A blog created by UMSL Marketing B.A. and MBA students.
By: Dan Klevorn and Pablo Romero
This week in the UMSL Business podcasting series, “In Your Business with UMSL Business”, a few UMSL Business students sat down with Perry Drake, Angela LaRocca and Briana Smith to talk about the upcoming Midwest Digital Marketing Conference Continue reading “A Look Into the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference”
By: Gabrielle Sealey and TJ Sheffer
For those of you who haven’t been introduced to UMSL’s College of Business Dean, you’re in luck. In a recent podcast, “In Your Business with UMSL Business” produced by the school, our students had the opportunity to sit down with the UMSL College of Business Dean Charlie Hoffman, Continue reading “Things You Didn’t Know About Dean of UMSL College of Business”
By: Kat Ridler
Hakuna Matata is said by people in Kenya to mean “no worries.” Pura Vida is a common phrase said by the people of Costa Rica and means “pure life” or “this is life.” It is things like these that PMBA students are able to learn first hand while visiting another country.
The PMBA program is a 21-month program where students with a professional background can get their degree in a time schedule that works for the student. Students are in the same class or cohort through the program. All students go on an international trip together in their second year to learn about international business and culture.
Jan Carrell, PMBA coordinator, described the difference between the UMSL Masters of Business program versus the PMBA program, “The Professional MBA program requires three years of professional work experience, so the students generally are more mature and focused. The PMBA is a lock-step, cohort program, so the same group of students are enrolled in the same classes throughout the 21-month experience. This structure fosters a sense of camaraderie that is difficult to replicate in the FlexMBA program.”
The PMBA trips out of the country have only been around for three years. The first trip was to Germany and was organized by a University of Missouri- St. Louis professor Peter Falk. The second trip was to China, and the third to Costa Rica and Cuba. The next trip will be to Italy and take place in 2017. Students do not know where they will be going their second year when they first apply to the program.
For many students it was their first time out of the country. Traveling to Cuba was exceptionally unique since Cuba was not open to all travelers until March of this year, under President Barack Obama’s administration’s negotiations which started in December 2014. Previously there was a travel ban from the United States to Cuba unless for educational purposes. Jackie Schlarman, PMBA student, said, “Cuba is our neighbor and it had been closed off for so long. To have this opportunity to see this place before it opened to the rest of the United States was really special.”
Darryl Curry, PMBA student, said, “Not only was it fascinating to learn about Cuba from a cultural perspective, but I was also learning about Cuba from a business perspective. The whole point of this journey was to help us learn more about business and international business in particular.”
There were several places that the group visited while in Cuba and Costa Rica. From cemeteries to fortresses, to coffee plantations, the group was amazed at all they got to learn about. Timothy Burgess, PMBA student, said, “In Cuba we actually visited Ernest Hemingway’s mansion. It was originally preserved with everything that he left it in the 50s. It was really cool.”
If you are interested in learning more about the PMBA program at UMSL, check out mba.umsl.edu or email Jan Carrell at carrellj@umsl.edu for more information.
By: Kathrin Hanke
Together with over 1300 other people I attended the Midwest’s largest digital and social media marketing event – #MDMC16! It was held on April 21st at historic St. Louis Union Station.
After picking up my badge and swag bag I made my way through the exhibitor booths and tech alley to Dan the Pancake Man. Being amazed by his skills and creativity I wandered off to meet some of the startups and sponsors, and it was then when I saw all these tiny gold fish in their bowl. What great branding!? #MDMC16 could not have made it better – and the best part, you were able to adopt Louie, Ted and all the other little fish.
The day was kicked off by keynote speaker Travis Sheridan and then followed by the first round of breakout sessions. In addition to the three keynotes, there were 40 different sessions throughout the day, split up in seven rounds, each having five to six sessions running concurrently. The big question was: Which sessions do I attend? Making a decision was definitely not easy since there were so many great speakers and topics! Eventually I attended seven breakout sessions and made some notes for everybody who was not able to attend them. Check out my three biggest takeaways below:
#1: “Livestreaming grows at the know- like- trust factor exponentially faster than any other social media platform out there.” – Bonnie Frank, Live Stream Broadcaster
Bonnie Frank believes that Livestreaming absolutely changed the Face of Communication, especially the conversation on Social Media. As a matter of fact, if you are broadcasting with Periscope it will appear in your Twitter – Twitter bought Periscope about five days after launch. Frank also mentions Facebook Live, which allows you to directly live stream to Facebook. FYI: #MDMC16 live streamed parts of the conference on both of these channels. What a great way to engage with the audience outside Union Station, which for whatever reason could not make it to #MDMC16! Frank then shared some advice with her audience: “You gotta know what you are saying you know!” and explains that you have to gain you audience’s trust. She herself just talks about four things on a daily basis and is able to answer every question the audience might have – the key to gain an incredibly exposure without paying a penny.
