the MSMI Intelligencer Report
Happy Holidays!
The holiday season has arrived. The recent snow, the holiday lights, and the festive windows all combined to make the city and campus a true winter wonderland. For some of our MSMI students, it was their first time being dazzled by the brightness of the snow and its light, fluffy feel.
December was a busy and eventful month for the MSMI program. Cohort 13 finished up the challenges of their first semester with presentations and exams that showcased their growth and accomplishments. For many in Cohort 12, December marked a significant milestone — the culmination of their MSMI journey. They completed their capstone projects with exceptional creativity and professionalism, delivering compelling presentations to established organizations such as Samsung Electronics, Hilton Honors, Robinhood Financial Services, Movement Gyms as well as a non-profit tech start-up, Acewise. The last project was coordinated through Fordham’s Community Center for Engaged Learning (CCEL) and instructed by Alex Carlin, MSMI ‘18 and Senior UX Researcher at Google.
These projects not only demonstrated the students’ innovative thinking and practical expertise but also highlighted the program's commitment to real-world impact and industry collaboration. Congratulations to these grads as they step into the next chapter of their lives, we are confident that they will continue to shine brightly and make a meaningful impact on the world.
Holiday Marketing & Ads
Despite inflation and economic concerns, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts holiday spending may reach $989 billion by January, a 3.5% increase from last year. Although shoppers don’t seem to care whether you’ve been naughty or nice, they did change how they shopped. In-person holiday shopping declined and shifted significantly to online. Many waited for bargains and deep discounts.
Anticipating this shift in behavior, marketers adjusted their advertising spend. Digital spending hit a record $10.8 billion on Black Friday, contributing to a 1.4% year-over-year increase in November retail spending. Online marketing costs for Black Friday increased sharply due to aggressive bidding from platforms like Temu and Shein on competitors' keywords. (Source: Reuters). Advertisers also reallocated budgets from traditional TV to digital platforms but this shift is more driven by overall changes in consumer viewing habits and the increased effectiveness of digital advertising.
Holiday messaging continued to focus on gifting and value. During the first week in December, several MSMI students had fun discussing and sharing insights and holiday treats at a Holiday Advertising session hosted by Marketing Adjunct, Linda Luca. Here is a sampling of the ads reviewed: 2024 Holiday Ads
Holiday Break
What to do on your holiday break? In NYC, there are so many different things to experience and explore, from ice skating amidst the skyscrapers or discovering new museums, markets, and festive shows to viewing the spectacular holiday lights in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. Time Out NewYork is a good resource to help you sort out the choices. Or, if you would like to volunteer and help those less fortunate, Forever Fordham provides a listing of several organizations.
The holiday break is a great time to reset, refresh and reflect. However, if you find yourself stuck inside on a very cold day, it might just be a good opportunity to work on your career search.
Schedule an appointment when the university reopens with…
Ancy Joseph, Career Advising Consultant and Adjunct Professor. Schedule through CareerPath.
Alums-In- Residence: Alex Carlin , Senior UX Research at Google, Chenyi Li, Senior Data Scientist, Spotify, Hana Kalaie Sharan, Product Marketing Mgr. Amazon
Check The Marketing Area at Gabelli School of Business on LinkedIn. Every Friday, new job opportunities are posted. If you are finished, then also follow any Gabelli Alumni groups.
The Grad Insider is also an important resource for news and events from the Student Success Center. You can sign up here to receive Grad Insider and the Student Success Center Calendar is another way to keep track of events weekly.