"Trying new things opens opportunities for growth, readiness to overcome limitations, and discovery of hidden potential" says Palm Punnavich Lungsuwan, a student from School of Business Administration, Digital Marketing major, and a member of Junior Marketing Association of Thailand (J-MAT) Batch 40. This project creates a network of new-generation marketers by gathering talented students from across the country to join the project management team for a full year.
The Beginning of Self-Discovery
For students or those interested in marketing, you've likely seen or heard of the J-MAT project, as it's one of the Marketing Association of Thailand's initiatives that has run for over 34 batches. Similarly for Palm, in his final year of undergraduate studies, he stepped out of his comfort zone by applying to J-MAT Next Gen 40. "I wanted to try something new, even though I had extensive competition experience both within and outside the university. Being part of a national project for a full year was a new challenge for me."
From Competitor to Organizer
"The inspiration began when my friends and I participated in the first J-MAT Brand Planning Competition and made it to the final pitching round, which was a national brand-building competition. Meeting J-MAT seniors at the event and seeing their professional event management impressed me, making me want to become part of this team."
Intensive Selection Process Leading to Exponential Growth
Out of applicants nationwide, only 88 people were selected for J-MAT Batch 40. Everyone had to go through an intensive Boot Camp with J-MAT alumni sharing experiences and knowledge through various workshops. "After Boot Camp, I chose to work in Data Visualization within the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) team, responsible for analyzing data from the Data Collection team and creating reports or dashboards for the Data-Driven Campaign team to develop targeted campaigns. Other future J-MAT activities like Marketing Trainee, J-MAT Award, or J-MAT Next Gen are also challenging platforms waiting for us to showcase our potential."
Integrating Classroom Knowledge into Real Practice
"For me, knowledge from studying Digital Marketing provides an essential foundation for quickly understanding marketing challenges. Experience from working on real cases in class and learning from industry experts gave me a solid foundation. Beyond data management skills that I can apply in real work, joining J-MAT has opened opportunities to learn about other departments, develop teamwork skills, and build networks with peers nationwide."
Breaking Personal Limitations
"During university, I rarely took roles in group work because I was shy, but working with talented peers in J-MAT helped me develop exponentially. From someone who was hesitant to express himself, I became ready to learn and try everything. Upon completing the project, we receive a certificate confirming our course completion, which will be an important stepping stone towards a future marketing career."
