Principles of Advertising and Brand Communications

This course will introduce students to the advertising industry. It will include discussions of the structure of the business in its many forms, the history and evolution, social impacts, regulation, research, planning, creative aspects, media planning, strategies, sales promotion, event promotion and the integrated nature of all strategic communication. The course will also cover insights into effective leadership strategies for success in the corporate, marketing and advertising arenas. In the end, the successful student will have a solid understanding of the advertising and marketing industry and its role in society. 

Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Students successfully completing this course will also: 

• Gain a broad understanding of the purpose and function of advertising in the U.S. economic and social systems. 
• Become increasingly aware of the fact that effective advertising is based on substantial research, planning and analytical and creative thinking. 
• Become acquainted with methods and procedures employed in developing the objectives, strategies and tactics employed in an advertising campaign to improve one’s ability to evaluate advertising more objectively. 
• Foster a feeling that advertising is a challenging, demanding and rewarding career field that employs not simply technicians but individuals who are dedicated to professional excellence and moral and ethical responsibility. 
• Become aware of current trends and issues in advertising. 
• Understand how effective leadership can help to drive positive advertising and marketing outcomes.