Consumer insights executive with HGTV and DIY Network Julie Link is bringing her passion for research to West Virginia University Reed College of Media as an instructor in the Integrated Marketing Communications online graduate program.

Link, director of research and consumer insights at Scripps Networks Interactive, currently leads “voice of the viewer” projects on brand health, audience segmentation, program development and new business development across SNI’s portfolio of networks, including HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Travel Channel. Link will join the IMC program faculty and teach the Audience Insight course beginning in January 2016.

According to Link, brands only succeed in today’s marketplace when they can make smart decisions based on a penetrating and discerning understanding of the consumer – a lesson she wants to share with IMC students.

“I have studied what makes consumers tick and translated that for decision-makers for 15 years,” said Link. “My goal is to help students discover the researcher within them and ultimately present consumer insight in a way that unlocks opportunities for companies and brands.”

The Audience Insight course is designed to give students the ideal blend of the academic foundation and field experience they need to be effective consumer storytellers. This core course in the IMC master’s degree program also examines consumer behavior in terms of internal influences, external influences, the consumer decision-making process and consumers and culture.

Link began her career in New York City at E! Networks, rising from sales assistant to research analyst in two years. Seeking a greater challenge, Link accepted a position in SNI’s Research Department as a media research analyst in 2001.�After focusing on building and growing the DIY Network brand, Link now leads the consumer insights program for home, food and travel brands at SNI.

“We are thrilled to welcome Julie to our award-winning IMC faculty team,” said Matthew Cummings, assistant director of online programs for the Reed College of Media. “As a ‘right-brained researcher,’ she will help our students learn how to better use insight on consumer attitudes and behavior to succeed in integrated marketing communications.”

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Link graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications and earned her master’s degree from the IMC program in 2015. She was a fellow in the International Radio and Television Society Summer Fellowship Program in 2000 and also earned the Women in Cable Telecommunication’s Rising Star Award.

In addition to joining the faculty, Link also will serve as a speaker at the IMC program’s INTEGRATE 2016 conference, scheduled for June 3-4 in Morgantown. Details on how to register and more information about the INTEGRATE 2016 conference are available at http://imc.wvu.edu/integrate.

Learn more about the IMC graduate program, faculty and curriculum at http://imc.wvu.edu/.

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CONTACT: Kimberly Walker; WVU Reed College of Media
304.293.5726; Kimberly.Walker@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.