Marketing Communications Today Blog

A Master of Business Administration provides theoretical and practical training for understanding general business management functions, sometimes with a marketing focus.

But for professionals seeking to expand their education at the graduate level, specifically those interested in business and marketing—there are options. Some MBA programs have a marketing track, which is a good fit for professionals interested in an overarching MBA curriculum. However,  there is another option for professionals who are inspired by data and marketing but who ultimately have a passion for communications. Combining data marketing and communications is a revolutionary concept that allows professionals to utilize data to back all marketing strategies and decisions.

WVU's Master of Science in Data Marketing Communications (DMC) merges insights gleaned through data analytics to drive effective integrated marketing communications campaigns.

Laurie Beasley is co-founder and president of  Beasley Direct and Online Marketing, Inc., which provides services in inbound and outbound marketing including: content creation, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, Amazon Marketing Services (AMS), website design, media planning/public relations, direct mail marketing, lead generation and nurture campaigns, marketing automation management, and database management for both B2B and B2C companies.

Ms. Beasley serves as president and online marketing certification instructor for the  Direct Marketing Association of Northern California. She also speaks on online marketing and demand generation topics for several marketing organizations, including the DMA, BMA, and AMA.

We spoke with her on our  weekly Podcast, and here's what she had to say!

Kelly Ann Collins is a WVU alumnus and has also completed programs at MIT and Cornell. She started her career as a reporter, and then editor. As a journalist, Kelly Ann made the move from print to digital when she helped launch USAToday.com. Then, she ventured off into the land of tech PR during the dotcom boom (and crash). During that time she met tech giants and co-founded a VC platform.

Later, she took the skills gained from her endeavors to help launch and grow 50 editorial and social products at AOL co-founder Steve Case’s Revolution. Then, in 2008, she founded a pop politics blog with a focus on the 2012 presidential election that gained 3 million readers in one year. Now, she’s using her knowledge at Vult Lab to create social tools, launch initiatives, and startups, and build robust communities for her clients. Kelly Ann and her team members have been working within the USA (and beyond) on projects involving brands you know and love—including Easter Seals, OZY, Conservation International, Starbucks, Results for Development, HP, Adobe, Disneynature, Jamba Juice, Prince William's Royal Foundation, the Washington Capitals, The Washington Times, and more.

Michael Lynch: What is cause marketing?

Writing a book was always on my professional bucket list. And as of March of this year, I have now written five of them! My latest -  “Built to Suck: The Inevitable Demise of the Corporation…and how to save it?” - became the backdrop of another bucket list item, becoming a teacher.

Indian Statesman, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam once said, “ Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me.”

Being an educator isn’t exactly going to pave a fast track to retirement; nor will it help you purchase that Bugatti you’ve always wanted (I mean, it’s not like many people can play football like Ronaldo anyway!) Quite the contrary. To this day, teachers are still egregiously underpaid, relative to the value they provide. Still, I’ll bet more people would want to be compared to Dr. Sean Maguire or Glenn Holland, then Bobby Axelrod (even with the money factor taken into consideration!)

As the Vice President of Marketing for Deschutes Brewery (and previously the VP of Marketing at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery), Neal Stewart is an experienced marketing professional who wanted to continue evolving as a professional and as a marketer.

In response to his wish to further his marketing knowledge, Neal chose to pursue the Integrated Marketing Communications graduate degree, West Virginia University's cutting-edge, pioneer graduate program. Here's what Neal had to say about his IMC experience and specifically, how his IMC degree prepared him to lead the Dogfish Head Companies' marketing department.

My name is Neal Stewart, I'm 45 years old, and I was  previously the VP of Marketing at the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. The Dogfish Head Companies are best known for craft beer brands like 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, SeaQuench Ale, and many others, but the company also has a distillery, boutique hotel and two restaurants – all of which are based in Coastal Delaware.

For over 40 years, John Auge has counseled thousands of senior executives, top government officials as well as both large and small business owners throughout the country. An innovative designer and skillful artist, John specializes in corporate communications, branding, and identity. John has worked with high-profile clients such as The White House, The Washington Post, Texaco, WV Chamber of Commerce, Appalachian Power, various associations, banks, and hospitals.

He also developed materials for three West Virginia gubernatorial inaugurations and created the West Virginia’s 150th Birthday event graphics. John is the recipient of industry awards for his work as well as the prestigious West Virginia 2016 Governor’s Award for the Arts and the AAFWV (American Advertising Federation West Virginia) Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He has received countless accolades from numerous clients for his ability to creatively enhance their brands and helping to deliver unparalleled results.

Michael Lynch: What is the work environment like in your agency?

We learned. We connected. We got inspired. And we left energized!

We had a great line up of speakers, including Jacelyn Swenson from IBM, Hugo Perez from Local Boy Creative, Jessica Modkins from Hip Rock Star, and many more.

And just as important, we had some great, engaging attendees! We are thankful for everyone who attended Integrate 2019, and we encourage you to mark your calendars for Integrate 2020 (May 28-30)!

Frank Marra is a professor and practitioner in Rochester, New York. He teaches IMC 631 — Crisis Communication at West Virginia University. Marra worked and studied for five years with Dr. Jim Grunig, the world’s leading scholar in public relations. He is a specialist in crisis management and developed the first theory of crisis public relations. 

We recently interviewed Marra on WVU's weekly podcast regarding his views on public relations, diversity in the communications field, and the power of storytelling. Read our thoughtful Q&A with him below!