Whether you are a freshman or in your final semester, there are always plenty of opportunities to network with important corporate partners through the strong alliances NUS Business School has.
BBA Year 4 Li Shuyuan who is doing a double degree in Business Administration and Industrial & System Engineering shares her recent L’Oréal Walking Tour guided by alum Andrew Tay.
The L’Oréal Walking Tour was definitely an eye-opening experience for me! Our host Andrew was very knowledgeable and he shared many valuable industry insights behind retail marketing. One interesting point that stood out was how he would be able to make out the market leader brand for the month just with a simple glance of the shelves at Watsons. He also shared how you can spot which brands are being “pushed” for greater awareness, visibility, promotions, for that month as well. I learnt that with the number of products in the market, every brand is fighting for a space as small as 1 cm2 in retail shops! I also never realised the premiums brands had to add on for “favourable” placements – those within most consumers’ line of sight. Depending on the type of quality and costs, you’d be able to navigate your grocery budgets once you’ve spotted the “prime” products and its peripheral brand placements.
It is no surprise that as a marketer, you need to have good product knowledge. However, marketers need to go one step further in being very clear what kind of marketing message you are sharing with your customers. These are communicated through product packaging design, shelf arrangements and promotional decor. This has reminded me to be more observant these days when I’m out shopping. Browsing at shelves will never be the same again for me!
Corporate visits such as these are really important to be incorporated into modules because you witness first hand how theories and textbook knowledge are applied in real life. Industry insights shared by practitioners cannot be learnt from books, and this is a great way to learn an insider’s point of view.
NUS Business School has provided me with a holistic and enriching environment to grow in knowledge and also opportunities to prepare me for my future career. I was surprised after starting school 4 years ago, that University life goes beyond just picking up textbook knowledge. I’ve also visited the offices of Facebook, and participated in case competitions that allowed me to learn about a myriad of organisations across various industries.
With graduation arriving soon, the valuable contacts I’ve gained from activities organised by the School, and the personal stake and interest the Career Services Office has offered me like preparing and securing job interviews, has gone beyond all expectations of what I expected.