How MICA Ahmedabad has pioneered the field of management communications?

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The world is going digital: We prefer digital content – on smart phones, laptops, desktop computers, and tablets. Businesses also have answered to the need to go down the digital flow and are using multiple touch-points for only one objective – reaching out to their consumers. In the last few years, digital technology has revolutionized the media through which we communicate.

This is where MICA Ahmedabad has an important role to play. Established in 1991, MICA Ahmedabad is one of the premier institutions in the country to impart the growing knowledge of advertising and digital media to its students. MICA Ahmedabad started a specialization in Digital Communications Management for its flagship 2-year Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Communications (PGDM-C) in 2013.

Digital Communications Management specialization is one of the most advanced specializations of the PGDM program at MICA Ahmedabad. This specialization mainly gives the students an insight into the fast paced and rapidly evolving digital trends of the marketing industry.

MICA Ahmedabad has designed this course in such a way that the syllabus is in sync with the latest digital trends and happenings. The curriculum is designed by representatives from the best players in the industry like Google, InMobi, Amazon, Times Internet, HCL technologies. The course is taught by a mix of highly qualified in-house faculty and veterans in the field of advertising and communication. Over the years, the faculty has included eminent industry personnel like Mr. Madhukar Sabnavis – Vice Chairman and Country Head of Discovery and Planning, Mr. Neeraj Bassi –  former President of Planning at Ogilvy, Mr. Mandeep Malhotra – former President, DDB MudraMax, Ms. Sonal Jhuj – Director of Brand Strategy at DDBMudra Group and Ms. Ganga Ganapathi Poovaiah – Head of Office, Ogilvy Bangalore. The key to the success of the course at MICA Ahmedabad has been the informal way of teaching and allowing the students to brainstorm and explore their ideas in depth.

The curriculum includes two types of courses: –

  • Digital advertising courses – Search Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Social Media Management, Digital Marketing Metrics, Integrated Digital Campaign Planning, Online Display and Video Advertising

And

  • Digital ecosystem related courses – Business of Digital Startups, Internet Based Retail business, Technological Trends in Enhancing Customer Experience, Cybercultures, Online User Behavior

Now, let’s come to how social media has become synonymous to advertising. Advertisers and brands are looking at social media as the best medium to communicate with the end consumers. That is why, PGDM-C course from MICA Ahmedabad plays such an important part. It teaches aspiring advertising professionals to target the right spot on social media to communicate to the consumers.

Since we are talking about social media, let’s see why it is such an effective communication mode in the present-day scenario.

How is PGDM-C, MICA so useful?

ANS- There are currently 2.8 billion social media users worldwide. What this implies is that more than a third of the world’s population is using some form of social media or digital communication as a substantial part of their life. The revolution came with the advent of text messages and text message marketing.

Now, with a plethora of social media platform like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram etc, marketers can put out content more than ever. It is making digital messages more personal. The advertisement has moved from the banners to newspapers to our living room televisions to our smartphones now. Marketers just need to put their message out now and it will reach us. Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate. Communicate is the key lever which makes the modern world go around. More than talking to each other, we tag each other in memes and comments. We prefer writing a long and emotional message for our friend’s birthday rather than picking up the phone and calling them. This doesn’t mean that we are losing our human touch. It just means that we have added an extra dimension to the way we communicate and have changed our primary communication medium.

This is where the key to digital marketing lies. Advertisers are targeting their end consumers here to send across their message. They are striking the right emotional, technological and cultural chord to get the right balance out of their advertisements. MICA Ahmedabad, with its flagship course on PGDM-C, is trying to put across this balance to its students. The curriculum is a curated portfolio of the nitty-gritty details of digital marketing management brought forward by the creme-de-la-creme of the advertising industry!

How to get Admission in MICA?

MICA Ahmedabad conducts MICAT (MICA Admission Test) twice a year – Once in December and once in February. You will have to take the exam and get shortlisted to get admission into MICA Ahmedabad’s flagship 2-year PGDM-C program. You will be tested on your knowledge of media, marketing, advertising and current affairs in MICAT. But that’s not just all! You will also need to have a valid score in CAT, XAT or GMAT. You will also need a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in your UG degree and you will have to complete it from any recognized university or institute. You should be 20 years or above to apply. You can visit the MICA Ahmedabad website, fill the form and pay the application fees online or you can but the form from the institute and choose to pay the fees via a bank challan or demand draft. In both cases, you will have to send the completed application form, the fees receipt, and the required documents to MICA Ahmedabad via post. Once you qualify MICAT, you will be called for the Group Exercise and Personal Interview rounds. The first phase will be conducted at Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai while the second and final round will be conducted at MICA Ahmedabad only. Your final selection will be done based on your CAT, XAT or GMAT score, your MCAT score and your GD and PI performance.

MICA Ahmedabad has become a pioneer in the field of management and communications. It is the only residential management school that offers PGDM in Communication. If you are wishing to pursue higher education in Advertising management and digital marketing, MICA Ahmedabad is one institute that you should definitely consider.

How is the placement offered by MICA?

ANS- The success of any institute is measured by the placement percentage of all students in that batch. Corporate partnerships are a critical part of MICA’s success. In the last few years, the placement percentage has been really high – with even 100% placement for the recent batches. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers behind the placement record.

For the final placements of Batch 2014-2016, MICA students saw a 100% placement record. 73 companies participated in the process and the average salary was INR 11.60 lakhs per annum. The median salary was INR10.50 lakhs per annum while the highest salary was INR 25.5 lakhs per annum. The top 30 students received offers of an average of INR17.73 lakhs per annum.

100% placement record has also been achieved for 2013-15, 2012-14 and 2011-13 batches. All these data show how the premier companies want to collaborate with MICA to recruit talent that actively shapes tomorrow. MICA students are taught to dig deeper into any situation, be prepared to manage uncertainty and always look for better answers.