Maria Cooper, The Glades

The marketing manager for The Glades still remembers who supported her most

Michelle Daniels (for Tactics UK):  How did you get started in Marketing?

Maria Cooper: I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. After relocating back to Essex when my husband’s job changed, there was an opportunity to join the marketing department at a new retail development called Lakeside Shopping Centre due to open in October 2000 ,working as PA to the then marketing manager. Prior to this, I worked for a bureau in Southampton which provided business services and administrative staff for top London fashion shows.

M.D.: What challenges and frustrations exist in your job?

M.C.: One of the biggest frustrations is to present a proposal to an external party that you believe will have benefits for everyone and not receiving any positive response. You have to work very hard to bring a "brand" on board. When a joint campaign does go ahead, there is an enormous degree of satisfaction. The level of customer service expected by some shoppers can also be frustrating, particularly if what is being requested or complained about is outside your influence.   

M.D.: What are your greatest achievements at work?

M.C.: Obviously being part of the team that opened Lakeside, with nothing like it ever being seen in the South East before. When permanent 10am–10pm trading was introduced, hearing a passenger on a train state "We are going shopping tonight as Lakeside is now open until 10pm" and knowing that it could only have come from our advertising campaign, was an amazing achievement, making the two years taken to introduce the extended trading hours worthwhile.      
More recently, working with the Diamond Trading Company on a campaign that encompassed retailers, schools, customer interaction and a grand finale of a fashion show featuring pieces from the International Diamond Collection, we were able to measure our effectiveness and [enjoy] an increase in jewellery sales of 18.9 percent over a three month period. [That] said it all.

M.D.: Who have been your mentors?

M.C.: I have had two influential mentors over the years. Sarah Harrison, who came over from South Africa to open Lakeside, was extremely creative and knew no boundaries!  Heather Hudson-Oldnall, who followed Sarah in the marketing manager role, taught me to take a more strategic approach and was always interested in my development. I have always been grateful [for that].    

M.D.: What are your future aspirations?

M.C.: Exciting developments are happening at The Glades over the next couple of years, and I would like to think I will be as involved then as I am now. Alternatively, I’ll be working on a script for a soap opera based in a shopping centre, which I have always believed would work.

M.D.: What are your personal strengths and weaknesses?

M.C.: Practicality and a sense of humour [are my strengths]. Weaknesses include being a sucker for a sad story.

M.D.: What was the most difficult time in your career?

M.C.: Getting promoted when my husband had been made redundant.

M.D.: Family Life?  Any children?  Strategies to remain balanced?

M.C.: I have been married for 26 years and have two children. My strategy to remain balanced is "Tomorrow is another day. If it’s gone wrong today, it will look different tomorrow and can be tackled again."

M.D.: Hobbies and interests?

M.C.: Travel plays a big part in my life. During recent years, I have been to Egypt, Mexico, Jamaica, and the USA. When visiting South Africa, going to shopping centres and seeing first-hand their offer and the fantastic environments they have created, was incredible and gave me a chance to pick up some invaluable tips. Entertaining at home also takes up a lot of my time.

M.D.: Best advice to someone who’d like a job like yours?

M.C.: Get as much education as you can and learn all the theories, be creative in your thinking, and then use a practical approach to co-ordinate all elements of the marketing mix. If you don’t have the enthusiasm and buzz, which in turn push you to ensure a campaign is successful, you are definitely in the wrong job.

M.D.: Who is your favourite retailer?

M.C.: John Lewis for the wide range and superb quality and presentation of its merchandise. However, I was particularly impressed by the exciting feel of Selfridges at the Bullring.

M.D.: Do you respond to advertising?

M.C.: Yes I do. I love cosmetic advertising and can easily be persuaded by an image that appears achievable, could almost be a case of "so near yet so far away." I also think the current Special K ad, although humourous, has a theme that sublimely touches the thought process with "I could do that."

M.D.: What do you think is the future of  shopping centres and malls in the UK?

M.C.: With evolving lifestyles and cultures, the convenience for customers of being able to shop late will change the way we all operate, not just out-of-town shopping centres. People today have to work hard and, in the same vein, like to play hard.  As part of the experience of visiting a shopping centre with a good retail mix, nowadays customers also expect to come away with a feel-good factor gained through leisure and entertainment. The expectation is that, as a customer, you should be able to shop and enjoy yourself when you want to. [That’s why] I believe long-term customers will dictate opening hours.