Alan Wang (IMC20)

Marcom Account Director, The Clorox Company

Tell us about your career path so far.

My career path has been focused on advertising. I spent more than 10 years working in account management at traditional ad agencies like Havas, FCB, Grey and DDB, and had the pleasure of working with large Fortune 500 companies on iconic, global brands. About five years ago I made the decision to go client-side, first at Esurance, an online insurance provider, and then to StubHub where I worked as a brand marketing manager. COVID-19 severely affected StubHub’s business, requiring me to quickly pivot to a new role at the Electro Creative Workshop, the in-house agency for The Clorox Company. In making the transition, I wanted to be closer to the decision-making and understanding how decisions drive business results.

What are your main responsibilities at Clorox/Electro?

I partner with the Clorox Brand teams to translate their objectives and strategies into engaging website, CRM and digital/social communications. I work on the “Specialty” division of Clorox, which encompasses the brands outside of the Clorox namesake cleaning products – brands like Kingsford charcoal, Brita water filters and Fresh Step cat litter. In addition to the day-to-day workload, I was also brought on to help build the account management function from the ground up.

How do you apply the IMC way of thinking that uses both art and science in your job?

As brand marketers, we always need to be able to prove the value of our efforts, which can be challenging. The IMC way of thinking starts with the consumer at the center and combines the “art” side of marketing (connecting emotionally to build your brand) with the “science” side of marketing (using data and analytics to measure effectiveness). I’ve been able to leverage a lot of what I learned in my day-to-day job to marry the art and science of marketing in our efforts. While we want our campaigns to resonate with consumers and be a part of the culture, we also need to prove their performance and effectiveness in market to our leadership.

Why did you decide to pursue your master’s degree and choose Medill IMC specifically?

It was in my first client-side role that I decided to pursue a master’s degree because I felt I was lacking a lot of the foundational knowledge of marketing beyond advertising, as well as more advanced skills in digital marketing. Medill IMC was able to provide exactly what I was looking for to round out my knowledge and skillset.

What is an experience or class from the IMC program that stands out for you? Why?

There are so many! But if I had to choose one, I would say it was taking a leadership course in Evanston. Not only was the content of the class terrific between the lectures, speakers and site visits, it was great to experience what it is like being a student again on campus in Evanston. A faculty member graciously hosted a fabulous dinner party at her home for all of us students on our last night there. It’s an experience I will always cherish and remember from this program.

Was the flexibility of the IMC program beneficial for your life and career?

Tremendously. A large part of the reason I chose the IMC program was the flexibility it afforded me. I love San Francisco and knew I wanted to stay here since it is where so many tech companies are based (not to mention an incredibly beautiful place to live!) The icing on the cake was Medill having a campus in San Francisco for immersive classes on topics like Design Thinking and Marketing Technology.

What advice do you have for someone considering Medill?

If you are looking for a master’s program that provides the ultimate flexibility along with the ability to shape the program to your key interests in the marketing and communications field, IMC Professional is it.