5 TED Talks To Inspire Online Marketing Degree Students

Working on an online marketing degree and looking for some fun, engaging perspective? These five TED Talks provide both information and inspiration.

Hard to believe, but TED Talks have been around now for more than 30 years. The nonprofit started in 1984 as a conference that covered topics in Technology, Entertainment and Design, but today has spread to just about every subject imaginable.

Including marketing.

The marketing field never stands still. From product development or research to consumer behavior or communications, staying both creative and current requires hard work.

Every new and rising marketer needs regular injections of both information and inspiration

If you're enrolled in an online marketing degree program, check out these TED Talks for ideas on how to be more creative and keep the right mindset. They're sure to inspire you as well as give you some new insights into the field to help you become a marketing rock star.

1. What physics taught me about marketing

It takes an unconventional perspective to use physics to explain marketing principles, but Dan Cobley, a marketing director at Google, makes a strong connection between the two seemingly unrelated fields. In his TED Talk, Cobley discusses several important marketing topics for students and professionals alike, such as ideal brand size, navigating a fluid brand and using analytics to better understand consumer behavior.

(7:38)

2. How to manage for collective creativity

Leaders at some of the most innovative organizations – like Pixar and Google – emphasize teamwork and collaboration to solve problems instead of relying on a single point person. This collective creativity approach is what Linda Hill, Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, has focused on for years.

In her talk, Hill shares her findings from studying highly innovative organizations, noting that the best solutions are developed through little moments coming together over time versus one grand "aha!" moment.

(17:17)

3. The happy secret to better work

Success at work and in life boils down to a positive frame of mind, according to Shawn Achor, a psychologist and CEO of Good Think Inc. He gives a fun and enlightening talk about how happiness can lead to great achievements. The basic message: when you are positive and happy, you are more productive. That extra bump in productivity will help you stand out and give you a chance to go wherever your heart desires.

(12:20)

4. How to build your creative confidence

Being creative takes courage, especially when someone tears down an idea in which you are invested. David Kelley, founder of legendary design firm IDEO, uses this TED Talk to inspire people who might not consider themselves creative. He says fear of being judged can stifle creativity, but that once individuals build confidence, the ideas can fly and people can work on the things that are really important in their lives.

(11:46)

5: How to make choosing easier

Psycho-economist Sheena Iyengar goes against the traditional idea that more choices make happier consumers during her TED Talk. Years of studying consumer behavior has shown that consumers are often overwhelmed by the enormous number of options available today, many times leading to less-than-ideal decisions. She suggests four ways that organizations can help consumers and their businesses, and they all revolve around the notion that less is more.

(16:05)

These are just a few of the great marketing-related TED Talks available. Do you have any other favorites?

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