Clemson’s MBA in digital brand communications program is in full swing

Preparing students for a new business frontier in the Metaverse

The Clemson University MBA Program launched the new digital brand communications (DBC) concentration in partnership with Erwin Center for Brand Communications for the Fall 2022 semester. The first-ever student cohort has been busy covering cutting-edge content on digital marketing strategy, e-commerce, trend insights and data visualization.

The two-year, part-time program combines online and in-person learning. On Sept. 9, students visited Clemson for their first on-campus residency weekend of the semester. In addition to meeting some of their professors and classmates for the first time, DBC students took their initial steps into a new business frontier — the Metaverse.

The program’s first guest speaker, Jason Velliquette, delivered his keynote on Sept. 10, explaining the concept of the Metaverse and how to leverage marketing opportunities in the space ahead of the competition.

Velliquette is the executive vice president of digital for R3, a global marketing consulting group working with Fortune 500 brands to establish best practices and drive effectiveness in corporate marketing operations. With over 13 years of digital marketing experience for top players like Procter & Gamble, Velliquette has seen how the digital landscape and tools have changed.

“It’s easy to get distracted by the latest shiny objects that come with new and emerging technologies,” explains Velliquette. “Smart marketers must be able to resist the urge to lead with the tactic and instead evaluate if the new tech will help them achieve their marketing objectives faster, better or more cost-effectively.”

Since 2021, the marketing sector has been buzzing with mentions of the Metaverse, NFTs and Web 3.0. Clemson’s goal is to prepare DBC students for this changing landscape so they can deliver meaningful brand connections throughout the latest channels.

Velliquette explains the new landscape:

“When discussing the Metaverse, I like to cut out the buzzwords and break down the three things it really should mean to marketers today. The Metaverse is a virtual place to express yourself, build community and conduct business. Building brand loyalty in the space can be as simple as Nike selling ‘cryptokicks’ for your avatar or as comprehensive as shopping in a virtual mall with live attendants and friends giving you feedback. Some companies are using the space to test logistics, building duplicates of production lines at a fraction of the cost. While there are many ways to dream about how to use the space tomorrow, I also want to show what students can implement today.”

Across every concentration, the Clemson MBA curriculum constantly evolves to prepare students for the ever-changing business landscape — including new frontiers like the Metaverse. Students have the power to shape these new spaces.

“I think it’s great Clemson is introducing students to new technologies like the Metaverse and giving them a chance to not only learn about them but also grow with them and shape them,” says Velliquette. “While other marketers will need to relearn and adapt to new ways of working, these students will be starting fresh with a deep understanding of what the future of digital marketing will become.”

For more information on the MBA in digital brand communications or to apply, visit www.clemson.edu/MBAdbc.