the MSMI Intelligencer report
January, 2024
Happy New Year !!
We hope everyone is enjoying the holiday break and getting a chance to recharge and reset. We’re looking forward to the Spring semester but let’s take a look at how we closed out 2023. In early December, we toasted and celebrated Cohort 11 at the Empire Rooftop on their accomplishments and achievements throughout the program. MSMI alums from prior cohorts returned to offer encouragement and support to the new graduates. We all wished them well on their next chapters.
Left to Rt: Yuan Jason Wang MSMI’21, Shambhavi Chaturvedi MSMI’22; Linda Luca Co-Director MSMI, Aashna Sheth, MSMI ‘22; Janvi Ramavat MSMI’23; Rashi Shah MSMI’23; Lan Zhang MSMI ‘23; Kiki Shou MSMI’23
Also in December, a standout MSMI team were named finalists in the TheraBreath Collegiate Competition: Gizem Basara MSMI ‘23 Yashaswini Kataria MSMI ‘24 Varalika Kataria MSMI’24, Raphael Jorge MSMI’23 and Odette Ofosu-Siaw MSMI ‘24. The team started developing their ideas and plan in late September competing against forty teams and 140 competitors throughout the Marketing Area to make it to the final round of six. Their innovative and bold proposal impressed the TheraBreath judges which included the Brand team and Caitlin Dodd, the Marketing Director of the Therabreath portfolio of oral care products at Church & Dwight. A special thanks to Leonardo Machado,GSB MBA ‘22 and now Associate Brand Manager, Therabreath, who spearheaded the competition and brought the opportunity to GSB. Congratulations to the team pictured below with their faculty competition advisor, Paul Kramer Adjunct Marketing professor.
What’s in store for marketers in 2024?
We don’t have a crystal ball but we know marketers will be watching the impact and spread of the Israel-Hamas war. The tragic human toll and suffering affects all of us on so many levels.
From a business perspective, Western marketers are affected on a different level. Boycotts of businesses and brands in different markets are increasing Reuters Consumer Boycotts. With the spread of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, marketers could see supply chain disruptions. Although oil prices have not risen, marketers are very mindful that could change quickly and affect a number of economic and fiscal planning strategies.
Beyond the war, Brands are continuing to find innovative ways to use AI responsibly and to learn what works for their brands as highlighted in this Ad Age article, AdAgeBuilding-deeper-consumer-trust. Starting January 9, the annual Consumer Electronics Show, CES, opens in Las Vegas. Marketers follow this event closely to learn about the latest technology and consumer products that will shape our future. You can follow some of the highlights and keynote presentations on their website https://www.ces.tech/ or subscribe to Digiday https://digiday.com/
During the remainder of 2024, there are more major events that will attract marketers’ attention such as the February Super Bowl LVIII and the Paris Summer Olympics. Ad spending and promotions to drive consumer engagement will increase as marketers seek to capitalize on higher levels of consumer engagement and interest in these events. The buildup to the presidential election will also affect consumer behavior. Forrester2024-consumer-behavior Keeping up with the trends, marketing events and other hot topics is important for interview prep.
Career Focus
The holiday break is a good time to refresh your resume and think about your career search strategy. The GSB Student Success Center has much to offer and Laura Bassin bassin@fordham.edu is there to provide assistance with your resume and interview prep. Just email for an appointment.
In addition, several professional workshops and events are planned for this coming semester. Based on student survey feedback they have been designed to generate more interaction with recent MSMI alums as well as help you develop the professional skills needed for your success. Schedules will be announced in the coming weeks.
Now is a good time to expand your LinkedIn network. Search for MSMI grads in the industries or companies that interest you. Write a short note in your connection request on why you are interested in their career path or company. Make every interaction count rather than just hitting send.
If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to register at CareerPath. This is the portal to Student Success Center in-house job board as well as a number of great tools to build your resume and to prep for interviews. Be sure to follow TheMarketingAreaatGabelliSchoolofBusiness on LinkedIn.
Or, reach out to one of the Alums-in-Residence for the MSMI. If you wish to meet or speak with any of them, you must make an appointment first by Clicking Here. Please do not reach out to them directly because we want to be mindful of their time. Their backgrounds and areas of expertise are provided below — just click on the name:
Marc Hanson, MBA Management, Marketing ‘02, Senior Director Commercial Marketing, Beverages Portfolio
Alex Carlin, MSMI ‘18 UX Researcher at Google
Chenyi Li MSMI’21, Strategic Analytics Spotify
Hana Kalaie, MSMI’20 Product Marketing Manager, Amazon Business
Our best wishes to everyone for a successful and productive year!!