NewVIC College: My Work Experience Week With Merx Marketing Ltd

By a 19-year-old work experience student figuring it all out..

When I first walked into Merx Marketing Ltd for my work experience week, as part of NewVIC colleges program, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I’d done my research, and I knew they were one of the top marketing strategy companies in London, offering things like digital marketing, branding, content and SEO but experiencing it first-hand was a completely different experience.

Me and the Merx Team

Before I started, I had this vague idea that marketing was basically social media posts and maybe some paid ads, but spending time with the team at Merx showed me it’s way more layered than that. The way they think through everything when creating their posts and blogs about their clients made me realise how much of marketing is actually strategy, and how much of that strategy starts with asking the right questions.

I didn’t expect to become a marketing expert in five days, but I also didn’t expect to get it as much as I now do. This blog isn’t a deep dive into everything Merx offers (you can check their site for that), but more of a reflection on what I learned, how the week felt, and why this experience stood out to me, not just as a student, but as someone figuring out what kind of career I might want.

Find out more about Merx Marketing and their offers

Daniel and my Experience at Merx

Daniel, the Founder of Merx, was one of the people who made me feel most welcome during the week. From day one, he helped me get settled, showed me around, and took the time to explain how things worked in a way that was easy to understand. He was always happy to answer my questions, even the ones I thought were probably a bit basic, which made me feel a lot more confident as the week went on.

He has a calm, thoughtful way of working that sets the tone for the whole place. You can tell that when he says something, people listen and when he expains something, it’s clear, intentional, and actually helpful. That kind of quiet leadership really stood out to me. It creates this environment where people feel trusted and supported, and you can feel that across the whole team.

Even when he was busy, Daniel always took the time to check in and help me understand what was going on, whether it was something small about a tool they were using or how a piece of content fit into a bigger plan.

What It Was Like

The atmosphere at Merx was such a nice surprise. It was focused but calm, people were clearly getting things done, but there wasn’t any stress or tensions in the air. From the moment I arrived, I was properly welcomed. The people at Merx were very keen to introduce me to everyone, talked through the plan for the week, and helped me to understand how they work and run things.

I wasn’t stuck doing odd jobs or silently shadowing, I was invited into conversations, got to read through actual strategies, and even gave input on content ideas that were genuinely considered. They never made me feel like i was just a student doing work experience.

What really stood out was how smoothly everything worked together. Everyone’s work was connected. Everyone was working together to write blogs with SEO in mind, using specific keywords, tone of voice, and messaging based on the overall strategy and also take videos, focus on visuals and design choices followed the same logic too. Nothing was done “just because”, every detail had a purpose and fit into the bigger picture.

It made me realise how good collaboration isn’t about everyone doing the same thing but it’s about people doing what they’re best at, and all working towards the same goal.

And even though I was only there for a few days, I felt included.

Learning How Real Marketing Decisions Are Made

Before this week, I thought strategy was this big, complicated thing but at Merx, they broke it down in a way that actually made sense. Glen and Oliver sat with me and showed me how they build marketing strategies, not just for big campaigns, but even for small things like an Instagram post or a blog.

They walked me through how everything starts with research, before you post anything you need to know who the business is speaking to and what they are about. From that, they create a plan that guides everything else, tone of voice, types of content, topics and which platforms to focus on.

They also showed me how to actually put all of this into practice. I got to play around with apps like Canva and Wix, and saw how content is planned in advance so everything fits together. We went through how to write a blog and how to design social posts that don’t just look nice, but actually get people to engage or click through.

Even simple things, like picking the right headline for a blog, or choosing the right format for the Instagram post, had way more thought behind them than I expected. There was always a reason behind every decision, even if the end result looked casual and effortless.

It made me realise that strategy is basically just knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing. And once you understand that, all the creative stuff starts to feel a lot more meaningful.

Learning How Content Actually Works

Midweek, I spent time with Glen and Oliver and started to understand how much thought goes into writing for brands. It’s not just about making things sound nice but it’s about knowing exactly who you're talking to and what they care about.

One of the things we worked on was brainstorming blog ideas for a client. They showed me how they plan content based on keywords which apparently are really useful for getting the right people to find your content online. I got to write a little paragraph draft for one of the blog topics they were working on. It wasn’t anything huge, but the fact they trusted me to give it a go meant a lot, especially since it was real client work. I always assumed content was just content but this showed me there’s a whole structure behind it.

What stuck with me is that brand writing isn’t about sounding professional or trendy but it’s also about being clear, intentional, and actually helpful. And once you understand who you’re writing for, everything else falls into place.

What Surprised Me Most

What surprised me most was how calm and steady everything felt. With the amount of work Merx handles, I expected a fast-paced, slightly hectic environment but it wasn’t like that at all. Even with a full range of projects on the go, things felt organised and balanced. Everyone worked hard, but at their own pace, and there was a quiet trust across the team that things would get done without the stress.

For the week I was there, I never felt like I was taking up space. I was working alongside people, not just watching from the sidelines. Everyone was open, supportive, and willing to share what they knew. It wasn’t loud or forced and it was just genuine. And that left a really good impression on me. What really stood out to me was how approachable the team was. I could ask anything and they’d take the time to explain it properly. I didn’t once feel like I was asking a “dumb question” or that I had to prove myself.

It didn’t feel like a team just working side by side, it felt like a team growing together. Everyone was learning, improving, sharing things they’d discovered, and supporting each other. And it wasn’t loud or forced, either. It was quiet, steady, genuine which is suprised me the most and its something that left a really good impresion on me

What I’ll Carry With Me From This Week and Final Thoughts

What really stuck with me throughout this whole experience was how much thought goes into everything. Every blog title, every post, even the colour on a website. It made me realise that good marketing is about saying the right thing, in the right way, to the right people.

I also realised how much I enjoy the process of helping people communicate their ideas clearly. Writing, design, and creativity are areas I can definitely see myself exploring more in the future.

But if I’m honest, what I’ll remember most is how included I felt. The team took time to explain things, they asked for my thoughts, and they actually listened. That gave me confidence. It made the idea of working feel less scary and more exciting.

If you’re a business owner thinking, “I need help with my marketing, but I don’t know where to start,” Merx is genuinely worth looking into. They take the time to understand your business, your audience, and create the perfect marketing strategy for you.

And if you’re a student, or someone still figuring out your path, i recommend trying out an experience like this at Merx. Watching tutorials and learning the theory helps, as I have done in NewVIC as a business marketing student, but its much better to have full hand-on experience here at Merx if marketing is a career you want to pursue.

This week gave me a lot of clarity. I learned what good work looks like, what thoughtful leadership feels like, and the kind of team I’d love to be part of one day. And that gave me a better idea of the type of environment i want to work with in the future, the type of people I want to work with and what id want moving on with the future.