Fresh out of graduating from GIS’ MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing programme, Daniel Cahill landed a role as Marketing Executive at Stadium MK, the home of great events in Milton Keynes.

Here, he shares what he gets up to on a daily basis and how GIS helped him get there…

Tell us about your role as Marketing Executive at Stadium MK and what it involves. 

My role as a Marketing Executive at Stadium MK has seen me work on a variety of campaigns in a fast-paced environment. As part of a small marketing department, my role is mostly oriented around fan engagement, utilising a variety of channels to communicate with the community.

At Stadium MK I manage the social media channels across all platforms creating and planning content to engage with the different audience groups, from football to events and large scale concerts to food.

My role has also involved planning and strategizing many campaigns, from kit launches with videos to restaurant promotions using paid campaigns and email marketing. My role also expands to writing, where I regularly create articles and press releases for Stadium MK channels as well as MK Dons FC channels.

What have you achieved in the role so far that you’re most proud of?

I have a number of achievements iwhich I am proud of, one of which is my involvement in the recent UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 tournament. I worked alongside UEFA to promote, market and create content for a record-breaking tournament. I am also proud of my work on the recent Women’s Season Ticket campaign which saw a record number of Season Ticket sales for the MK Dons Women’s team.

What have you brought into the role from your MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing programme? 

I would like to think I have provided additional touch points for fans to engage with and gather information with the club/stadium. For example, I introduced the ‘Young Dons Hub’, an area where young fans can engage online with activities and exclusive content through the website.

I have also realised the importance of engaging with fans outside of their visit to the stadium, as I regularly create information streams regarding their visit. During my time, Stadium MK has seen increased levels of engagement online which has been noted in reporting and analysis post campaign as well as ongoing reporting.

During your degree, you worked as a Media Officer at York City FC. How did you find this role and how important do you think it was for landing your current job?

I found this role via a mutual connection on LinkedIn, who I messaged regarding the role. In my opinion it’s important to get yourself out there and build connections with like-minded people. I believe, during my time in the role, I further developed my skills learnt on my course by using them in practice. Every step on my career path has helped to benefit me in some way to get me to where I am today. I would recommend for anyone to pursue a part-time role whilst studying.

What was your favourite module that you studied and why?

I honestly enjoyed all my modules, but if was to select one it would be Public Relations and Crisis Management. The module was extremely enjoyable as we touched on interesting issues as well as the tutors giving first-hand experience of the subject, which was extremely beneficial. Although this is a module which does not directly involve my current role, I believe it has provided me with valuable insights and knowledge for my ever-evolving career.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to study at GIS?

For anyone studying at GIS, I would encourage students to make the most of your time. Make friends and take time to meet as many students as possible, on and off your course.

I would also recommend students to utilise the expert tutors to the best of the ability. I found the tutors to be experts in their field with first-hand experience which can be beneficial for any student. That is what in my opinion makes GIS stand out, the tutors are experts in the specific field you are studying, which is rare.