Executive Master in Digital Marketing and Communication

Module objective and content

A recent study from WFA and Kantar showed that 90% of marketers globally think they need to act more bravely and experiment to drive transformational change in terms of sustainability1. In this module you will explore the intricate relationship between marketing and sustainability. You will understand how the marketing and sustainability strategies of an organisation must be
intricately intertwined to reinforce each other and bear fruits. The basic principles of marketing will be re-visited to incorporate a strong sustainability dimension and the impact on each element of the S.A.V.E model will be explored.

Teaching method

Interactive lectures and a workshop to help you further integrate your sustainability and marketing approaches

Topics covered

> Key principles of sustainability, tensions between marketing and sustainability, concept of ‘markethics’ (©Galler).
> Managing the ambiguous consumer – a model to map convergence and identify tensions.
> Zooming on specific aspects of sustainability and digital
> How to get started / to progress further: using the ’14 levers to integrate sustainability in marketing’, starting from the ‘S.A.V.E.
   model’

DAY 1: Make your organization evolve

Module objective and content

This module, rapidly evolving environment, it is not sufficient to produce standardized products for an entire group of customers anymore. Nowadays, consumers are not looking for normalized products but are in a constant quest to find solutions to the daily problems they face. Consumers are more and more demanding and ask for personalized solutions to their daily issues. Across the entire customer journey, marketeers need to understand the different needs and habits of their customers and non-customers. What are their consumption habits? What are the problems they face in their day-to-day life? Businesses need to rethink their entire business models and develop their offerings by the needs they meet, rather than their product features. Modern marketeers should find a way to solve their consumers’ problems. In this module, participants will learn how to act to serve their customers and build solutions adapted to their different consumer segments.

Teaching method

The format is based on interactive and active learning. Participants will have the opportunity to interact and participate to fun and collective exercises that will help them in designing an optimal solution for their clients.

Topics covered

• The evolution of marketing from product to solution
• The transformation of consumer habits and expectations
• Understanding the new consumers across the entire customer journey (how to offer an optimal solution at each stage?)
• Design thinking (AGILE vs waterfall)
• Value (co-)creation

DAY 2: An immersion day in the CX using Design Thinking

Module objective and content
During this module, you will experience practical digital Service Design. More concretely, you will use Design Thinking to delve into the hearts and minds of your target audience and ideate and prototype a new digital.

What does the Covid crisis teach us about Design Thinking?
That the need for design of new digital services has never been so great. There are more and more opportunities in the market in this field: so here is a great opportunity to open up yourself to these methods.

Teaching method
You will be immersed into the world of a Customer Experience. During this one-day module, you will learn how to run a 1-day Design Sprint that solve complex problems with a user centric approach.

A design sprint is a straightforward a highly effective method used for innovation and for optimizing common digital user experiences, no matter the size or scope

Topics covered

• PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN THINKING
  A strategic process with a focus on human behavior that uses tools from the design world.
  
  HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN
  - Desirability: What do people desire?
  - Viability: What can be financially viable and scalable?
  - Feasibility: What is technically and organizationally feasible?

          DIVERGENCE AND CONVERGENCE
         - « Double Diamond » approach
         - Trust the « Messy Process »

• STEPS & PROCESS
  INTRODUCTION
  - Introduction to the challenge, describing the why, what, how.
  INSPIRATION
  - Lighting Demo’s of best practices and great ideas that solve similar problems.
  IDEATION
  - Sketching a concept, illustrate the idea.
  - Vote for the best concept.
  FINALISATION
  - Define the user test flow, the sequence of all important steps.

KEY BENEFITS

• Understand the evolution of consumer habits in a digital world
• Methodology to identify strategic insights for your business and communication
• How to sort insights and define key project to setup for your communication
• A practical approach to setup ambitious digital and marketing projects

From Place to Access: How to successfully convert your (potential) customers into buyers?

Module objective and content

With the digitalization and the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, consumers’ purchasing habits have evolved and marketers need to rethink their distribution strategies. Many brands with no online presence were forced to build a digital retailing strategy to survive. The digitalization of retail has accelerated.

