Marketing isn’t just about marketing

The best marketers don’t just study marketing, they live and breathe it. They go beyond workshops, textbooks, and online classes. They explore, experiment, and draw inspiration from everywhere.

Some of the most valuable insights come from disciplines that, at first glance, seem unrelated:

🎬 Film & Theatre – Mastering storytelling, emotional engagement, and audience psychology.

📰 Journalism – Research, credibility, and writing content that truly connects.

🧠 Psychology & Behavioural Science – Understanding why consumers think, feel, and act the way they do.

📜 Philosophy – Critical thinking, ethics, and the art of persuasion.

💡 Design Thinking – Human-centred problem-solving and innovation.

📊 Data Science & Analytics – Interpreting trends, patterns, and customer insights to drive strategy.

🎨 Art & Design – Visual communication, branding, and aesthetic impact.

📢 I always tell my students: Don't just learn marketing, immerse yourself in it as if it were your full-time job. Employers aren’t just looking for marketing graduates; they’re looking for creative problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and storytellers who can bring fresh, strategic ideas to the table (WEF The Future of Jobs Report, 2025).

At university, students have an incredible range of resources at their fingertips such as guest lectures, research databases, networking events, and student-run projects. I encourage students to use them. Push themselves. Experiment. Get involved in real-world marketing campaigns, even if it's just volunteering for a local brand, running their own blog, or analysing the latest brand strategies.

🚀 The UK’s advertising industry is booming - valued at £36.6 billion and growing (Advertising Association, 2024). Competition is fierce, and the ones who stand out are those who keep learning, stay curious, and think differently.