Ella Marx works as a creative conceptualizer at the digital agency oddity. The Communication Science graduate loves developing crossmedia communication concepts for “her” clients. To do so, she regularly draws on knowledge gained during her studies.
Her Tips
Just go sit in on one or two lectures - where else will you get a better idea of what the program is like?
Get in contact with students and alumni - e.g. through the Fachschaft or social media.
Supplement theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
Stay calm - a bad grade isn’t the end of the world. What is much more important is really getting to know the material.
Digital Creative Concept oddity GmbH, Stuttgart
Studies at the University of Hohenheim 2012-2014
Communication Science, B.Sc. (today B.A.)
Job
What are typical activities for you in your job?
I do a lot of different things all with the same goal: creating a holistic and crossmedia communication concept. We make concepts for campaigns, but also for market introductions or rebrandings, for example. First we gather all the information from the client in a briefing, which we then use for the conceptualization followed by research and analysis. That’s when I use what I learned during my studies: How do I evaluate data and analyze my target group?
“Open your mind! - For a concept to really turn into something good, I’m constantly talking to colleagues.”
Then I move to the creative and conceptual design: We develop new formats and ideas and look into what other brands are doing in the area. To do that, we maintain a dialogue between the conceptualizers and designers and bring a lot of different perspectives into the concept.
Then we present our ideas to the client - so that they are understandable, visually appealing, and emotionally tangible. A lot of my work goes into these presentations.
When did you decide on your career?
For my first job, it felt a little bit like when I was picking my specialization subjects at school: by process of elimination and based on my gut feeling. I always wanted to work in a company whose values went along with mine - after all, I have to represent it in my communication. With oddity, I’m lucky in that I can identify very well both with the agency’s values and my client’s values.
What is the best thing about your job?
Especially the team work! But also the freedom and diversity. No day is the same as the last, but long-term projects still give me some continuity.
“Choosing a career felt a little bit like choosing specialization subjects in school.”
Studies
Why the University of Hohenheim? And why Communication Science?
After school, I took a long time to decide: Psychology or Communication Science? I applied for both degree programs all over Germany. Hohenheim’s Communication Science program was one of my favorites. There were a few things that convinced me to choose it: the curriculum and student’s impressions but also the University’s very personal and detailed admission letter and the beautiful campus.
What were your studies like?
Back then I already thought that I might later go into corporate communication, especially online and digital communication. So I chose to specialize in online communication and picked a few complementary marketing courses. I also thought it was important to gain practical experience during my studies: with internships, working student jobs, and volunteer work. And that all reinforced the idea that I would prefer to work in online marketing than classic press and public relations work.
What surprises and challenges were there during your studies?
I might have been a little naive at the start of my studies: I thought that afterwards I would be automatically, perfectly prepared for professional life. But you really need to become active yourself and complement the theoretical knowledge from your studies with practical experience from the professional world.
When I think back on my studies in Hohenheim, I think of...