Day 1: Omni-channel strategies
Consumers are now, more than ever, “Omni-channel” in their outlook and behaviour – they use both online and offline channels for shopping. Across their purchasing journey, consumers are in touch with many different channels and communication forms, both online and offline. Managers need to provide a seamless experience across all channels to attract and retain consumers. Physical retail will never go back to how it was before. Retailers must rethink their stores and offer the most possible value across all channels and touchpoints. Performance through all channels needs to be optimized. 

Day 2: E-commerce, IT & Marketing
E-commerce is growing impressively.  Retailers and brands have no other choice than selling online through their own website or marketplaces.  To be successful online, it is decisive to have a performant e-commerce strategy.  Brands and retailers should build a website that maximizes customer experience and make sure they are relevant enough in their choices with marketplaces.  To reach out to modern customers, traditional websites are no longer sufficient.  New technologies are used to provide customers with great experiences.  IT is required to succeed with actual marketing strategies. 

Teaching method

The format is based on active learning. In order to put the theory into practice, managerial experts will be invited.  Moreover, students will have the opportunity to develop their own omni-channel & e-commerce strategy and be coached on their project.

KEY BENEFITS

• Understand e-commerce and the different (distribution) channels
• Understand shopper behaviour across channels
• Know how to build a successful e-commerce strategy
• Know how to build a seamless experience to their customers by developing an effective Omni-channel strategy and using new technologies

Module objective and content

Price is what you pay. Value is what you get’ (Warren Buffet)

But how do you set the right price in Marketing 4.0*? By stating the benefits relative to the price (value tag) rather than placing the emphasis on the link between price and production costs, profit margins or price of the competition (price tag). Therefore understanding the value pricing thermometer is key: how to increase your target customer’s willingness to pay by optimizing your margin without losing market share. This module gives you a clear vision and approach of how to monetize value. You will learn how to apply and implement your pricing strategy in the “S.A.V.E.D.” strategy and in the context of “value”. S.A.V.E.D. is the centerpiece of a new solution-price-sale strategy in Marketing 4.0.

Teaching method

The course is built on action learning methods. Besides reading assignments, the course is based on case studies illustrating the complexities of real pricing issues and invites students to apply their ideas in practical problem solving, as well as attending lectures by guest speakers.

Topics covered

DAY 1
Rethinking (not re-inventing) the fundamentals of Marketing, and Pricing Strategy in particular (pricing concepts): we will first set the stage for pricing, look at the different perspectives and approaches in pricing, will do an analysis of the pricing process and understand the importance of value in price. Is the pricing process one of your core competencies?

DAY 2
How to price the product around the price and how to price the price around the product (pricing tool box): next to existing pricing strategies and tactics there is a plethora of other kore innovative pricing strategies and tactics. We will discuss and reflect on them in order to understand that pricing innovation can become your next competitive alternative!

KEY BENEFITS

• Think strategically about pricing through Case Study approach
• Being able to capture, (co-)create and sustain customer value in a pricing context
• Use key frameworks and tools to analyze situations and make decisions
• Understand how to develop and execute “outside the box” pricing strategies

Digital Communication From Promotion to Education, Entertainment & Engagement - Communication Strategy and Tactical Tools

Module objective and content
Exploitation of digital opportunities for brands to communicate their values and offers has substantially changed the formats and content made available to customers. The distinction between online and offline communication channels definitely belongs to a bygone era. So, let’s value the convergence and the active role of the customer.

In this module, you will better understand how to provide information relevant to customers’ specific needs at each point in the purchase cycle. Should marketing and communication strategies still rely on PR, advertising, and personal sales to cover the field? This module shows you how to set up a communication strategy. We cover planning the Paid, Shared, Owned and Earned concept. You will also deepen your knowledge of different aspects of trading, performance and searches. Be prepared to learn a lot about Programmatic and Native Advertising, DM & CRM, Social – Adressable – Shoppable Media, etc.

