Jägermeister sponsored AAU student Tobiáš Zapletal to throw an underground party, after winning the pitch contest at his Marketing Communications class, putting in motion his goal to connect international students and Czech locals.
Every year, marketing professor Joel Imhoof designs a competition where students form small groups to do market research, find insights, and create a campaign for a predetermined brand that then chooses and rewards the best proposal. Last semester, Cengage paid the winning team to run their socials for a week. Whereas the semester before, Bluewater flew the victors to Sweden to meet the company president.
This year, professor Imhoof assigned his students to research and propose a marketing strategy for Jägermeister. Over the last few years, the brand has established itself within the Czech underground scene, funding brand endorsed music videos, which is fitting for the Czech-American music fusion and AAU’s first collaboration with a liquor company.
By the time Tobiáš’ group won the Jägermeister sponsorship, he found himself in a predicament: one of his teammates left AAU, the other finished their exchange, and the third couldn’t continue for personal reasons.
“It was the perfect storm against you, but also, you were the perfect person for the job,” Imhoof commended Tobiáš during the interview.
Tobiáš, a Prague native, grew up listening to artists from the United States like Lil Wayne, Three 6 Mafia, A$AP Rocky, and $uicideboy$. His personal taste infused every aspect of the party, intermingling his love for U.S. artists combined with his experience going to live performances in Prague’s underground, ranging from raves, drum & bass, live folk, trap, and metal, to hard EDM and techno.
Tobiáš invited local artists such as DJ’s TRIPLE8 and PODHOUBEE for the first half and brought out some of his personal connections to play for the rave side of the night, notably Max Belsky, theG, Kabel and USB-pORT.
“I like the underground culture no matter what genre it is,” Tobiáš said, urging international students to ask locals for advice regarding the alternative scene and warning them not to expect to meet many locals at popular clubs like Duplex. “Don’t be afraid to try something new.”
International students from AAU, Charles, and UNYP met other local students and young people at the underground Futurum bar, taking shots of Jager, sharing lighters, and enjoying a change from the commercial pop music blasting in Prague’s larger, more touristy clubs.
AAU’s first Czech-American fusion music event brought together locals and music lovers from all corners of the world. Home to many talented and dedicated artists following their passion, Prague’s underground music scene is a gem often left unexplored by non-natives.
“Check out ticket portals and smaller venues with no established names, just artists giving their all into their art,” Tobiáš Zapletal said.
