degree programmes were quite interesting to see, especially on how each tackled the challenges given to them. It was great to see how competitive and creative some of the students were – and how happy they were to get the prizes.

Looking ahead

After the event, we found several ways to improve future events. Our schedule was quite tight and slightly over planned, so setting clear deadlines and detailed task schedules will help us stay on track. In terms of engagement, future games should be more activity-based and interactive. We also noted that patches were the most popular giveaway, followed by stickers and laser-cut cats, so prioritizing those for merchandise makes sense. As for the atmosphere, having tents, chairs, and snacks would create a more inviting environment for students, and showcasing tools like the 3D-printer we have at HAMK Design Factory could draw more interest. Overall, standing out and creating memorable interactions is crucial 

Even though this project was short, it left a strong impact on me. I discovered how much I enjoy working on creative marketing projects, especially those that involve real-world interactions and hands-on work. For me personally, this experience taught me how much preparation goes into even a small event – from ideation to logistics to actual execution. I also learned the importance of early planning and clear communication; checking in regularly with Anka and Jali made the event go much smoother. 

What’s next?

Although my time as a marketing event assistant at HAMK Design Factory was short, it was packed with learning, creativity, and teamwork. It made me realize how much I enjoy working in environments where you can be hands-on and where ideas quickly turn into actions. For me personally, this was a crash course in creative event planning and execution. I learned how much work goes into even a short event, how important teamwork is and how rewarding it feels to communicate and interact with fellow students.

The experience showed me how marketing is more than just posters and posts – it’s about interaction and creating moments that connect with people. I’m excited to take these skills forward into future opportunities – and who knows, maybe I’ll find myself back at HAMK Design Factory again sometime soon!