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Student Voices | Advertising Week 2024: A Great Experience for Marketing Students

Featured Events Graduate | Feb 03, 2025 |

The Marketing Area at the Gabelli School of Business provided 100 marketing students the opportunity to attend the Advertising Week, October 7-10, 2024, titled “20 years of what’s next.” Students witnessed the forefront of marketing innovation, while networking with top agencies, brands, technology vendors, and industry leaders and professionals in New York City.

AdWeek ‘24 covered many major topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it’s transforming the marketing industry. Arjun Trivedi (MSMI ‘24) stated that “AI is reshaping the ad industry, helping us predict ad performance and optimize our strategies. Thanks to eBay Ads for the insights.” Companies like Hershey’s and IBM presented how AI is helping them connect better with customers by personalizing content and reaching specific customer base with accuracy.  Speakers from Resonate, Snowflake, Meta, and Spotify explained how AI is changing the way brands create their advertising strategies. AI isn’t just about tech—it’s helping companies grow, retain customers, and remain competitive in this new landscape. Marketing students realized that understanding AI’s role in brand strategy is becoming essential.

Adweek Workshops conveyed to students the importance of building both technical and soft skills. For example, students found sessions on public speaking strategies helpful and rewarding, especially considering that attending such workshop outside of Adweek would be expensive. Another example is a workshop on how to engage an audience and build self-confidence, which are essential skills in marketing.

Another insightful workshop focused on digital storytelling. This session taught me, along with my fellow students and attendees, how to craft compelling stories that resonate with audiences on a deeper level, whether through social media or other platforms. Yashesvi Narla (MSMI ’25), a student attendee, put it nicely, “these experiences deepened my understanding of the advertising industry, especially the role of video, AI, and local insights in building successful campaigns.”

At the entrance, leading us into an exciting part of the event, was “The Squid Game Show” booth, which immediately captured everyone’s attention. It was a clever advertising move by the show’s producers. As attendees entered the event, they were greeted by the booth and given early access to the new Squid Game experience. I thought this was a brilliant strategy because it got people talking about the show immediately.  The producers effectively used AdWeek as a word-of-mouth marketing opportunity—something we covered in my Masters’ program. This tactic not only generated buzz around the event but also highlighted the power of strategic marketing placement.

Another big focus was on data privacy with consumers becoming more aware of how their data is used, companies are taking data privacy seriously. For example, Walgreens, one of the exhibitors, talked about their “privacy-first” approach, which keeps customer trust by handling data responsibly. This showed us that, as future marketers, we need to prioritize both innovation and ethics in order to build long-lasting customer relationships.

Adweek ‘24 highlighted the growing importance of platform-specific content and creators in digital marketing. Experts emphasized that brands can’t simply repurpose the same content across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Today, creators—who foster genuine customer engagement—are taking on a larger role than traditional influencers. It was evident that brands must tailor their messaging to each platform’s unique style in order to effectively connect with their audiences. Simran Tekwani (MSMI ’24), a Gabelli student explains it well, “Measuring Effectiveness is Crucial: With consumers encountering ads in one place and completing purchases in another, it’s essential to connect media engagement with real-world outcomes. Utilizing data analytics to optimize campaigns and boost customer loyalty is key.”

Another key takeaway was about loyalty programs, which are moving away from occasional rewards to “always-on” engagement and reward systems. T-Mobile and Fetch, for example, have created loyalty programs that offer continuous, valuable experiences. This shift shows how brands are focusing more on building brand connections with their customers, especially focusing on the younger generations. It also reinforced that being adaptable and innovative is important for good customer experience.

Overall, AdWeek ‘24 made me realize how valuable insights will be in the future of marketing; it highlighted the importance of creativity, responsibility, and using technology to better connect with customers and maintain their loyalty which in turn drives success. The exhibition floor served as a hotbed of innovation, showcasing various ideas, from cutting-edge technology to creative advertising campaigns. I was truly astounded by the diversity of concepts on display. Our industry is unceasingly pushing the boundaries of creativity and technology,” commented Rhea Shah (MSMI ’24).

Gabelli School students are lucky to have to been nominated by faculty to attend and experience Adweek in New York City, our campus. We are grateful to the support of the Marketing Area at the Gabelli School of Business and grateful for the guidance and encouragement of professors Mohammad Nejad, Luke Kachersky, Hoori Rafieian, Aniko Delaney, and Linda Luca.

These four days were filled with learning, insightful sessions, creative strategies, and practical takeaways. We heard from inspiring speakers who gave us valuable information. Adweek provided me and my classmates with the chance to network and connect with some industry executives who are some of the brightest in the advertising and marketing world. It was an incredible experience for us as we continue to advance in our marketing careers. Vrinda Jodhwani (MSMI ’24) sums up Adweek as, “The event was a perfect example of how innovation and creativity continue to shape the future of marketing. Can’t wait to see how these trends evolve!”

Written by: Ahmad Sharifi, MBA ‘25

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