First of all, I feel so happy that I can finally take this course in Sauder! In my third year, I wish I could study Marketing as a major and this Introduction to Marketing course really attracts my attention!

My name is Angel and I’m a 2nd year student in UBC. I am originally from China and immigrated with my mother to Canada since 2008. Magee Secondary School was where I went for high school and I really love the education style in Canada, it makes you want to stay in high school for a life time! However, UBC seems too “nerdy” for me, as it is very similar to the way of teaching in China’s high schools, students need to reach certain total mark in order to progress to the next year and in the end of high school, everyone attends the university entrance exam, that one exam will change your whole life! Because the top universities only accept something like 2 to 3 thousand students a year while there are millions of high school graduates each year competing for a spot to learn in a college or university. Many of them end up becoming sales or waiters because they did not gain a high-enough-score to go to school. In conclusion, the education market in China is simply a score-based market. Teachers there normally ask students to study all the time, gain good grades but seldom encourage them to develop their own hobbies, such as forming a band. it would be considered “not on the right track” thing to do. UBC is much much better than that, but still, compared to high schools, universities here in Canada truly care about scores, and the exams are not easy, most of my UBCers are getting scores like 70% and they are happy for it, while others who have their own career or job outside of school face the risk of being kicked out, which some of them already did. Anyway, not to criticize anybody, just feel bad for myself for becoming a student who now calmly accept the fact that she is getting 60%, 70% in exams and can still go to bed with a smile.

Enough chatting about myself, let me tell you more about Marketing to me. Ever since I was little, I was attracted to the humorous, creative or even touching advertisements on TV,  billboards and light boxes. After I grew up and began to shop for myself, I was amazed by how strong the power of branding is, making everybody in the market going crazy. The part that I love the most about marketing is that how good products and great ideas are being voiced to the world and create resonance to people from different cultural background. My favorite cosmetic brand is Benefit, only because it has the greatest marketing strategies and create its own culture so the brand image is so strong and vivid to consumers.

Hello again to everyone!