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Postgraduate Marketing Communications at Birkbeck: An Ideal Mix of Theory and Practice

Postgraduate students benefit from effective academic-practitioner partnership in marketing communications course

At the New Marketing Institute (NMI) we are excited about the constantly changing marketing industry as it provides ample opportunity for professional growth. Technology has propelled those growth opportunities to a point that can be overwhelming, but that should be viewed as helpful and necessary for successful marketing teams. The practical use of technology to learn about new marketing technology experientially makes it easier than ever for marketers to keep ourselves up-to-date and feed our generally curious minds. We are passionate about making these, sometimes complex, learning opportunities accessible to everyone by truly meeting learners in different environments and at different points in their careers. We look forward to developing our relationship with Birkbeck in this manner to provide quality, considered practitioner-based understanding of current trends for their students.

The marketing communications (MARCOMS) business has been through, and is continuing to undergo, profound changes largely due to Internet connectivity and digital technologies. The first banner advert appeared on the former website of Wired magazine on 27 October 1994, and since then the landscape for digital marketing has grown in scale and complexity. The world’s digital ad markets already make available 100 billion impressions a day (Rayport 2015). Once variables are accounted for and the number of values within each variable - for example consider the day (7 values) and time (1440 values if measured by minutes per day) of advert placement - then the number of decisions can reach up to 1 quadrillion (1015). A technological ecosystem has developed to automate decisions made impossible for traditional media buyers and this is called programmatic advertising.

Wired’s First Banner Advert © Condé Nast UK 2016

Programmatic advertising “typically refers to the use of software to purchase digital advertising, as opposed to the traditional process that involves RFPs [request for proposal], human negotiations and manual insertion orders” (Marshall 2014). Even more concisely, Frew defines programmatic trading in advertising as “the use of automation to do more, faster and to learn as you go” (2014: 5).

According to the New Marketing Institute, the main benefits of programmatic advertising are; the ability to reach goals more quickly, faster reaction times, increased protection for buyer and seller, financial savings, optimised targeting, real-time reactions, efficiency, and the ability to use data more effectively.

Postgraduate students at Birkbeck on the Marketing Communications module, taught and convened by Professor George Christodoulides, were given the opportunity to discover more about digital marketing and programmatic advertising over two classes delivered by leading global practitioners Media Math as part of the New Marketing Institute. Students also have the opportunity to gain certification from the professional development arm of a company with 750 employees working across North America, Latin America, Europe (including London) and Asia-Pacific, and who are committed to attracting top talent. Media Math’s commitment to attracting talent extends beyond this innovative partnership within the classroom to also include their participation in Birkbeck’s extra-curricular Work Readiness Programme.

Tor Goldfield (MSc Marketing Communications) stated, “The marketing communications module has been an ideal mix of theory and practice, covering both traditional and digital techniques. The two Media Math lectures were delivered by a team of enthusiastic, knowledgeable practitioners who provided a solid introduction to social media marketing and programmatic advertising. The sessions have really added to my digital knowledge, and as result I would feel comfortable discussing the principles of these channels with clients or future employers.”

Crucially, as technology continues to stimulate rapid change in business, practitioners and professors must unite (Blount 2016). As part of the module this year, for academic credit, the students will also present a strategic marketing plan in groups to representatives from J. Walter Thompson Worldwide.

Professor George Christodoulides said, “I am a staunch supporter of the need for close collaboration between academia and industry and use every opportunity I can to develop appropriate fora for the exchange of ideas about the present and future of marketing.  Last July I organised and chaired the 14th annual conference of the European Advertising Academy whose theme was explicitly focused on bridging the gap between advertising research and practice. In my teaching too, I want students to benefit from the best of both words.  Thus, my Marketing Communications module combines rigorous theory and relevant practical workshops delivered by leading industry players such as Media Math. Programmatic advertising cannot be ignored by any contemporary marketing communications syllabus.”

Further Information

The postgraduate Marketing Communications module is compulsory on:

MSc Marketing Communications

MSc Sport Management and Marketing

The module is a listed option on the courses:

MSc Management with Marketing

MSc Marketing

A large number of the postgraduate programmes in Management have open options so it might be possible for students on a wide range of courses to take this module as an option. However, the module Principles of Marketing is a pre-requisite for non-marketing students and is a pre-requisite for all specialist marketing modules. Join us on 14 April 2016 at the School of Business, Economics and Informatics Open Evening to find out more.

Information on postgraduate loans

Information on the New Marketing Institute

 

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