Insights into AI: an on-campus week as an MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) student
Davina Kallah shares her key learnings from the on-campus week where students explored the capabilities of Generative AI
Last week, our MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) students swapped our bespoke online learning platform, The Hub, for the lecture theatre as they gathered on campus for an immersive week focused on a hot topic in the industry – Generative AI in marketing.
The week saw students collaborating with The Brandtech Group, a world leading Generative AI marketing company, who offered students the chance to develop real-world experience with AI-driven content generation. From creating text, image and video content to market insights and real-time performance data, the week allowed students a chance to get an insight into how Generative AI can influence marketing practices both now and in the future. Students also had a chance to showcase their newfound skills by pitching a marketing campaign to industry experts from Unilever.
As online students who are often juggling part-time studies with a full-time job, this on-campus week was a chance for them to come together, network with their peers and industry professionals, work with innovative tools and takeaway some key learnings that can be applied directly to their jobs.
We caught up with Davina Kallah, one of our MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) students, to hear about the week, from her personal highlights to key learnings that she is taking forward in her career.
Hi, I’m Davina Kallah, an MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time) student at Imperial. Marketing has always been central to my work, driven by data and trends. Imperial’s innovative approach, combining strategy with technology, made it the ideal choice for my master’s.
As a part-time online student, I’ve collaborated with global peers and deepened my marketing knowledge. While the flexibility suits my full-time role, I’ve been curious about campus life, and this in-person week gave me the chance to experience it.
My personal highlight from the week?
We’ve all seen AI’s transformative impact across industries, and this week was a chance to explore how it can enhance efficiency, drive growth, and uphold ethical standards in marketing. Through insightful talks from industry leaders and hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools, I gained a deeper understanding of AI’s potential to reshape the field.
From experimenting with AI-driven tools to thought-provoking discussions with experts, this experience has given me a fresh perspective on how technology can elevate marketing strategies and drive innovation.
Monday: embracing AI and emerging technology
The future of AI in marketing has always fascinated me, and what a way to kick off the week! We all use AI in some form—but are we using the right tools in the right way?
Keynotes from industry experts provided valuable insight into this, showcasing how AI is revolutionising marketing. From video adaptation and social listening to consumer research and even podcast creation, AI is enabling businesses to scale like never before. But using AI sustainably is a challenge I hadn’t fully considered.
I often use AI to streamline tasks without considering its ethical implications—energy use, cost, and environmental impact. This raised key questions: Why should businesses invest in AI, and can it balance efficiency with sustainability? The answer lies in responsible usage—using the right tools with the right input to maximize benefits and minimise waste.
The experience didn’t end there! We took part in a surprising team-building exercise with VR headsets. Each of us played a unique role—Data Analyst, Manager, or VR participant. Our goal: solve complex puzzles in eight minutes. Despite being first-time VR users, we cracked 3 out of 4 puzzles through communication, strategy and teamwork.
My key takeaway from the day:
The highlight was hearing an industry expert share her marketing journey, highlighting the importance of networking, mentorship, and adapting to new tech. Her advice on AI resonated deeply—it’s not just about automation but using it strategically for innovative solutions.
This session inspired me to embrace AI and emerging tech more confidently, while thinking critically about their role in shaping the future of marketing. AI isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about creativity, strategy, and impact.
Tuesday: the ethics of AI in marketing
AI is evolving rapidly, revolutionising the marketing world – but it’s still learning, still growing. Today’s session shed light on AI’s flaws, particularly bias and stereotypes. While AI has incredible capabilities, it reflects on past data, meaning bias can creep into marketing campaigns. The good news? Companies are actively working to address this, ensuring AI is used ethically and transparently.
We got hands-on experience with Pencil AI, a tool designed to generate AI-powered creatives while staying true to brand guidelines. The platform can store brand assets like tone of voice, target audience, and even preferred music. Using the text function, we explored these assets, gathered insights, and crafted precise prompts to create images and videos.
At first, creating the right visuals was a challenge. But I quickly learned that AI-generated content is only as good as the prompts you give it. The more specific we were, the closer we got to our vision. It was a glimpse into the future of marketing—where AI helps businesses cut costs, boost efficiency, and create consistent brand messaging with ease.
My key takeaway from the day:
AI is powerful, but it’s not perfect. It’s up to us as marketers to use it ethically, reduce bias, and craft thoughtful prompts to get the best results. Today’s session reinforced that AI is a tool—not a replacement for human creativity and critical thinking.
Wednesday: the super sprint challenge
With just one day to go before our pitch to Unilever, The Brandtech Group and industry experts, today was all about teamwork. The challenge: to develop a full marketing campaign in just 24 hours - applying everything we’ve learned over the past two years, especially integrating AI-driven tools like Pencil AI.
Our team had different creative visions for the campaign: how it should look, feel, and, most importantly, how we would pitch it. The time crunch made it feel impossible, but AI became our secret weapon. With Pencil AI, we streamlined our research, structured our presentation, and even generated branded visuals—all in one place.
But, as I quickly learned, AI can be unpredictable. Some of our prompts led to incredible results, while others were complete mistakes. It was a trial-and-error process, but after multiple attempts (and a few hilarious AI-generated surprises), I finally cracked it—creating the perfect prompt that led to the perfect AI image.
My key takeaway from the day:
The highlight of my day was creating that perfect prompt. Through practice and refinement, I was able to bring our vision to life and generate AI visuals that aligned seamlessly with the brand. While AI is continuously learning and growing, today showed me that it requires patience, trial and error, and a clear vision. Within one day, we were able to create a succinct, compelling presentation that captured how the brand can grow but stay true to its foundation.
Thursday: pitch day!
This morning was all about fine-tuning the details—perfecting the graphics on our slides, rehearsing our script, and ensuring every component was polished for the big presentation.
Throughout the programme, we’ve explored countless marketing theories and frameworks, but today put everything to the test. One key insight I took from my studies is to always back up your ideas with data or further research. That mindset gave me the confidence to pitch our campaign with conviction.
Our presentation covered:
- Competitor analysis
- Objectives and target audience
- Campaign concept and creative execution
- Customer journey and engagement strategy
- Refinements in product design and QR code integration
It is a lot to accomplish in less than 3 days. But thanks to Pencil AI, most of our research and creative assets were already in place.
My key takeaway from the day:
While pitching was a key highlight, I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with Imperial Alumni that evening. Through a panel discussion and a networking event, I gained profound insight into how each have leveraged this programme in their careers. Whether it is through marketing analytics or applied strategic marketing, each alumnus had used various modules to excel in their roles. It reinforced that this programme isn’t just about theory—it’s about building practical skills that translate into real-world success.
Friday: the final day and career insights
I can’t believe how fast the week flew by!
Our final day was a mix of insights into managing high pressure environments, career progression and networking. From refining our approach to professional conversations to discussing job opportunities, it was a valuable reminder of how important connections are in marketing.
The value of an in-person week at Imperial
This week was intense, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. From hands-on AI training to real-world marketing applications, I gained skills that I’ll carry forward into my career. More than anything, being on campus created opportunities for deeper collaboration, networking, and learning beyond the classroom.
AI is changing the marketing landscape, and this experience has shown me how to harness its power effectively. AI isn’t just about efficiency – it’s about using it strategically, ethically, and innovatively.
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