Alumni

Christina Tang

Marketing Manager
at Gaia Group, Hong Kong

Graduated in 2015

Program Scholarship for
Master of Social Science in Advertising

Read more
Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: I have always been working in the marketing field and I love the creativity and the momentum in the industry. People around are energetic and full of passion.

Q: What was the last piece of work/project you worked on?
A: Restaurant opening and we need to pitch all media in-house. It is very satisfying when I read more than 30 pieces of news clipping about the restaurant appearing within 20 days.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Be open-minded and enjoy every little thing happening this year. It is an experience that you will always remember. I have a whole bunch of friends and we always gather. Don’t only hang out with those from your hometown, but with all people around. You will find out that life is so different.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: Continue working in marketing field and enjoy every bit that I encounter in life.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about you?
A: That’s all for now. Oh, in case you want to know more about HK, about wine, about good places to hangout… feel free to WeChat me.

Eva Yang

Project Executive
at Weber Shandwick ,Beijing

Graduated in 2013

Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: This programme offered me an opportunity to understand this industry better in both academic and practical way. What I enjoyed most is the process when our team members worked on projects and talked to different kinds of real clients.

Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: The interesting combination between business – how to sell a story, and art – how to make the best delivery.

Q: What was the last piece of work/project you worked on?
A: Posters’ design for Mercedes-Benz, digital promotion on Father’s Day and Dragon Boat Festival.

Q: Is there any work, project or link that you would like to share with new students?
A: Please check here to see an inspiring video we have done for MasterCard in China, the total viewership has reached over 2.2 million.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Be motivated, always.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: To be an excellent project leader on digital marketing, learn a new language and travel more to see the world.

June Wang

Client Solution Analyst
at Facebook, Beijing

Graduated in 2013

Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I was studying Information System (Ecommerce) in undergraduate and occasionally chose an optional class about advertising, which I found very interesting. After that, I decided to study further in the advertising field to learn more about both theory and practical knowledge.

Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: I think it’s the professors and lively lectures with real life scenario in this programme that inspired me to be passionate about this industry, which then helped me to understand more about the inside stories before I chose my career path.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: The most common comment that I heard from my recruiting manager is – most of the fresh graduates these days are not very down-to-earth, they want to fly before they learn how to run. I always use this quote to remind myself – “Keep your eyes on the stars, keep your feet on the ground”. For me, there’s no so-called a successful formula, if you prepare yourself very well, then you will be able to grab the chance when it comes.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: The most important thing I have learnt through work is that work is not the most important thing in life; it’s a crucial part, but not your whole world. When you have a better living quality and positive attitude, it will reflect in your work naturally. Of course everybody desires a successful life, yet for me, I am still looking for how to define “successful”, and that would be my major plan in the future.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about you?
A: Actually I did not take the typical path that most of the graduates from advertising choose, but I would like to emphasis that there are full of possibilities out there, the only thing you need to do is to find out your passion and work your ass off it. It’s really hard for a fresh graduate to decide what to do, because back then we have no experience. There’s a very good piece of article that I read when I felt lost after graduation – “Living A Good Life. 14 Suggestions for the Class of 2014” by Duke Today, Duke University. Feel free to check it out here, if you are interested.

Kristy Lau

Assistant Manager
at Henderson Development Co. Ltd,
Hong Kong

Graduated in 2005


Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I completed my bachelor study in New Zealand, majoring in management communication. As I preferred working in Hong Kong, I chose to study my postgraduate degree in Hong Kong in order to learn more about the marketing and advertising industry.

The best part about M.S.Sc. in Advertising must be the professors and lecturers! They are all very experienced and willing to share with me their valuable knowledge.

Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: Definitely the courses I took, it did inspire my passion for this subject.

Q: What was the last piece of work/project you worked on?
A: Before leaving Swire Properties, I worked on AREZZO’s residential marketing campaign. I am currently working for Henderson, on one of their commercial projects in Sai Ying Pun, 6 Wilmer St.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: No matter how hard the task is, do give it a try and don’t give up easily.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: I do love residential marketing a lot, and will consider doing some surveying-related study to enrich my architectural knowledge.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about you?
A: Apart from a marketing practitioner, I am also a mother of a 2-year-old little girl.

Stacey Zhang

Associate Strategist
at Jack Morton Worldwide, Hong Kong

Graduated in 2014

Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I chose to study Advertising to learn more about the industry and find a suitable career path. It was most interesting for me to learn about the planning and research that contributes to the birth of a big idea; it boils down to understanding human nature and extracting insights through different angles. It was a rewarding experience working with my classmates, constantly learning from each other and pushing our minds with the different perspectives that we each bring. It was challenging and sometimes tough, but the professors were always supportive, inspiring and guiding us along the way even after graduation.

Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: I suppose I have always been aware of the power of advertising at a young age – like a lot of us, I would beg my parents to buy snacks that I’ve seen on TV – then as I grew older my distaste and frustration towards bad advertising also grew. It wasn’t until I was studying Communications in Boston College that I was exposed to Super Bowl advertisements and concepts such as Lovemarks (loyalty beyond reason) that truly ignited my passion for the advertising industry.

Q: What was the last piece of work/project you worked on?
A: One recent project was the grand opening and activation of Galaxy Macau phase two and Broadway. This particular project was challenging on many levels – the sheer size and number of people involved means very complicated logistics and dealing with various departments; getting approvals through the corporate ladder is time consuming; and most importantly keeping a good balance between staying true to our idea/creative and being flexible to the client’s needs. All in all our team went above and beyond to make the event a success and remained calm despite last minute changes and incidents – really crucial for events!

