Industry collaboration in action: Wales Perfumery and Cardiff Business School MSc students
Real-world marketing insights through industry engagement
At Cardiff Business School, industry collaboration is pivotal in equipping students with practical experience.
A recent partnership with Wales Perfumery provided master’s students with an invaluable opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to a real business challenge, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
From guest lecture to hands-on project
Dr Zoe Lee, Programme Director of Strategic and Digital Marketing (MSc) at Cardiff Business School, explains how the collaboration began:
“The guest lecture is an industry-led session designed to expose students to real business challenges. This year, we were fortunate to have Wales Perfumery provide an in-depth look into how heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation come together in the perfume industry.
This engaging session helped to enrich students' understanding of how to build strong brands and explored branding challenges. What started as a guest lecture evolved into a project where students were tasked with developing a culturally relevant brand strategy to appeal to Gen Z consumers.
This project encouraged creative problem-solving that mirrors the complexities of the real business environment. It helped to develop students as better brand managers of the future.”
Student perspectives: a meaningful learning experience
Grace Dawson emphasised the project’s practical benefits:
“Working on a real business for our case study really enhanced my strategic thinking and decision-making skills. We had to ensure our campaign idea aligned with the brand’s identity while staying within budget, making the experience both challenging and rewarding.
This experience has been one of the key takeaways from my master's so far and will really benefit me when creating and executing future marketing and branding campaigns. It’s also a great topic to discuss in future job interviews!”
Kayleigh Enriquez shared:
“I was initially drawn to Wales Perfumery because of the story behind the brand. It compelled me to want to create something that would enhance their offering. We focused on brand equity, positioning, and consumer behaviour among Gen Z.
Working on a real business case enhanced my understanding of marketing, as it highlighted the reality of varied budgeting options and captured the true challenge of cultivating an intricate and strategic plan for the brand without harming its current equity and image.”
Joanne Shaddick echoed this sentiment:
“Having the founder of Wales Perfumery present her company and share her passion was inspiring. Having a 'live' project to work on meant we had to make sure that everything we suggested was practical and could realistically be implemented.
Knowing that our recommendations could have real impact motivated us to make sure our presentation was polished and professional. This experience has been fantastic preparation for a future career in marketing.”
Employer perspective: the benefits of engaging with students
Louise, the founder of Wales Perfumery, has a strong connection with Cardiff Business School, having previously participated in the school’s Help to Grow: Management Course.
Commenting on her guest lecture and the student project, she said:
“I really enjoy engaging with students in an academic setting. In my previous working life in the pharmaceutical world, I would deliver presentations to university students and I always found this the most rewarding part of my job. The Help to Grow course I completed last December, created that feeling of partnership and working together to achieve more.
The students have been very engaging, I always hoped that sharing my journey as an entrepreneur would encourage anyone to believe in themselves and to think outside the box. It was great to share information on the Niche Perfumery industry and the growing trends in the UK and globally.
There were many standouts from engaging with the students, they are of course seeing things from a different perspective. They are up to date with marketing trends and brand development, we really loved the feedback and insight they provided. We are working to implement some of these ideas and hopefully partnering with a placement student.”
The power of industry collaboration
This partnership demonstrates the mutual benefits of industry engagement. Students gain practical experience, develop problem-solving skills, and build industry connections, while businesses receive innovative insights and fresh perspectives on their brand strategy.
Find out more
Wales Perfumery
Wales Perfumery blends heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation to create bespoke perfumes inspired by the Welsh landscape. Founded by Louise after a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, the perfumery prides itself on producing high-quality fragrances made in Wales.
Cardiff Business School
We’re an AACSB International and AMBA-accredited business school with a clear public value purpose: to make a positive impact in the communities of Wales and the world.
Contact us
School Office- Phone: +44 (0)29 2087 4674
Course queries
Make an enquiryVisit Cardiff Business School
Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Aberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU
Connect with us
