Applying for the Msc Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York - Admission/Application Essay Example

Personal Statement: Application Essay Please discuss your intent and reason for graduate study I received my Bachelors of Science in Marketing from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 2008-2012. Immediately after graduation, I started my first job in Beiersdorf (Nivea) Jeddah, KSA as a key Account Executive. In this portfolio, my responsibility was to drive designated market development by achieving sales and receivable targets from assigned outlets, as well as ensuring a complete sales call relating to execution of planned activities and desired results. I stayed this institution in the same position from July, 2012 – Feb 2013. In Feb 2013, I moved to IATCO/P&G Jeddah, KSA where I was appointed as an Assistant Category Manager. In this portfolio, my main responsibility was planning & delivering trade marketing activities to enable frontline execution with excellence in order to achieve annual volume, sales and profit objectives for the brand. Before graduating from the University I had also held other positions in two different organizations. In Feb, 2010 – June, 2011, I worked as Wiiings Team Leader in Field Marketing at Red Bull Dammam, KSA. In this position, I assisted the Field Marketing Specialist with running a team of 15 members, managing stock items, handling all issues related to the Wing Team such as assigning missions, planning routs and looking for potential SBM and WTM. In July, 2011 – Jan, 2012, I worked as an Intern – Assistant Brand Manager at Mars, Inc. Jeddah, KSA. In this position, I worked as full-time intern in the Filled Bars segment. Working with the Brand Manager to execute all activities as planned. In short, I have built up my professional career on an on-going value adding learning experience in the FMCG industry. My objective is to work in a professional structured organization, where I can employ and apply Marketing tools, and relative experiences to serve, and contribute effectively to the achievement of the company's targets. Over Three years of MNC experience (2010-2013) across Saudi Arabia in both Marketing and Sales. My core strengths lie in building and managing effective teams, Brand management, Marketing Strategy and Research, Key Account Management, Sales Operations and Negotiations. With the three years and a couple initiatives later, I am ready to leave behind the MNC management experience and take on a more challenging and strategic marketing role in private practice as a branding guru in my own consultancy firm the Middle East. However, up until this point in my profession, my work experience has been more-focused on managerial, Marketing and Sales. To become well versed in my dream field of branding and also become more marketable in the same field, I need to entirely round out my experience and become highly versed in other fields that given more meaning to my dream field of branding and some of these areas will include communications practices, such as social media and digital and public relations. I searched online for a graduate program that would not only expand my horizon, but also shape me into the kind of entrepreneur that constructively challenges the status quo. The Msc. Branding program at the School of Visual Arts in New York is just the right fit. Reasons For Applying this Programme There are many reasons that made me choose not only this course but the university as well. In terms of the University, I have been encouraged by the type of graduates who have passed through School of visual Arts New York. It is on thins premise that I was eager to share in this experience. In terms of the graduate course, the MSc Branding degree is actually offered on full time basis in less than 12 month. Since I have been working in marketing and management fields, I realized that one of the things that create the difference between the best and worst is not just work experience but also the skill set that can be employed to deliver on the unbeatable customer experience. Therefore, this course as designed will help enhance skill set as I prepare to venture in private practice. Furthermore, whilst featuring specialist branding modules, an understanding as well as appreciation of other functions of business within organizations is as well developed in the course of this programme which is valuable me. Furthermore, the programme hones students for a range of general management, marketing and branding roles in both the public and private sector. One of the exceptional benefits of the MSc branding programme at the school of visual arts New York is a full rigorous third semester of teaching, as well as offering more contact hours with a highly trained and experienced academic staff. Achievements On completion of this programme, I hope I will have gained enough knowledge and experience that will enable me contribute significantly to the development of brands particularly (Snickers Chocolate) as well as their market places, via the ability to analyze not just markets, but their trends and their behaviors, as well. Furthermore, I will have gained enough analytical skills that will help me assess critically the association between organizations, their management process and their external context. These skills will also become handy when reviewing critically and creatively applying the body of knowledge connecting to businesses, their management process and their external context. As a consultant, the skills learned will greatly help in evaluating and recommending options for the enhancement of managerial practice in organizations, their management process and their external environment. In particular, the experience gained will enable me make informed judgments and deliberations in relation to the appropriate use of theory particularly to managerial practice in organizations, their management