As Jamie Notter once said, “Innovation is change that unlocks new value”, and what better place to get inspired than the Madex expo. On 7 June 2018, Marketing Management honours students from the University of Pretoria made their way to the Sandton Convention Centre to attend the Madex expo. The Madex expo is an annual marketing, advertising and design exhibition that brings thousands of marketers together by allowing marketing and advertising agencies and consultancies, as well as design and marketing companies to share who they are, what they do and what they bring to the dynamic and agile marketing industry. The attendance of an exhibition such as this allowed the students to further their knowledge, gain industry insights, and network with stakeholders within the marketing industry.

 

 

There was a wide variety of exhibitors at the exhibition, showcasing their products and services in a way that allowed the students to interact with the products and engage with the exhibitors. Through live demonstrations, students were also able to see how the various innovative products on display are used within a marketing context and the benefits thereof, which the students found very insightful.

 

 

Marketing and advertising agencies were also present, which was very beneficial for the students, as they used the opportunity to network, and find out about possible opportunities for internships and jobs. In addition to the exhibitor stands, there were live seminars presented by professionals in the industry on various topics relevant to the marketing industry. Some of the topics covered included explosive marketing trends, social media and content marketing, CRM trends, big data and the art of strategy. The students thoroughly enjoyed these seminars and walked away with new knowledge and some insights into trends currently driving the marketing industry

 

The students’ feedback were that they look forward to embracing the new developments within the industry as they embark on their careers, and cannot wait to see the new trends and insights that will come from the Madex expo in 2019!