Apparently the Irish have always been known for the uncanny ability of storytelling. I always thought that marketing and storytelling were pretty much two sides of the same coin. Advertising in its most basic form is just telling a story whether it is about “why this product is better than that product” or “enticing the respondent to want to know more.” It can be a one word slogan that encapsulates your message or a picture that speaks a thousand words, but it’s all just basically telling a story. Now I’m not sure how widely accepted that statement about the Irish is but I would personally think that I have always had a knack for telling a story, especially to those who are willing to listen.
I guess to start I would like to tell you a little bit about me, I have had a huge interest in marketing since I was about twelve. I wish I could say there was that “defining moment” where I knew that marketing was meant for me, similar to those that doctors have when they help a person for the first time, but sadly no, there was no “defining moment” it was always just an innate feeling I had.
I did however always find myself looking forward to the add breaks on television to see what was new and interesting but mainly what was different. I loved trying to identify new trends and with that, flicked through magazines and stared at billboards dissecting and rebuilding brands again and again to see ways they could work better. I just always knew that this was the career path for me.
I am currently doing my masters in Marketing Practice in University College Dublin. What makes this master’s different is that it operates commercially as the Marketing Development Programme (MDP), a marketing house that provides professional marketing consultancy services.
I act as a Marketing Advisor; working within a client advisory capacity, on a variety of diverse commercial projects for companies ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to MNCs. Learning within the MDP is focused on both personal and professional development of skills, through practical application, in areas such as presentation, time management and teamwork and client meetings.
I am currently working on several projects for companies that would be known worldwide. My team and I are personally dealing with the clients on a constant basis offering them marketing research, creative solutions and further recommendations for their business.
Also internally I work on business development within the MDP, I over sea all digital marketing and press online, such as getting the name out there online and creating a “buzz” about the business. When I entered the MDP in September, I brought the MDP on to such social mediums as twitter, which have resulted in increased business and brand awareness.
I did my undergraduate degree in business, where I specialised in marketing. I received my results for final year and received a 1.1, in my marketing modules I received a high 1.1 and were higher than any other student in my class. My final year rebranding plan (for a small cosmetics company entering the Irish market) won the end of year award for creative marketing. The judges added that my unique, creative and innovative approach was what separated me from the other contestants.
I have been involved in speech and drama all my life and won many awards for it. I have performed in several plays in the Gaiety (Ireland’s most famous theatre) and acted in such television shows as Ballykissangel and Fair City. I have had a big interest in Public speaking from school and ended up setting up Toastmasters society in college, which is still being successfully run now that I have left.
So hopefully now you can have a better idea of who I am and my love for all things marketing. I hope after reading this blog you feel like you learned something you never knew before.
Regards
Sean O’Dwyer