Look, I'm going to be blunt here because everyone else is tiptoeing around it. You've got a Master's in International Business, actual marketing experience in cosmetics and automotive, and you're thinking about spending thousands on yet another course to 'understand the industry'? That's a mistake.
Here's the thing people in luxury don't want to admit - marketing is marketing. The fundamentals don't change whether you're selling a handbag or a CRM platform. Paid search, programmatic, OOH, analytics, it's all the same shit, just different margins and egos. I've seen SaaS marketers jump into CPG, automotive people move into travel retail, and yes, even someone from my old agency land a role at a major fashion house because they knew programmatic better than the brand team did.
That course you're eyeing at ESSEC or IFM? It's a cash grab designed for fresh graduates who don't know better. You're 27 with real experience - you don't need a certificate to validate you. What you need is to look at what those companies are actually hiring for right now. Go on LinkedIn, find the job descriptions, see what skills they're listing. Chances are it's things like 'managing retail media budgets' or 'optimising customer journey analytics' or 'running omnichannel campaigns' - all of which you can do from automotive.
The other angle? Operations. I've watched suppliers pitch into premium retail purely because they understood the logistics better than the brand teams did. That matters way more than knowing the difference between a Birkin and a Kelly.
Stop romanticising luxury marketing. It's still spreadsheets, stakeholder egos, and budget fights - just with better office locations and free samples. If you want in, apply directly, sell your transferable skills, and don't waste money on a diploma that won't get you past HR any faster.
