Why Study International Marketing? (2024)

Studying a Masters course which focuses on marketing to international audiences can give graduates a crucial advantage over others. Here’s a closer look at the many benefits a Masters in International Marketing can give you in our increasingly borderless economy, along with one course of study that offers aspiring marketing leaders an invaluable inside edge.

Why international marketing matters

Local marketing has many benefits; however, these benefits can be limited. If your goal is to open up even more doors for your business, broadening your marketing to an international audience offers near-infinite possibilities.

Specifically, the benefits offered by international marketing include the following:

1. Market expansion

If you’re looking to grow your business and increase your profit markets, the most obvious way is to grow your customer base.International marketing offers access to new customers all over the world. The best part? Digital technology makes it easier and more affordable than ever before to reach them.

2. Amplified opportunities

While opportunities can be found locally, expanding your marketing efforts globally vastly amplifies those opportunities. In the process of exploring these opportunities, you stand to gain greater understanding of the international market and your competition. This, in turn, can help you recognize and hone your own competitive advantage in order to stay ahead of the curve.

3. Increased customer awareness

The further your reach spreads, the stronger and more powerful your business’ reputation becomes. Selling in multiple markets boosts your brand identity and authority in a way that selling locally does not.

4. Protection against local downturns

We’re all familiar with the old adage about not putting all eggs in a single basket. This concept holds true when applied to the business world. If your local economy experiences a downturn and your products and services are no longer in demand, an overseas foothold can help your business survive -- even when sales are slow on the homefront.

Airbnb, Apple, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Apple are just a few examples of companies which have excelled on the international stage. As internationalization increases, companies that follow in their footsteps will also be positioned to thrive.

The challenges of international marketing

But marketing internationally isn’t as simple as shifting your efforts from your local to global markets. Rather, success stories share a common thread: a leadership team that understands not only the value of international marketing, but also how important it is to deploy strategies which target the specific host country.

Different cultures require different approaches. Government rules and regulations may further complicate marketing efforts. And then there’s the fact that infrastructure in target countries may not be as developed and may therefore create unexpected barriers, as can issues related to international product delivery. Economic and political issues also come into play: What will happen to your company’s interests in the event of a recession or war abroad? Marketing mixes may also vary from country to country. Understanding the right mix in your target markets is crucial to success.

Enter international marketing studies

One way to learn how to maximize all of the advantages of international marketing is studying in this dynamic, exciting field. The International Marketing MSc at the University of Sussex is an innovative degree designed to prepare early career business graduates for global marketing careers.

In addition to viewing marketing through an international lens, the curriculum covers the foundations and basics of marketing, such as marketing ethics and data analysis, which are critical to any marketing role across all channels and sectors.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the International Marketing MSc also offers flexibility thanks to 100 percent online delivery and six start dates a year. The part-time schedule offers additional flexibility allowing students to complete their Masters in a minimum of two years, maximum of four. Giving students the option to pause their studies if they need to take a break at any time and rejoin the course when they can.*

Although the course is taught online, students have access to all the support campus students do. International Marketing MSc (online) student Naylette Di Venere says, “Studying online at Sussex gives you the same benefits as a campus student -- library access, student ID, academic support, it’s literally like being on campus every day. I’m thrilled I chose this option, I feel proud to be a member of the Sussex University community.”

As the value of hands-on, practical learning continues to grow, the International Marketing MSc distinguishes itself by offering students the opportunity to extract situations from their current roles and workplaces for use in case studies throughout the course. This means knowledge acquired in the classroom translates directly to application in the real-world. This is further supported by the online mode of learning; most Masters students are employed while working on their degrees and when they graduate, their degrees can lead to a wide breadth of career opportunities.

While international marketing has its challenges, these are far outweighedby the potential rewards -- both for organizations and the marketing professionals leading them. Postgraduate studies in international marketing at Sussex University lay the groundwork for exciting and successful global careers for students from all over the world.

*Maximum study break applies.

Article written in association with the University of Sussex.