The future of Marketing and how should students prepare themselves for it

The future of marketing is good and bright - especially for students since it is continuously evolving and adapting to cultures, locations, economies, trends and sales of products and services. The problem that most students face today is on narrowing down to choose a specialization. They also want promising careers with fantastic packages to start with. The Marketing Industry like other industries too is facing the consequences of global recession but there is plenty of scope since innovation is constantly bringing new dimensions of doing business within Advertising or Market Research for that matter. Back in my days, in early 2000 it was a selection with hardly any choices – Science, Commerce, IT and Arts. Within Commerce it would boil down to Logistics, Finance, Economics or Marketing. At this stage, most parents are confused as to which specialization would benefit their child the most within Commerce. Throughout this decade it has always been considered that Marketing is mainly for students who cannot deal with complex things and it acts as an escape route for those who wish to have a more relaxed student life. Of course these things are not generic - as curriculum and specialization offerings differ from country to country, state to state, etc. It is very critical for the student and the parent/guardian to sit and chalk out the various options as soon as they are eligible for high-school also known as +2.

'Unfortunately Marketing has been looked upon as an escape route in education'

Ideally, a student must have the best of both worlds and opt for Science (Phy, bio, chem, mechanical, IT) or Arts (History, Literature, Mass Media) in their undergraduate studies and then do something even more creative (or which they have always longed for) during their post-graduate studies. But these things depend on the student solely and under no circumstance should they be forced to pursue something they do not like. The scenario in India is usually to please the parents, maintain a family occupation, join a family business of elders, or they are coaxed by friends to join a similar course which does not have any scope of mutual interest. Students must have at least a year or even 6 months of full-time work experience before they opt for a post-graduate course so that they can relate to things more practically when pursuing the same.

'Having work experience does matter'

Marketing as a subject or specialization has often been misunderstood by parents, employers, students and the world in general as something to do with sophisticated salesmanship. While that maybe a small aspect in the bigger picture – it has more to do with creativity, data, exploration, observation, planning, strategy and research where the latter is the most promising. Careers in marketing are promising and range from market research analysts, senior analysts, marketing engineers, copywriters, outdoor advertising specialists, digital marketing, social media marketers, media planners, account planners, account managers, client servicing, creative artists, post-production, marketing managers (client), creative designers, etc.  There is immense opportunity for Marketing when it comes to Post-Graduate studies. These are available in the forms of a degree, diploma or even certificate courses all over the world. It is surprising to see the success rate of certificate courses in Asia. At the same time, India is burgeoning with opportunities for marketers today and in the years to come - despite the population issue, depressing economy and rising corruption. Students must explore the internet, visit education expos, watch and read testimonials of students and in some cases ask their favourite companies to give them a list of recommended colleges, institutions or universities for the same.

Careers in marketing are promising and offer a wide range of occupation choices

Unfortunately the entire teaching scenario is very rigid and bureaucratic in India as lecturers now have to undergo various tests which inhibit them from expanding their career in education and they instead opt to work for corporate or private firms. The aim of the govt. is to have high-quality teaching carried across the country but there are far too many issues with this to discuss here and may need a separate blog. Another problem is that lecturers are forced to teach from books by authors who may have never even visited India in the first place and yet students have to learn (by-heart) various outdated concepts and theories. Employers fall for this trap too as they look for students who have scored high marks in marketing or its electives instead of checking how much they scored in individual presentations, practicals or live projects.

How should students pursuing Marketing prepare themselves?