In this module we will consider the following in the context of a digital world:

- How to build a communication strategy and organize the communications channels (model: Owned  
  Shared Earned Paid).
- How to make the consumer central and prepare his or her pathway to acquisition and use of
   products and brands (Consumer Decision Journey)

And we will cover other points such as:
- Trading and programmatic buying - new business models for media investment
- The use of performance channels (SEA, SEO, Affiliate, etc.) - The use of mobile networks/devices  
  and geolocation
- Social networks - Native and content advertising
- The establishment of goals, a Key Performance Index and the associated benchmarks, and ways to
   measure performance
- The complementarity between the different communication channels
- Traditional Media digitalization: TV, Radio & Out-of-Home
- Shoppable Media & Market Places

Teaching method
Participants can expect to meet a wide range of high-quality practitioners from the world of communications. The module will include many examples and case studies.

Topics covered

DAY 1
Communication Basic, Challenge, Methodology & Storytelling
Hugues Rey (Havas Media Group Belgium)
> Meaningful Communication 
> OSEP and savEEE
> Media Experience
> Currencies - on vs off / KPI in funnel 
> Introduction to the “B.A.S.T.A.R.D” methodology

Danny Devriendt (IPG Dynamic)
> Digital Communication, storytelling and techno innovation

DAY 2
Programmatic, Performance, Market Place and Shoppable Media infused by data
Hubert de Cartier (Universem)
> Performance: SEA, SEO and much more

Jonathan Lannoy (Keytrade Bank Belgium)
> Programmatic & Data

Carla Mouchbahani (Havas Market)
> Market Places & Shoppable Media

DAY 3
Social Media, Influencer, Marketing automation/Precision Marketing
Véronique Deconinck (Pepsico Benelux) & Bastien Glineur
> Introduction to social média / Landscape
> Social mediaplanning / targetting opportunities / kpi + exercice
> Créative cases

Boris Kaisin (BeInfluence)
> Influencer marketing 

Kevin Kielbaey (LiveRamp)
> Marketing automation/Precision Marketing

DAY 4
Customer Centric Communication: CRM & CDP, Direct Marketing - Media Digitalization, Adressability
Florent Diverchy (ProduPress)
 > Direct Marketing,CRM & CDP

Valérie Janssens (RMB)
> From TV to OLV, From Radio to OLA, Adressable TV – infused by Data

Philippe Buyle (JcDecaux)
> D(OOH) – Adressable / Programmatic / Data

DAY 5
Communication in Practice / use B.A.S.T.A.R.D model 
Hugues Rey (Havas Media Group Belgium)

Digital communication strategy integration in action
> Briefing
> Analysis: Culture – Competition – Consumer – Brand / PESTLE & SWOT
> Strategic: Objectives / KPI’s /
> Touchpoints & Targeting: Methods/Selection grids of the channels
> Advertising Content
> Return on Investment / Return on Advertising Spend  –  Efficiency vs Effectiveness
> Debriefing – Media Marketing Modelisation & Reporting

KEY BENEFITS
> Discover, understand and use a duplicable methodology for all communication issues
> Cover all aspects of digital communication through the sharing of specialists active in the specific sector
> be enlightened by more than 20+ detailed and documented cases
> Validate the understanding through a one-day real-life exercise

Marketing and new technologies with a focus on (Generative) A.I.: Understanding the effect of (Generative) A.I. on short-, medium- and long-term trends. How to distinguish the "hype" from the structural change? Concrete examples of Artificial Intelligence.

Module objective and content

Technology development and marketing under the scope of artificial intelligence: what is the present reality and what does the future hold? This module provides a forward look at the influence of technology evolution, and the issues and opportunities for society, industry, and marketing.

According to Mailchimp (2023), 50% of marketers believe inadequate AI adoption is holding them back from achieving their goals and 88% of marketers believe their organization must increase its use of automation and AI to meet customer expectations and stay competitive. At the same time, 61% of marketers have used AI in their marketing activities and 44 % have used AI for content production. (Source: The influencer Hub)

In the first part of this module, after an introduction about innovation Hype and the basics of A.I., Hugues Rey will put the development of A.I. for marketing in perspective. He will outline the successes and failures of the marketing industry and look at the opportunities and challenges of today & tomorrow.

In the second part of this module, a guest speaker will bring you face to face with the reality of A.I. today through real-life cases and the use of tools made available by the industry.

Teaching method

The course will comprise theory, cases, sharing of best practices.

