Hi, I'm Luke.

[caption id="attachment_3417" align="alignleft" width="196"] Luke @ Bright Sparks Marketing Showcase[/caption]

Hi, I'm Luke and I'll be working for Realise over the summer as a Digital Marketing Intern looking to gain experience in all things digital! A little bit about me...

I have just finished my third year of university in Birmingham having studied for two years prior to that in Loughborough, where I live. I have a foundation degree in Business Management awarded by Nottingham Trent University and I've just now got the results for my Digital Marketing top-up honours degree awarded by Birmingham City University - a first!

Here is a photo of myself during my final project, a marketing showcase event at Mcintyre House in Birmingham. I was tasked with pitching my digital innovation (a food directory with a twist) to accompany my dissertation. It was a great experience in planning, presenting and gave me a taste of digital entrepreneurship.

So, on with the Q&A!

1. What is your favourite recent marketing campaign, and why?

The brand that instantly comes to the forefront of my mind is Compare The Market - I even did a university assignment with them as a case study organisation!

[caption id="attachment_3422" align="alignnone" width="300"] Credit - Compare The Market[/caption]

Insurance and bills are the bane of my life, yet I'm sat here writing about why I love this comparison website (but who doesn't love meerkats?!). I'm a big fan of clever marketing and Compare The Market have used a simples (get it?) character as a mascot for their products to gain nationwide appeal. The way they have gone about it is fun and creative in an industry where you wouldn't particularly expect it. That's why I love this brand.

The campaign which stood out the most to me was their first TV advert. This set the benchmark very high and they're yet to disappoint. I particularly like how they've achieved such a great mass market appeal whether its to students or kids pressuring their parents so they can receive a free toy to pass on! Yes, I own a meerkat or two.

2. What are your interests outside of work?

Outside of work I'm an avid sports fan, to both watch and play. Football and tennis are my two favourites, although my competitive nature ranges from those to Beer Pong! (Because it is a sport.) My favourite team are Leicester City and before you ask, I've supported them all my life. CHAMPIONS!

Other interests of mine include social media (why else would I be here?) and I probably spend a little too much time on it! And food. Food is a big one. Some say i'm a little obsessed by clay ovens because they make the perfect pizza!

3. Facebook or Twitter?

I was one of the first of my friends to sign up to Twitter when it was first launched and I haven't slowed down too much since. I've racked up over 10k tweets, most of which nobody cares about. The beauty of oversharing.

In terms of Facebook, I use that a lot too and I find myself getting way too consumed. I look at the clock and hours have passed by but a new collection of memes makes it all worthwhile. I also created a Facebook Community as part of a module during my studies, Champions 2016 - Leicester City Football Club, where I enjoyed great success building my page from 0 to 1,000 likes over a 6-8 week period, combining both organic and paid methods. I had great success in networking out to other Facebook pages and groups organically and equally as much success running a competition which I had 'boosted' as a paid form of promotion. I have since recruited a passionate individual to continue posting for me while i'm here at Realise!

Interestingly, i've noticed a lot of new brands using Facebook as an almost 'growth hack,' achieving phenomenal success in a very short period of time. Mahabis, an innovative brand of lightweight, comfortable and stylish slipper are one. You've probably seen them pop up in your news feed as a sponsored ad! They now have a whopping 400,000 likes (and counting).

To answer the question, I'll have to go with Twitter for personal use. Many get frustrated by the 140 character limit, but not me. For me it's a positive. Short and sweet. And for business use, definitely Facebook. I think social media is a massive platform for businesses and Facebook offers the most diverse solutions for growth.

4. Microsoft or Apple?

Tough one. Having grown up using Windows I am more familiar with the operating system so I'm more inclined to stick with it now for work use. Having said that, I do have a MacBook and iOS also has it's benefits. In terms of hardware, build and so on, Apple wins hands down. For operating system I'll stand by Windows but for hardware I'll stand by Apple. Dual boot anyone? I didn't answer your question, did I?

5. Finally, what do you wish to achieve with Realise and moving forward?

I reached out to Realise when looking for an internship to gain valuable experience in the industry. Given my interest in social media, search engine optimisation (SEO) and blogging I was looking for a digital agency who offered these services, to give a boost to my CV and future job prospects. On that topic, my end goal is to become a Digital Nomad. Who wouldn't like to work remotely while holidaying at the same time?!

Right, I'm off to celebrate my results. You'll be seeing a lot more of me around these blogs in the near future!

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