We don’t know what the future of digital marketing looks like, nobody does, really. You might say it’s all about touch or augmented reality but that’s already happening. What happens next? One of our latest projects will aim to find out by shaping the next big thing.

Over the next two years we will be working with leading marketing agency Clusta, to develop a digital innovation lab within their business. Breaking media firsts is a key part of what Clusta do; this project gives us and the agency a chance to build on these foundations and explore how we can make innovation processes the heart of a creative business.

Can you help shape the future of digital marketing?

The project is being realised through the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships scheme. We are currently recruiting an associate to work with Interactive Cultures and Clusta in developing the lab. The associate will be a recent graduate (or will be about to graduate) who will work day to day within Clusta establishing the lab, and eventually leading a small team of digital innovators, matching new uses of technology to client briefs. The associate will be supported by staff in the Interactive Cultures unit and User Lab at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design.

We are developing a number of KTP projects. If you would like to talk to us about how we could work with your business, through KTP or other approaches, please contact Annette Copper on 0121 331 7280 or email annette.copper@bcu.ac.uk.

Here’s the ad:

The Birmingham Centre for Media & Cultural Research is a rapidly developing centre of research excellence based at Birmingham City University with a community of over thirty academics and research degree students. Centre staff conduct research into all aspects of the media and popular culture, but have a particularly strong reputation in work about the changing form of popular music and radio media.

The research would form part of the work of the Interactive Cultures group, and you would be supervised by Prof Tim Wall Dr Paul Long and Andrew Dubber. Their work in popular music, radio and cultural politics is internationally recognised with both academic and media communities, and you would have the opportunity to be involved in a number of major research and knowledge transfer initiatives including the Music and Radio Innovation and the Music Consumption in the Digital Age projects.

We are offering a three-year, full-time research studentship, linked to our doctoral programme.

The studentship is open to both home and overseas students, although you would be responsible for any fee or living expenses beyond the value of the studentship.

Applications can be made to undertake research degree work in a study relevant to one of the following themes:

• The music industry in the digital age
• Music culture in the digital age
• Radio in the digital age

Applications from any academic background are welcome, but the successful candidate must be able to demonstrate familiarity with the music or radio industries, and the implications of new technologies. We will select the successful candidate primarily upon the quality of their research proposal.

Normally we would look for applicants with a masters degree which included research training, but we welcome non-traditional applications from those with strong industrial backgrounds and experience in research and written communication.

A willingness and ability to contribute to our research community is particularly desirable.

The studentship period will start in March 2010 or as soon as possible thereafter. The studentships will attract a bursary of £13,290 per annum in addition to a waiver of the tuition fees up to the home student rate of £3,390. Successful candidates will usually be expected to participate in the wider activities of the research centre, and there may be opportunities for an additional paid research assistant or teaching role for up to 180 hours per year.

How to apply

Complete and submit the ‘Application for Research Degree Course’ form which should include a research degree proposal of no more than 600 words. We may ask you to supply more information if you are selected for interview. Please indicate that you are applying for the research studentship in popular music and radio in the digital age, or we may inadvertently treat your application as one simply for our research degree programme.

The final closing date is Monday 1st March 2010 but we will select appropriate candidates for interview as applications arrive.

You should return the completed application form to:

Dr John Mercer
Research Degree Coordinator, Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research, Birmingham City University, Perry Barr, Birmingham B42 2SU

Or via email to: john.mercer@bcu.ac.uk

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