Rohan Panjiar

What is your background and why did you choose Media Ventures to supplement your future endeavors?

I’ve worked in India in digital marketing for an online media startup and brand strategy for a leading brand consultancy. I joined the Media Ventures program to learn about the most developed new media market – the U.S. – and build a strong understanding of agile product development. I am keen on using the learning from the program as well as my previous marketing experience to obtain a product marketing role at a consumer internet company in the U.S.

In a few words, describe your thesis project and what’s been the most challenging/fun aspect so far.

My thesis project is a new Facebook advertising product for Messenger that auto-generates an ad every time a friends recommends a Facebook advertiser’s product. The most challenging aspect is showing the potential of the product to improve conversion rates for advertisers without being able to launch a working prototype of the product. Also there is a lot of activity in the natural language processing and chat bot space!

What are your hobbies and/or what do you do for fun?

I love playing the guitar and played for my band, October,for the last eight years in India. I’ve continued this passion here in Boston by regularly jamming with friends of mine in Berklee College of Music. I also enjoy swimming because it helps me de-stress.

What is your advice for future applicants?

I would advise all future applicants to come into the program with an area of interest – be it a function such as marketing or type of company such as social media networks. The new media and technology landscape is so vast and rapidly changing that it can be difficult to identify your area of interest in a short span of a year.