MSc.
Digital Marketing

As the role of digital technology and data intensifies, the strategic considerations of senior marketers need to be frequently reassessed. This module aims to create a productive discourse on contemporary marketing challenges and future digital marketing trends and their impact on marketing, industry, consumers and the environment. Students will gain the knowledge and skills required to develop and provide an industry standard, consultative approach to defining and delivering effective marketing projects. Through this module, students would also gain a valuable portfolio of marketing and research skills which would enable them to critically reflect on the role and responsibilities of contemporary marketers, develop effective marketing proposals and gain an in-depth understanding of conducting research in marketing.

Indicative topics:
1. Traditional and contemporary marketing theories and frameworks
2. Current and emerging marketing trends
3. Consumer psychology
4. The science of marketing
5. Key technological developments
6. Risks and regulation
7. Skills portfolio – Marketing, communication, and quantitative and qualitative analysis skills,
research methodology

This module aims to explore the central role of content marketing within the context of the explosive growth of “the creator economy” in modern marketing communications. The rapid expansion of creative content, posted by consumers, influencers to global companies via social media digital channels, (i.e. Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter etc) combined with the use of mobile devices, broadband and Wi-Fi, has brought added complexity to the work of marketing strategists and planners.
Understanding consumer contexts and leveraging defining customer preferences have become critical parts of the decision-making process in order for marketers to deliver engaging content for marketing campaigns. Through this module, students would be able to gain an in-depth understanding of datadriven marketing and explore effective campaign development and management. It would also enable students to further develop strategic thinking, planning, creative, and research skills.

Indicative topics:
1. Defining the strategy for the campaign
2. Writing a communications brief
3. Designing creative marketing campaigns
4. Planning a content calendar
5. Influencer marketing
6. Copywriting
7. Content marketing production
8. Designing the implementation plan
9. Agency vs Inhouse marketing teams
10. Project management
11. Organising information for effective presentations
12. Data visualisation
13. Skills portfolio – Strategic thinking, planning, creative and research skills

The module aims include understanding, measuring and evaluating the online consumer journey, exploring how customer relationship management (CRM) is an effective technique in planning longterm customer retention and growth, and further enhancing students’ ability to develop and propose consultative recommendations for new approaches covering social media marketing platforms, multichannel and omnichannel marketing strategies. The module comprehensively presents concepts and theories of evolving consumer behaviour and new paths to purchase in the digital retail environment. It illustrates the dimensions of social psychology and its relationship to brands and branding, and also the way in which emotional attachment with a brand influences the decision-making process.

Indicative topics:
1. Concepts and theories of consumer behaviour and limitations
2. The dimensions of social psychology and its relationship to brands and branding
3. Understanding the online consumer journey
4. The evolution of social media marketing
5. Customer relationship management
6. Application of digital tools to develop and present buyer personas and create customer journey
maps
7. Skills portfolio – Consultancy techniques, presentation skills, research skills

This module aims to introduce a wide range of digital tools available to marketing planners and campaign managers. Digital tools can be used to communicate, monitor progress, optimise content and deepen customer engagement throughout the customer journey. The module is designed to help students develop the ability to assess the potential of digital tools for acquiring, converting and retaining customers and develop channel-specific testing and search engine optimisation strategies that maximise return on marketing investment. Students will assess the way in which digital channels provide marketers with unique opportunities to improve the effectiveness of campaigns through continuous testing, analysis and optimisation throughout the module with a blend of theoretical models and hands-on practice.

Indicative topics:
1. Google analytics simulations
2. Understanding and managing data
• Data collection, analysis, visualisation and reporting.
• Conduct a/b testing.
• Examining how digital tools can inform strategies for sales and lead generation.
3. Financial acumen for marketing
• Understanding and calculating allowable marketing costs.
• Forecasting and preparing marketing budgets.
• Proposing marketing budgets financial considerations for marketing initiatives.
4. Skills portfolio – Financial forecasting and budgeting, data analysis, data visualisation and reporting
skills

This module aims to introduce the context of global branding and brand development, in correlation with the complex dynamics of global marketing. Students will learn how to adopt a strategic approach to branding and communication in a global digital context, defining the concepts of brand architecture, brand growth to measurements of brand equity and evaluating brand performance.

In addition, students will be able to focus on the contemporary concerns relating to the need to appraise and debate modern approaches to leadership. Students will also analyse the importance of environmental, social and governance and ethical conduct, concerning the leading, managing and marketing of a sustainable business to inform business decisions for long term growth in the market. Through this module, students would also gain a valuable portfolio of consultancy, management and research skills which would enable them to self-analyse, reflect, define and develop their own personal brand and apply the knowledge to support their employability and career prospects.

Indicative Topics
1. Global brand management
– Brand Futures
– Branding and consumer psychology
– The impact of technologies and innovation
– ESG and sustainability in global business
2. Project definition for marketing professionals
– Identify and explore the problem/opportunities for a business
– Developing and applying frameworks for a digital marketing proposal
3. Leading & developing for consultancy
– Conduct consultation for a branding project
– Leadership for global marketers
4. Personal branding
– Defining a professional personal brand
5. Skills portfolio – Consultancy, management and research skills

This module aims to provide a comprehensive guide to digital product and services creation in a marketing context. Through this module, students would also gain a range of valuable skills including project management, innovation and collaboration and research skills, which would enable them to explore a marketing idea through analysing the market and develop the concept for a minimum viable

product along with a product/service launch marketing proposal.
Indicative topics
1. UX user research
2. Disruptors, lean and the agile process
3. Advanced technology and innovation – ML, AI, & VR
4. Designing a minimum viable product
5. Risk analysis and mitigation
6. Enhancing the customer experience
7. Preparing a marketing proposition for launch
8. Ethical and sustainable considerations in the development of new digital products and services
9. Skills portfolio – Project management, innovation, collaboration and research skills

This is a student-led independent academic research module where students (with support from allocated tutor/supervisor) would be able to apply the knowledge and skills gained from all other modules on this course (such as management, marketing and research skills) to understand digital marketing research and contemporary issues, and produce an academic dissertation which identifies, critically analyses and provides strategic solutions to challenging digital marketing issues. In doing so, students would also be able to make a useful contribution to the existing academic and professional knowledge base. Each student will be allocated to a tutor/supervisor, who will be responsible for guiding them through the process. Introductory seminars on the process and expectations of the module will be arranged at the early stage of the module and students will continue working on their projects on an individual basis, under the guidance of their supervisor(s). The subject librarian will also be leading sessions on the use of the library resources that students may need in the relevant Digital Marketing areas.