He’s a leading expert on marketing and management, but now London Met lecturer Barry Dwyer has added internet celebrity to his resume.
Date: 11/04/2012
He’s a leading expert on marketing and management, has consulted for companies like Ebay and has five degrees (all done whilst working full-time), but now London Met lecturer Barry Dwyer has added internet celebrity to his resume.
Barry, Senior Lecturer in Management, recently appeared in a video for popular website www.lovemoney.com, in which he explained why brands like Apple and Starbucks enjoy such remarkable success.
“It’s no coincidence that both those companies have their origins in the 1970s on the American west coast”, said Barry. “At that time, there was a real sense of liberation and young, creative people had the time and space to explore ideas. They were having fun, and these businesses grew from that sense of fun and innovation.
“This fresh and creative ethos makes Apple and Starbucks very attractive to customers, especially as they appeal to people in an individual sense.”
For Barry, this approach to business is as vibrant as ever, with London’s Old Street being home to many innovative companies, including www.lovemoney.com itself.
“This is a great time for students to get out there and set up their own businesses”, he said. “There are lots of opportunities for innovative SMEs at the moment, and the so-called ‘Silicon Roundabout’ at Old Street is showing that.”
So how does Barry, who teaches on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses at London Met, prepare his students for the challenges of working in the marketing and business world?
“The key advice I give to my students is to first establish your product, service, or brand – you need something to market. I also encourage them to specialise during their studies. For example, if they’re interested in fashion marketing, I advise them to focus on that so they become experts in their field.”
Barry joined London Met five years ago, having been attracted by the University’s outlook. He said: “I’ve always shared London Met’s belief in social justice, widening participation and the value of education in transforming people’s lives, so I really wanted to join the University. We have an up-to-date curriculum, are at the cutting edge of business, and I’m delighted to be working here.”
Before joining academia, Barry worked for management consultancy firm McKinsey and as a business consultant at The DACG Group. More recently, he has consulted for companies including Ebay, Head4Business, and Credo Reference.
“My main academic and research interest is in how digital technology is changing the way film, media, and associated businesses are marketed and consumed”, he added.