University of Technology Sydney

57217 Contemporary Advertising Practice

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Communication: Strategic Communication
Credit points: 8 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 57131 Inventive Media Advertising

Description

In this subject, students survey major approaches in contemporary advertising including digital advertising in online media, social networks, and keyword purchasing in search engines. Students develop an understanding of current advertising practices that are based on data mining and analysis and they review methods such as programmatic advertising and personalised advertising that analyses demographic and psychographic data collected from 'target' consumers. They identify ethical approaches and investigate challenges in the process of this data collection and its use. Students examine case studies and engage in practical exercises to understand the development of creative advertising ideas through research and analysis of advertising problems, with development of creative advertising solution tools that lead to creative ideation and its evaluation. Students gain experience in presenting ideas for advertising and integrated social media campaigns under professional conditions.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Understand the nature of the consumer relationship with advertising media
b. Use relevant theories and conceptual frameworks
c. Distinguish between effective and ineffective advertising and media use
d. Produce a campaign relevant to an audience in a variety of media channels
e. Present work collaboratively

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

  • Apply a body of practice-oriented knowledge and skills to develop, implement and evaluate innovative solutions to real-world communication challenges with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability (1.1)
  • Graduates are able to continually develop the multi-media skills that are required to remain current in professional practice (1.2)
  • Plan and execute a substantial body of research (2.1)
  • Critically and creatively re-think and reflect on public relations, advertising and organisational change models and practices for the 21st century beyond dominant models and approaches (2.2)
  • Locate, gather, organise and synthesise information across diverse platforms to guide their mastery of contemporary communication issues and challenges (2.3)
  • Graduates are able to persuade and engage diverse audiences through both written and oral communication strategies across a range of media formats with consideration of others' needs and views (6.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

Taught in block and online modes, this subject draws on a variety of teaching and learning strategies. It includes workshops, guest lecturers, in-field research and team work and class presentation of ideas that employ a range of research methodologies and require a critical analysis of professional practice, utilising academic and professional literatures. These activities will necessarily involve independent learning supported by a discussion board on UTSOnline. Formative feedback on assessment preparation for advertising media and creative ideation approaches will be provided during class sessions and online.

Content (topics)

The subject will include the influence of media fragmentation on the growth of incidence of advertising; analysis of the new media landscape and implications for advertising; understanding consumer behaviour and relationships with media analysis of types of media and their usages; the development of interactive media and consumers’ evolving behaviour towards it and the methods that are being used to curtail advertising, be that pressure from government or software programs designed to block it. The processes of critical thinking around idea generation in advertising, including theories that surround building brands through advertising communications. Techniques and tools for creative thinking; campaign development; the analysis of creativity in ideas; approaches in execution, and the influence of the media on idea generation, creative execution and channel migration will be investigated.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Advertising Media Experiential Report

Objective(s):

a, b and c

Weight: 30%
Length:

2000 + progressive spreadsheet of 200 advertising instances

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Insightfulness of observations across advertising data and media channels 20 a 1.1
Creativeness of data selection and application of critical variables 20 b 2.3
Depth of analysis of selected advertisements using advertising frameworks 20 c 2.1
Recognition of factors influencing advertising effectiveness 20 c 1.2
Breadth of academic literature 20 b 1.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Creative Advertising and Integrated Campaign Idea

Objective(s):

c and d

Weight: 40%
Length:

Creative expositions + 350 word creative rationale and group creative brief

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Clarity of the problem advertising can solve 25 c 1.1
Understanding of the USP and offer differentiation 25 d 1.1
Originality of the Big Idea and advertising solution 25 d 2.3
Level of integration of creative idea across media channels 25 c 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Integrated Advertising Campaign Presentation and Critical Reflection

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d and e

Weight: 30%
Length:

10 minutes

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Clarity and logic of structure of presentation 20 c 1.2
Depth of understanding and articulation of the advertising problem 20 b 2.2
Completeness of integration of Big Idea across media 20 a 6.1
Professionalism in presenting a sales pitch (using notes to a minimum) 20 d 2.3
Demonstration of ability to work in a group through individual critical reflection 20 e 2.3
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Submission of assessment tasks

In this subject assessment tasks are cumulative so that each task builds understanding and/or skills, informed by formative feedback. Consequently, all assessments must be submitted in order for students to receive feedback. Students who do not submit all assessments will not pass the subject.

Attendance

Attendance at classes is essential in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. An attendance roll will be taken at each class. Where possible, students should advise the tutor in a timely manner if they are unable to attend. Students must attend a minimum of 9 of 11 classes, or a minimum equivalent of 80% of their contact hours (see additional information for additional details). Students who fail to meet this attendance requirement will, in the case of an individual final assessment task, be refused the marking of their final assessment; or, in the case of a group/team final assessment task, be penalised 20% of their earned overall mark for the subject.

Required texts

Belch, G. & Belch, M. 2018, Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, 11th Edition, Irwin.


Hopkins, C. 2015. Scientific Advertising, Createspace available at UTS online under the subject.

References

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Alalwan, A.A. 2018, Investigating the impact of social media advertising features on customer purchase intention. International Journal of Information Management, 42, p. 65-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.06.001

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Barry, P. 2008, The Advertising Concept Book: Think Now, Design Later: A Complete Guide to Creative Ideas, Strategies And Campaigns, Thames & Hudson, NY.

Belz, F., & Peattie, K. 2012, Sustainability Marketing, J. Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

Bowen, S.A. 2013, Using Classic Social Media Cases to Distill Ethical Guidelines for Digital Engagement, Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 28(2), p. 119-133, DOI: 10.1080/08900523.2013.793523

Brettel, M., Reich, J-C., Gavilanes, J.M., & Flatten. T.C. 2015. What Drives Advertising Success on Facebook? An Advertising-Effectiveness Model. Measuring the Effects on Sales Of “Likes”and Other Social-Network Stimuli. DOI: 10.2501/JAR-55-2-162-175

Burtenshaw, K., Mahon, N. & Barfoot, C. 2006, The Fundamentals of Creative Advertising, AVA, Lausanne.

Calder. B.J., Malthouse, E.C.,. & Schaedel, U. 2009, An Experimental Study of the Relationship between Online Engagement and Advertising Effectiveness. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 23(4), p.321-331

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Corstjens, J. (1990), Strategic Advertising: A Practitioner’s Handbook. Heinemann Professional, Oxford, pp.72-83.

de Haan, E., Wiesel, T., & Pauwels, K. 2016, The effectiveness of different forms of online advertising for purchase conversion in a multiple-channel attribution framework. International Journal of Research in Marketing, Volume 33, Issue 3, September 2016, Pages 491-507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2015.12.001

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Harrison, R., Newholm, T., & Shaw, D. (eds). 2005, The Ethical Consumer, Sage Publications, London.

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