Students need to prepare themselves by reading. Yes, READING. They need to read business based newspapers, magazines or even books written by prominent practicing managers. Secondly, watch marketing or advertising related videos on Youtube or TED or similar channels. Students should look up campaigns, awarded advertisements or campaigns, trace the development of the campaign and the agency responsible for it. They could start by looking up their favourite brands or companies and then follow the steps I mentioned above. Students need to watch MOVIES - yes, in my previous blog I've mentioned some of the movies or documentaries a marketer must see. Finally, students must learn to OBSERVE their surroundings, when they are travelling by bus, on the train, on a bike or driving. Insights only come from observation and then can be developed into an idea from there. Students opting for Market Research or Media Planning must be fairly good in Maths, not crazy scientific stuff - but simple arithmetic and basic statistics. On the other hand, students who wish to opt for Advertising or Digital must be creative by making a dummy portfolio with their own artwork, their own website, or instead maybe a few examples of copy for an existing brand or print advert or have a list of fresh ideas for existing brands. Students pursuing Marketing should also be connected on SOCIAL MEDIA platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. They must also read and start writing their own BLOGs to become better in expressing themselves on various issues. Finally, in order to be recognized as a professional in any industry - an online identity is required and students must spend some time creating their LinkedIn profile.

Practical knowledge triumphs over theoretical knowledge 

As discussed in one of my blogs earlier this year, practical knowledge triumphs over theoretical knowledge and the same applies to post-graduate marketing studies. Today employers are looking out for candidates who can join them right away with hardly any time spent on training. I at this point too, must engage in a bit of marketing and it’s the truth - Northpoint Centre of Learning aims at achieving this for employers and giving the benefit of instant placements for the students with packages starting from 6 lacs p.a. Check their website, read the testimonials or ask people in the marketing industry and I am sure you will agree with me on the same.

Immediate placements from 6 Lakhs p.a

The Northpoint Centre of Learning offers the most unique course in India that offers a certificate in Marketing Research partnered with Nielsen. The course is 11 months (full-time) in duration out of which the students must engage in a 45 days Internship with Nielsen, a 2-week sales stint and work with a client company for 60 days. It also has over 100 faculty from Nielsen who are practicing managers imparting actual knowledge to students. Students who successfully complete the course are instantly placed with Nielsen starting with a handsome package.

Best education offered for Advertising within India

Northpoint also offers its flagship program – Advertising Management that is packaged in a unique way which no other college in India offers. The 11-month program has three different specializations – Advertising, Media or Digital. The program caters to the requirements of the industry as Northpoint has 16 Industry partners such as Lowe Lintas, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy and Aegis Media to name a few. The course requires students to only refer textbooks to look up classical theories or get different perspectives and are only taught by practicing managers throughout with the inclusion of a 40-days sales stint, 2 week rural stint and 100 day internship with a leading agency. Each specialization only focuses on that aspect of the business helping the student be more focused and be a specialist in whichever line he/she chooses.

For any more queries, feel free to comment or question me.

Quresh Moochhala is a resident professor at Northpoint Centre of Learning - Khandala, India. He lectures in Marketing Research, Advertising, Communications and Business Management.

10 Movies that teach more than Marketing Textbooks

10 Movies that teach more than Marketing Textbooks

“Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different.”

– Stephen King

Over the ages, people have always had a tendency to understand a story or an event through pictorial representation or animation. In the last forty years or so, Motion picture films (movies) have allowed viewers to get a better perspective of a textual piece of work or story in print. At the same time, most people would disagree by saying that the book is always the best and the movie leaves out finer details, so many ideas, facts and morals which you can only identify or realize once you have read the book.  

In today’s academic era – the student with the support of evolving technology has in a way grown lazy to read through pages and would prefer to view a video clip with narration on YouTube or watch a movie with actors play out their roles with the light and sound in the background. The argument will always have two sides as bookworms and movie lovers will defend their opinions. However, from an academic context, there have been several movies which help you understand a situation, event, philosophy or a simple fact much better than a textbook would. Firstly, we have movies on Classic Literature adapted to movies, then comic-books, historical events, sci-fi, poems, fiction novels, biographies, etc. that smash the box-office or are complete flops.

Here is a list of marketing based movies that I would recommend people who wish to understand advertising or marketing research better especially a particular theme or topic. No particular order follows but I have selected the ten movies that come to my mind for those who want to learn, or experience marketing and advertising through them.

