Rachel Julius (IMC21)

Senior Analyst, Global Consumer Insights at Under Armour

Rachel Julius (IMC21) says the program gave her the proper tools to effectively leverage insights to drive brand strategy. Her Immersion Quarter experience opened doors for her full-time job with Under Armour post-graduation.

Tell us about your career path. How did you get where you are today?

Compelled to use my understanding of human interaction to improve entrepreneurial endeavors guiding our business-driven world, I pursued an IMC graduate degree at Medill because of its unique, data-driven approach to Marketing. Consumer insight and brand strategy curriculum, paired with my professional experience as a Media Analytics Associate at IRI, prepared me to take on the role of Graduate Consultant for Under Armour during my Immersion Quarter. This experience allowed me to synthesize data and inform strategic brand decisions, and ultimately led to a full-time offer with UA after graduation.

What are your main responsibilities in your current role?

At Under Armour I work closely with marketing and creative teammates to support our creative testing program, where I leverage consumer-feedback to improve campaigns with the long-term goal of optimizing UA’s brand voice. I also lead category specific research initiatives, ranging from run and basketball deep dives to product specific inquiries, to better understand how to support our target audience throughout their athletic journey.

How did the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications Full-Time program prepare you for your career?

Medill’s IMC program provided me with a strong foundation of best-in-class methods of conducting qualitative and quantitative research, ultimately providing me the tools to effectively leverage insights to drive brand strategy. I rely on theories learnt in Michelle Weinberger’s Consumer Insight course to ground insights when sharing findings with cross-functional teammates.

What did you do during Immersion Quarter?

During my time with Under Armour’s Consumer Insights team during Immersion Quarter, I worked to develop a full funnel brand strategy and marketing implementation plan for UA’s run category. A key component of my Immersion Quarter project involved synthesizing consumer data with stakeholder insights to align teammates on the brand’s run strategy for future seasons.

What is a class or experience that stick out in your mind and why?

The course CPG Design Product and Business Innovation Studio stands out as it provided me the opportunity to work on a real-world, upstream product innovation project sponsored by Procter & Gamble. Through collaboration with Medill IMC and Kellogg MMM students, I developed and improved a hairspray product and accompanying business model via insight-driven communications strategy. The opportunity to collaborate with Northwestern students across departments allowed me to understand various approaches to design thinking and problem solving.

How has Medill Career Services helped you?

I had several appointments with Akeya Porter, who provided valuable insight into how to make the most of my Immersion Quarter and connect with other Northwestern IMC alumni. She also pointed me in the direction of the Northwestern Career Guide which has helpful tips on resume building and cover letter creation.

What other types of master’s programs did you consider?

I considered alternate MS in Marketing and MS in Business Analytics programs. I selected Northwestern’s IMC program because it promised the opportunity to understand the art and science to marketing communications, through both coursework and real-world experiences like Immersion Quarter.

What advice would you give to someone considering the Medill Integrated Marketing Communications Full-Time program?

When considering graduate school, it is important to think about how the curriculum offered, and opportunities for hands on learning, align with your interests and future career aspirations. After reviewing Medill IMC coursework, and speaking with various alumni, I felt confident that Medill’s IMC program would strengthen my ability to understand consumers and develop compelling brand strategies.