Karen Liu (IMC21)

Manager Creative Strategy at Merkle

Tell us about your career path. How did you get where you are today?
I started working on the Creative Strategy team at Merkle immediately after graduating from Medill in 2021.

What are your main responsibilities in your current role?
My team is responsible for turning business objectives from clients into actionable, data-driven next steps. We also ensure continuous creative optimization through test and learn plans, leveraging campaign performance results and industry best practices. We also work directly with the clients to ensure the strategy is constantly updated to align with the evolving business needs.

How did the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications Full Time program prepare you for your career?
The IMC program gave me a solid foundation by introducing me to the most up-to-date concepts in digital marketing, as well as help me get hands-on experience with applying those concepts in real-world problems. Being from a non-marketing background in undergrad, this allowed me to make a smooth transition and quickly integrate into the professional environment.

What did you do during Immersion Quarter?
I worked on the internal communications team at Mondelez International.

How has Medill Career Services helped you?
The Career Services office was very helpful in helping me put together a resume that is designed for the marketing industry.

What other types of master’s programs did you consider?
I also did an MS in Journalism program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign prior to the IMC program. While applying for the IMC program, I also considered getting an MBA.

How can your industry be more inclusive and representative of society?
I think marketing can always use more diversity, as everything we do is rooted in human behavior. By having a selection of perspectives that closely mirrors that of the society as a whole, marketers will see more success in speaking to their intended audience and avoid blunders.

What advice would you give to someone considering the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications Full Time program?
It is a great program for all those who are interested in getting both theoretical and practical experiences in the field of marketing. In addition to the inclusive curriculum, the professors in the program are also fantastic resources in helping students break into the industry.