Topics covered
> Major developments in Marketing and Perception of AI
> AI & SAVEEE - How AI upsets the 4P’s / A.I. and the new consumer journey/ What will be my next Job in Marketing?
> AI and Media Consumption
> Practical Example and Exercises using Generative A.I. Tools

KEY BENEFITS
> learn through a methodology to estimate the essential changes and the technological hype
> understand the fundamentals of artificial intelligence
> challenge the marketing mix and the consumer journey via emerging technologies - Illustrated by numerous real-life cases

Module objective and content
These last months of pandemics have shown us the importance of data and their interpretation. In marketing and for a long time, the amount of data produced by prospects and customers engaging with marketing channels provides new opportunities for marketers to leverage more effective, targeted and personalized campaigns, track customer journeys, improve customer segmentation and predict their behavior.

The Data Science for Marketing module will teach participants about the fundamental concepts and tools in data science that equip marketers to make use of these new opportunities effectively. This module presents a set of fundamental principles for extracting useful knowledge from data. These fundamental principles are the foundation for many algorithms and techniques for marketing data science, but also underlie the processes and methods for approaching marketing problems data-analytically, evaluating particular marketing data science solutions, and evaluating general marketing plans.

Teaching method
The class meetings will be a combination of lectures on the fundamental material, discussions of marketing applications of the ideas and techniques, case discussions, and participant exercises.

Topics covered
• Data Analytical thinking
  This morning session will introduce the basic concepts of data science, data mining, the importance of understanding data science,
   as well as data engineering and processing, big data, data-driven decision-making and data maturity. It will also help to familiarize
   the participants with various marketing applications and uses of data science.
• From Marketing Problems to Data Science Solutions
   This afternoon session will help the participants to view marketing problems from a data-analytic perspective. This will include
   data terminology, data mining tasks, models and process. Each topic will be supported by a balance between theoretical concepts
   and practical exercises.

KEY BENEFITS
At the end of this module, the participants will be able to:
• Approach Marketing problems data-analytically
  - Think carefully & systematically about whether & how data can improve business performance (strategic & tactical)
• Be able to interact competently on the topic of data sciences for marketing purposes
  - Discuss marketing data science intelligently with data scientists and other stakeholders,
• Participate effectively in marketing data science projects

Module objective and content

Marketing Research constitutes one of the most important and fascinating facets of marketing.  Providing value and understanding consumers is key. Marketing research is the predominant tool to learn in depth about what your consumers think and value. It allows managers to know which consumers they want to target, and where and how they can reach them.  Conducting proper research will lower business risks and help managers to set better goals for their business. In these turbulent COVID times, purchase behaviour has changed rapidly, and consumers’ attitudes have evolved. Companies need to keep contact with their consumers and monitor the evolution their attitudes. The objective of this module is to provide a better understanding of how marketing research works.  More precisely, students will learn how to design a marketing research strategy, considering the new constraints due the COVID-19 pandemic, and translate the results into useful insights for their marketing plan. 

Teaching method

The format is based on active learning. In order to put the theory into practice, students will have the opportunity to develop their own marketing research plan and be coached through their project.

KEY BENEFITS

• Be able to build an accurate research plan.
• Have learned how to implement qualitative research & common business practices in qualitative marketing research.
• Have learned to design effective quantitative research & how to make a survey targeted to their audience.
• Be competent in understanding marketing research results, synthesising findings and proposing insights.

Module objective and content

How to develop a global marketing strategy in a digital world

You only get only 48 hours, but for doing what?

You will have to develop a global marketing strategy in a digital world.

A ‘serious’ game will challenge you to present a comprehensive digital marketing strategy based on the teaching indeed 8 modules.

When you leave us, after these two intensive days, you will be able to imagine, create, activate and test a full force communication campaign based on an effective digital marketing strategy. Digital marketing and communication in today’s world will hold no more secrets from you, because you will be a powerhouse of digital marketing knowledge from the moment you finish this module.

That is our pledge.

Teaching method

This module is based on active learning. You will develop your own global marketing strategy in a digital world

KEY BENEFITS

• Use the concepts taught during the 18-day course on a real case
• Move from theory to practice while being coached and challenged
• Conclude this education program in a committed and friendly manner
• Receive feedback from a jury of professionals