Q: Is there any work, project or link that you would like to share with new students?
A: Here is a Jack whitepaper on millennials that I’ve worked on if you’re interested in a short read.

Also feel free to follow Jack’s blog, LinkedIn and WeChat for more updates!

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Ask questions. This does not mean asking blatantly obvious questions that you could easily find the answers to. Be prepared; ask well thought and thought-provoking questions. Don’t be scared of asking ‘silly’ questions or making mistakes when you are seeking knowledge – the classroom is one of those rare places where you are allowed to make mistakes – that’s how you learn and break old mindsets. On a similar note, speak up and don’t be shy. Universities, especially master courses, are no longer just about passively assimilating information; create and participate in conversations, even debates.

Learn Cantonese (for non-locals). This is especially important if you plan to work in HK. (Yes, you might be able to get by without any Cantonese, but HK is much more fun when you know the language, and you won’t miss out on those water cooler gossips!) The best way to learn Cantonese is to submerge yourself in the city, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, you’ll learn faster that way! Be proactive. If there is a company you’re interested in or a speaker you want to get connected with, go for it! If you’re really passionate about something, it will show.

Network network network. You often don’t realize the importance of this until you desperately need it, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m often reluctant to move out of my comfort zone. Always grasp opportunities to meet people. It’s not about making superficial connections, be genuinely interested in making friends; people can tell whether you’re sincere. Expose yourself to different industries and be open to new perspectives. Connections will be your most invaluable resource and help you see the world more holistically.

Try something new! HK has so much to offer, you just have to start looking. Explore the city and try something new – new cuisine, new sport, anything you want. Do things you’ve imagined yourself doing, and do things you’ve never imagined. Find, or perhaps reignite, your passion for life.

Vanee Chen

Brand Strategy Consultant
at Lippincott
(Global Brand & Innovation Consultancy)

Graduated in 2014

Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising?
A: I have always been drawn to the creative industry. The design and focus of this program consists of in-depth study as well as wider exposure to other relevant fields. I believed that this program would be just the one to help jumpstart my career.

Q: What do you enjoy most about M.S.Sc. in Advertising?
A: The people! You will meet wonderful people here and make friends with them. Endless group work will soak your brain deeply in nourishing spirits and inspiring ideas. You may then develop a love-and-hate relationship with possibly all of your teammates, or even your mentors. But in the end, you will love ALL of them.

Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: Hard to tell. I guess some people are just naturally attracted to it and the more you practice it, the more you find its influence and unsteadiness addictive.

Q: What difficulties did you encounter when working in a place outside your home town and how did you overcome?
A: Life can be so indulgent when you are a student. For me, the difficulty is not working in a different city, but simply the fact that I work.

Here are some of my tips for work life in a city outside your hometown:

Be financially independent.

Never stop learning. It can be anything really.

Make some friends. Not necessarily close friends, but good friends.

Exercise.

Eat properly and sleep earlier.

Schedule most of your days.

Keep in mind that life is always tough and not just for you.

Explore.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Enjoy and cherish!

Candy Hu

General Management Trainee
at Wrigley Confectionery (China) Limited,
Shanghai

Graduated in 2013
Program Scholarship for
Master of Social Science in Advertising

Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I spent my undergraduate years in the major of Advertising. Technically, my talent fits into it; Emotionally, I really love the feeling of being a Mad Man. That’s why I continued with studying M.S.Sc. in Advertising. Nothing attracts me more than the sparks from professors’ lectures and classmates’ discussions, which not only bring creative ideas but also mindset alteration.

Q:What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: At the very beginning of university years, professors often showed us extraordinary ads from abroad. Some of those artworks and copywriting have desperate beauty which inspired me to seek for my own limitations - what can I do and how far can I go? That’s why I’m still on the way of marketing communications.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Learn the local dialect as soon as possible! You’ll find your horizon broadened and life full of fun.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A:Continue to walk on the Marketing / Communication road in short-term. Learn two more foreign languages. I’m also considering Communication Training if opportunity pops out.

Mia Gao

Chinese Copywriter
at Saatchi & Saatchi HK, Hong Kong

Graduated in 2013
Dean’s List Award


Read more
Q: What do you think advertising is?
A: I think advertising is about creating dreams, letting people realize that their lives can be better.

Q: What difficulties did you encounter when working in a place outside your home town and how did you overcome?
A: At the very beginning, my Cantonese is really bad, so communicating with colleagues becomes the most difficult problem for me. After a long time of watching TV drama of TVB and talking to my partner as much as I can, I realize that I no longer encounter problems when chatting with local people.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Carry on and keep trying. The opportunity will find you one day.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: Continue working in marketing field and enjoy every bit that I encounter in life.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: Keep exploring in the advertising industry. For the next step, I will try different accounts and digital campaigns to enrich my experience.

Bennet Tsui

Founder of 5miles Lab,
digital advertising agency,
Hong Kong

Graduated in 2014


Read more
Q: What made you want to study M.S.Sc. in Advertising and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: After a few years of working in advertising agencies, it is good to refresh my mind about what advertising is, studying in a systematic way.

Q: What first inspired your passion for advertising and marketing communications?
A: Advertising is about the magic in life, and the stories that influence people.

Q: What piece of advice would you give to new students?
A: Open your mind and be inspired.

Come & Join Us!

Want to be a game changer? Passionate in brand and idea?
Curious in life and culture? Apply for our Programme now!


Join Us
M.S.Sc. in Advertising, School of Journalism and Communication,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong.


Address
School of Journalism and Communication
Room 206-207, Humanities Building, New Asia College
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, New Territories,
Hong Kong