(Professor Aron O’Cass in a tea shop in Esfahan, Iran)

We chat with Department of Marketing, Head of Department, Professor Aron O’Cass, to find out what marketing is really about. 

Work stuff
I’ve been at Macquarie for…
One and a half years.

In a nutshell, my job is to…
As head of the department and an active researcher I focus on steering the new department of marketing toward engaging deeply with students and industry. My research focuses on linking customers and firms through brands and innovative offerings. As a researcher I work at the intersection of market players, especially firms and how they need to innovate to connect and serve customers better. Research studies contributing to this have focused on the service for consumers at the bottom of the pyramid and foster environmental sustainability through innovation.

The question I hear most often in my work is…
“What is marketing really about?” Marketing is more than selling or advertising, it is about connecting organisations and their consumers (governments, hospitals, hotels, manufacturers, etc.) to ensure markets operate effectively and consumers are served well with appropriate products and services that meet their needs.

The top three things on my to-do list today are…
1. Complete the paperwork for a new degree, the Master of Marketing Strategy.
2. Finalise a presentation on employee branding and frontline service encounters.
3. Finalise my reviews for the ARC college and Journal of Service Research.

If I could do any other job at Macquarie (with instant qualifications/knowledge) it would be…
A scientist working on cheap renewable energy for developing countries.

Name a Macquarie staff member who impressed you last week…
The list would be long, but indulging myself two that pop up is my Deputy Head Stephanie Huang and Leonie Tickle AD T&L for their boundless energy and constant engagement in shaping FBE.

I get my campus coffee fix from…
Sorry, I drink tea.

If you were given $50 million to create or build something at Macquarie, what would you do with it?
Programs to bring university education to the poor and disadvantaged.

Personal life
Outside work, you’ll often find me…
Riding my motorbike.

The most amazing place I’ve ever visited is…
Shiraz in Iran.

If I could have dinner with anyone (living or dead) it would be…
Nelson Mandela.

The last great movie I saw was…
Made in America.

In 10 years from now, I hope to be…
Traveling in Italy with family.