1)   The Corporation – Although this movie is a documentary from a psychiatrist point-of-view where the patient is a ‘corporation’, it looks at society in large from an ethical standpoint and how covert techniques are adopted by marketers to get their brands into our homes. You will actually hate some of the best global brands or companies after watching this.

2)   The Joneses – This movie’s theme centers around stealth marketing and word-of-mouth done by a fake family in an upscale posh neighbourhood to influence them into buying various products.  It combines familiar notions of product placement and the sort of real-life undercover marketing efforts that have occasionally caused a minor uproar (years back Sony had its agents ask strangers on the street if they would mind taking a picture with their new Sony Ericsson camera phone?).

3)   The Pirates of Silicon Valley - Pirates of Silicon Valley is a true-story movie about Bill Gates and how Microsoft got started and also about Steve Jobs and how Apple got started. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs performed many unethical actions during the beginnings of Microsoft and Apple. The movie showcases their salesmanship and marketing skills along with the ad campaigns they created which have made them household names today. For more info, refer my previous blog on Steve Jobs and the hype he created.

4)   POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold – This is the third movie by Morgan Spurlock of ‘Super-Size Me’ fame who produces a movie through sponsors and shows how product placement in movies takes place behind the scenes. A good watch for Market Researchers and entertainment marketers. See my earlier blog entries for more info on this movie.

5)   How to get ahead in Advertising – This movie came out in the late 80s and questioned advertising ethics through a dark comedic stand. Although much has changed in the Advertising Industry, it gives a nostalgic view on the golden era of advertising.

6)   Minority Report – A sci-fi movie set in the future where Marketers and advertisers have developed artificial intelligence applications using retinal scanners that can home in on a consumer's desires, determine which sales pitches work best and expand a company's market base using customized, targeted ads to consumers in the streets or their homes.

7)   Branded (The Mad Cow and Москва 2017) – Although the movie flopped earlier this year, it has a few scenes which are really interesting in the reality-based world of entertainment that we are witnessing.  It looks at the advertising business and the dark realities of why certain campaigns are hyped globally and how it is inter-connected to so many other products and services as well. Ignore the monster killing during the second half and pay attention to the scenes where the consultant gives his gyaan (knowledge) to businessmen on manipulation.

8)   The Social Network: The Movie – The true-story based (debatable) movie on social media giant Facebook, it touches on various themes like entrepreneurship, creativity, management, ethics and overall marketing. The best scene according to me is the one at the restaurant where the Napster founder Sean Parker gives the hero certain tips to market his website better. Also, interestingly Sony produced the movie which they advertised through Twitter instead of Facebook –go figure!!

9)   Glengarry Glen Ross – A Phenomenal movie with strong dialogues based on a play which shows two days in the lives of four real estate salesmen and how they become desperate when the corporate office sends a trainer to "motivate" them by announcing that, in one week, all except the top two salesmen will be fired.  The movie revolves around manipulation, greed and lies for survival packing powerful performances.

10)  What Women Want – I was hesitant to add this in the list, but really after watching this movie years ago, I wanted to be a Creative Director at an Agency. The movie gives a detailed look at how traditional AD agencies function and the fun that goes into preparing a pitch to the client. The added bonus is the fact that Mel Gibson can hear women’s thoughts and he uses them to his advantage at the ad agency where he works.

Other notable movies among many, that have insights and showcase marketing or advertising skills/strategy are:

• Freakonomics – The Movie: Based on a book, watch this and you will want to read its sequel.
• The Century of Self – A documentary which helps understanding the marketing psyche.
• Mad Men – (TV series) - It shows the Advertising Industry in the late 60s to early 70s.
• Thank You For Smoking - It is about a lobbyist of cigarettes using heavy spin tactics.

Do feel free to comment and recommend any more movies with marketing or advertising as its main theme.

Images have been used for reference purposes only.

Prof. Quresh Moochhala is a lecturer at The Northpoint Centre of Learning. He lectures students in various areas within Advertising & Market Research. In academics, he believes in practical knowledge over theory.