MUMBAI: FCB-Ulka, India's fifth largest marketing communication group, has taken its communication strategy case study competition for business schools on to the worldwide web.

FCB-Ulka Comstrat, now in its seventh year, is the first ever case-study competition in the area of marketing communications held for management students in the country, claims an official release. FCB-Ulka Advertising, which has formulated the concept along with the K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research says the uniqueness of the competition lies in the fact that unlike other case study competitions, which are in the field of marketing or finance, Comstrat is the only competition conducted in the area of advertising and communications.

The strategic planning team of the agency develops these cases in close co-ordination with top marketers, which are then then distributed to management schools from around the country. As a first step, participants have to submit a synopsis of their interpretations of the communication strategy issues. A panel evaluates the synopses and six short listed management schools are invited to make a presentation to a larger audience. Final presentations for this year are scheduled to be held on 23 November in Mumbai.

For FCB-Ulka Comstrat 2002, the agency's interactive arm has created a website where the 2002 case study has been posted in a downloadable form. To help prospective participants, the site also contains past cases and winning presentations. The effort has been aimed at creating a better understanding of the quality of presentation of analysis, strategy and the winning features, says the release.

In the past years, some of the best management institutes across the country have participated and the event has enlisted support from leading companies including Cadbury Schweppes, Hutchison Max, Tata Indica, ITC Gold Flake, Cadburys Bournvita and Marico Parachute which have helped the agency develop "real-life" communication strategy case studies.

Further details can be had from www.fcbulkacomstrat.com.