process and their external environment. Above everything else, I will have gained the skills, knowledge and self-assurance necessary to turn me into a more effective consultant by learning to incorporate and align organizational systems, processes and people in order to meet the critical challenges and goals of modern-day business world. Significance of Branding to them To snickers chocolate, branding is where grasses meet the sky. The brand is positioned in the Middle East market and yet the market is dominated by big international players who have already a niche for themselves. These brands already sell like hot cake and have continued to attract new or potential clients and sustenance of returning clients. Therefore, it is only through branding that mars Inc. will be able to stop the appeal of these established brands in both the eyes and minds of the consumer and fill Snickers Chocolate on their shopping lists. Snickers Chocolate Brand Snickers Chocolate is a product that is manufactured by Mars and the company is based in the US. Its ingredients entail nougat enriched with caramel and peanuts, enrobed in milk chocolate. In order to know how the product is performing, this analysis will first look at the performance of the entire Middle East market and current trends. Middle East in the recent years has emerged as the best market for Chocolate. For instance, between 2004 and 2007, the region experienced an increase of almost fifteen percent in sales. There are a number of reasons that explain this trend. One of the key factors is demographics. First, the influence of young consumers is fast growing. In fact, in nearly all nations in the entire Middle East region, the fifteen-to-twenty-four age bracket actually amounts to about twenty percent of the entire population. Furthermore, a good number of these young people are usually supported or financed by their parents to indulge in impulse buying mostly in confectionery items such as chocolate. These coupled with the increased spending of the entire population due to financial support from the oil sector. Chocolate Industry It is estimated that in the entire Middle East, on a yearly basis chocolate sales surpass US$4.0 Billion. To prove the viability of this market, many large multinationals and also local players such as Dadash Baradar, Gandour and Strauss-Elite. Mainly, these established corporations characteristically offer their services in both the low-end and upper-end where they predominate in premium offerings and imported products. People in Middle East do not mind where products are manufactured but offer equal opportunities to any brand that can meet their preferences. For instance, Belgian and Swiss chocolate products, regardless of where they are produced, are perceived as quality products, therefore products that have such labels usually appeal highly to end-users. On the other hand, European chocolate command significant attention from end users in comparison with American chocolate brand. This does not mean American chocolate does not command a lot of attention amongst end users, what it simply means is that using tastes known to them consumers can easily differentiate products to get what they actually want. Relevance in the market (Snickers chocolate bar) Until the1990s, Snickers was positioned in the market under Marathon as its brand name. In the recent times, Snickers have been branded as energy bars and have also recorded positive results in some markets. As well, there are several other Snickers products like ice cream bars, dark chocolate, Snickers mini, Snickers peanut butter bars and Snickers with almonds. The company uses key events and celebrities to market. For instance, in NASCAR racing in early 1990s, Snickers chocolate was marketed through labels and drawings an aspect that served to increase its publicity amongst potential lovers. In 2010, the adverts featured celebrities such as Abe Vigoda and Betty White who appeared in the advert playing American football. In fact, this commercial emerged as the best advert of the year. In 2013, Bobcat Goldthwaite and Robin Williams also appeared in a Football commercial. Sports in Middle East especially football is highly adored using commercials that associate the product with a sport of their liking is likely to attract more potential clients and as such enhancement of the brand. The Snickers chocolate product is positioned in the Middle East as Snickers Cruncher bar although in some markets is rebranded Snickers Munch. They usually market these products usually attractive and messages that appeal highly to potential clients. For instance, "You are Not You When You are Hungry" and "Snickers Satisfies.” Basing on the fact that it is a foreign brand, such marketing strategies can easily sell in a conservative society like the one in the Middle East where parents are always keen to know what messages are reaching their children. This brand, in the Middle East, is also marketed in array of offerings including ready-to-drink chocolate milk, chocolate cakes, hot chocolate and ice cream. These products are mainly aimed at the young teenage group as they are well funded by their parents and usually spend highly on such confectionery items. Since my area of interest is branding, I have identified that one of the more distinguished developments both in the chocolate market and the company is that over the past few years has been lots of segmentation coupled with the onset of a super/ luxury premium class. In this category, the interesting thing is that local companies compete effectively. As a brand consultant, I will use my rich nationality (Saudi and US), to explore how the American culture espoused by the company can be shaped to fit in the Middle East culture in order to deliver a brand that is not just viewed as an international brand, but one which has also integrated local flavors and local messages when it comes to branding. Read More