On Thursday 10th July, Vepple teamed up with over 120 Higher Education marketing experts to solve the case of ‘Who Killed Andy Holliday?’
Now in its second year, the Vepple Team-Building event on the day of the Heist awards has grown exponentially. The goal was to be bigger and bolder in 2025 and the pictures below will prove Vepple did just that.
The detectives met at the Parkside Tavern in Leeds to begin their investigation.
Here, Vepple delivered a rather animated briefing and players donned their branded trilbies…
Meanwhile, Vepple staff donned some questionable fancy dress.
This free team-building activity means a lot to Vepple. A day is spent with some of the loveliest people in the sector, and an opportunity is provided to give back. Team-building budgets and resources are tight in university marketing teams, which is why the event is offered at no cost. And the prize, £3000 to be spent on team-building activities, is certainly not to be sniffed at.
And universities clearly love it too, because over 28 teams signed up.
This year saw the return of our partnership with Havas People who support the event, to bring even more excitement to a special day in the HE sector calendar. Peter and Paul, Hayhurst & Co, IDP Education, Prospects and Education Cubed also sponsored the event and took part in the mystery, with Prospects securing the winning supplier team award for a second year in a row (more on the winners later).
By 12.45, the game was afoot.
Players were soon scooped up into some whacky and challenging games to test their sleuthing skills….and potting skills…. and limbo skills…and whiskey drinking skills… and dancing skills…
Before the day was over, detectives had a case file to complete. Putting their clues and heads together, it was time to solve the case.
Before the day was over, there were some mini awards for the best social media post, fastest team and most theatrical team.
As everyone filed out to get ready for the Heist awards, the Vepple team marked the answer packs, slowly uncovering the truth and preparing for the grand reveal later that night on stage (featuring more questionable fancy dress).
Well done to the University of Huddersfield whose team won the Team-Building Murder Mystery this year! There’s not much else to say except thank you to all the detectives, for making this a day that no-one will forget in a hurry.
And one last thank you to the unsung hero of the entire production: Andy Holliday, co-founder of Find a University and very good-humoured friend of Vepple.
But, who did murder poor Andy?
In a dramatic on-stage confession, Professor Prune explained how he’d become filled with a jealous rage over the blossoming friendship (and dance partnership) between Andy and Captain Dijon. Using Captain Dijon’s silk scarf and some of his signature dance moves, Prune strangled Andy and framed Dijon in one last pirouette of betrayal.
See you in 2026?
