#GFI: France Takeover Week 1!
- Megan Owusu
- Jun 17
- 2 min read
I am excited to share that I have officially completed my first week in NYU School of Professional Studies’ Global Field Intensive Program in Paris, France.
Leading up to the start of the program, I was uncertain about the potential nature of my experience. This would be my first time in France, the longest that I’ve been away from home, despite college, and I did not know a single person attending the trip. These pre trip anxieties, however, quickly vanished.
We started the program with an amazing trip to the Palace of Versailles lead by Professor Laure-Caroline Semmer. Connecting my love for history and marketing exposes the cultural impact that French luxury has had around the world. Spanning centuries, the palace has been indicative of how a string brand identity can become a legacy.
The following day, in order to prepare for the Cannes Lions Festival, we analyzed the 2024 campaigns with Professor Milos Bujisic in the categories of Public Relations, Brand Activations, Digital Craft, Luxury, Social & Creator and Creative Business Transformation. Viewing the festival committee’s standards for excellen
ce set the tone for what to expect when we attend the festival.
For the remainder of the week, we had an unforgettable series of corporate tours and informational sessions with the luxury brand Chanel, Top French creative agencies Havas, ORÈS Collective | EDG, Luxurynsight, European Digital Group , Fusalp, Dsm-Firmenich, and Follow Marketing. We explored the organizational structures of successful brands, got a sneak peek at developing marketing campaigns, and participated in a consulting activity where we were able to present our ideas to their creative teams. This experience has been nothing short of inspirational, reinforcing my love for marketing brand manangement, and enhancing my knowledge in a truly integrated way (no pun intended). Connecting our education to real world quotidian marketing roles puts into perspective just how transferable the skills we are practicing to work in the industry are.
Aside from class lessons, becoming more acquainted with my fellow classmates and future industry leaders has heightened my experience. I have enjoyed collaborating while being able to build personal relationships that are often lost in graduate programs. They have added a significant depth to my learning and have pushed me to become a stronger marketer and friend.
A huge thank you and shout out to Elisabeth Mitchell and the NYU SPS Integrated Marketing & Communications Program, for all of their planning and pictures for the trip. This first week has been exceptionally transformative and your hard work does not go unnoticed.
Next week, we’re traveling to Juan Les Pies to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. I am excited to share my learnings, connect with industry professionals, and enjoy the beach! Please connect if you are attending!
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