The University of Guelph’s Marketing Analytics Centre [1] hosted their inaugural event last week in Toronto, which brought academics and industry together to discuss how data, analytics and insights help companies to drive growth.
The symposium, Harnessing Analytics and Insights to Drive Growth, explored how analytics help marketers improve their campaigns, increase basket size and encourage buying across categories. The panelists also discussed some of the challenges facing insights teams and emphasized the importance of both soft and hard skills to be successful. The event is the first of a series of annual symposiums that will enhance dialogue and collaboration in marketing analytics between practitioners, academic researchers and students.
The event’s keynote speaker was Todd Allen, VP Marketing at Labatt Brewing Company, and featured a panel discussion, which included top industry executives from Edelman, Facebook, McDonalds and Labatt Brewing Company. The panel included:
- Catherine Yuile, EVP of Insights and Analytics, Edelman Canada
- Catie Brooks, Strategy and Insights, McDonalds Canada
- Luke Stringer, Insights Lead, Facebook Canada
- Alyssa Rodrigo, Director of Insights, Labatt Brewing Company
Attendees included industry professionals and marketing and consumer studies graduate students and faculty. It was an opportunity for students and faculty to network with key contacts in the marketing and data analytics industry, generating potential research opportunities for the future.
“The event confirmed the need for closer ties between industry and business schools,” said Tanya Mark, director of the Marketing Analytics Centre and associate professor in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies. “To conduct innovative and state-of-the-art research in marketing requires an understanding of the current challenges facing companies and a two-way dialogue between academia and industry. Through this event, we were able to secure several projects for students to gain real-world experience, interest in collaborations and sponsorship for future events.”
The Marketing Analytics Centre will continue to host events that will continue the conversation on the importance of analytics and insights in driving firm performance.
Special thanks to Labatt Brewing Company for sponsoring the event.