#2: Creating relevant content is key to success.
We all have heard it a hundred times: You have to create content that is relevant to your audience. Once you have your content you have to make sure that you push it out on the right channels at the right time. But how? Todd Budin from Nielsen shared some tips on how to create memorable ads and how to be successful with your digital advertising.
Memorable Ads:
1. Tell as simple story
2. Use relatable characters and contexts
3. Show identifiable situations with a unique twist
4. Utilize strong imagery
5. Engage emotions
Digital Best Practices:
1. Maintain campaign/brand consistency
2. Align metrics across channels
3. Understand optimal frequency
#3: “Pinterest is not a social network, it’s a catalog of ideas.” – Raashi Bhalla, Pinterest
Raashi Bhalla introduced her audience to the “Art and Science of Using Pinterest” by explaining that Pinterest is THE place to go to when looking for ideas, inspirations and solutions. Pins showcase products with additional advice on how to use or make them. A detailed description or instruction would complete a Pin. She also advises to use text overlays in order to make the picture identifiable. Users are able to create lists and pin their favorites for later use – this allows Pinterest to target at key moments, regarding to life stage, interests and search inquiries. She also says that you don’t need to use Hashtags in your Pins because Pinterest’s “discovery engine” is already so advanced that it will identify and then categorize, as well as associate the Pin with related terms. Nor should you use Hashtags in your Pins because Pinterest might identify Pins with too many Hashtags as spam!
The Midwest Digital Marketing Conference was a great event that had a lot to offer. Besides all the amazing speakers, 12 Arch Grants startups showcased their innovations and business ideas and competed for a $1,000 prize. At the end of the day Swizzle was the winner – a tech startup that does everything from influencer marketing research to app development. Congratulations!
Make sure to sign up for updates all things #MDMC so you won’t miss the even bigger #MDMC17!
By: Amy Cabanas
UMSL Digital is extremely excited about 3 separate previewing events leading up to the #MDMC16. We are hosting 3 separate TweetChat’s with 3 awesome Marketing Professionals you don’t want to miss.
Continue reading “3 Upcoming Twitter Chats with #MDMC16 Speakers That You Won't Want to Miss”
By Robert Aguilar
Let us introduce you to Nick Szabo and his startup company, Swizzle. Nick is a University of Missouri-St. Louis graduate and Chief Operating Officer & co-founder of Swizzle. Swizzle is a tech startup that does everything from influencer marketing research to app development. Continue reading “Nick Szabo & Swizzle, Swiftly Changing the Face of Marketing!”
By: Kathrin Hanke
MDMC16 speaker John Schmitt is the Operations Coordinator for the Digital Media Program at the Center for Visual Technology (CVT) at St. Louis Community College, Meramec. The CVT is a component of the Digital Arts and Technology Alliance and provides professional level facilities, Continue reading “#MDMC16 Speaker Feature: John Schmitt”
By: Chase Kohler
With less than a month before the Midwest Digital Marketing conference, it’s only fair to feel the nerves as an explosion of information, passion, and disruption engulfs the greater St. Louis area. Much more than a traditional marketing conference, #MDMC will also showcase the latest in local innovation. In partnership with Arch Grants, Union Station will feature 20 of the hottest startups across St. Louis. Continue reading “You Only Have 60 Seconds: #MDMC16 Welcomes Startup benjamin!”
By: Kathrin Hanke
Let me introduce you to MDMC16 speaker Travis Estes, the Web and Social Media Manager of the GRAMMY Award winning St. Louis Symphony– the nation’s second-oldest orchestra. Travis Estes has more than 16 years experience as a marketing professional, working in the digital realm. He has developed digital presence for Black Cat/Phantom Fireworks, HFC, Strong Funds, and the museum tours of King Tut, Princess Diana and America I Am, as well as strategic planning for the Chicago Botanical Gardens, Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio and the American Marketing Association. Continue reading “#MDMC16 Speaker Feature: Travis Estes”
We’re thrilled to announce that registration is now open for this year’s State of Digital Media Marketing Conference, a production of the University of Missouri – St. Louis, College of Business. This coming April 21, 2016 marks our 4th year and we are going to be bigger and better than ever. Here are just a few of the highlights: Continue reading “Early Bird Registration Now Open for UMSL Digital 2016 Conference”