Merlin Car Auctions Ireland

And The Winner Is…

Niamh McDonald and Michelle Massey went head to head in the final of The Apprentice last night.  Both candidates had been strong since the very start with 23 year old Niamh a firm favourite to take the €100,000 job with Bill Cullen. 

 We took the girls in separate cars to their final task briefing in the new Aviva Stadium in Lansdowne Road.  Here the girls were given three Irish businesses each to showcase at an experiential marketing event in the stadium.  We were delighted to see some of the unsuccessful apprentices back to help out on the final task. 

Michelle won first choice when picking teams and shocked us all by requesting Tara as her first choice!  Also on her team were Jamie, Dave and Panos (although for such good friends Michelle hesitated on her last choice between Panos and Niamh Humphreys).

Niamh was happy with her team that included Will, Barry, Kieran and Niamh Humphreys.

Each team visited their three designated businesses to get a background and find the unique selling points of each company.  Michelle had Senator Windows, Wellington Eye Clinic and Coral Leisure.  Niamh had Connaught Gold, Dublin Business School and Tile Style.  The teams then spent time brainstorming the most impressive and innovative ways to give a sensory display highlighting the best points about the products.

We were sure that Niamh would win as people enjoyed the interactive quiz for Dublin Business School and the caricature artist who used Tile Style tiles for portraits of guests.  The Connaught Gold display was not as successful as it was seen to be on the way into the event as opposed to a main section of the event.  Niamh also gave a fantastic presentation highlighting each company to her gathered guests.

Michelle had problems dressing her venue but had some good ideas.  To explain the daily difficulty of having bad sight, they hired a golf simulator and people were given glasses to blur their vision as they took a swing of the club on the course.  Jamie came up with the idea of using a thermal sensor to show how the Senator Windows keep the head in.  We felt the Coral Leisure idea using cardboard cut outs of fit looking people could have been stronger.

Bill was very impressed with both and found it very difficult to make a decision on which person to take on as his apprentice.  He told the girls that they were the two best candidates he had met since the programme began.  Finally Bill decided to make Michelle his apprentice for 2011.  Michelle will focus on ecommerce for the company.  Niamh was disappointed as she was driven away in our car for the last time but we are sure the job offers will be flooding following her great performance.  Well done Michelle!  Both Michelle and Niamh received brand new Renault Coupes as presents from Bill for their stellar performances.  Watch out for them on the roads and in business too!

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