ArgosyUniversity

COURSE SYLLABUS

B6320

Integrated Marketing Communications

Faculty Name: James A. Ramos, Ph.D.

Campus: Chicago

Contact Information: r 917.517.9501

Office Hours: Immediately after class or by appointment

Short Faculty Bio:

Dr. Ramos began his career in advertising, planning the media and negotiating advertising space prices for clients, which included, Benetton, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Prudential Securities, Pedigree Dog Food, Sheba Cat Food, Roman Meal Bread, and Tanqueray Gin. He also worked at NBC on projects to streamline communication with viewers, employees, and the press. Dr. Ramos has a keen interest in online consumer behavior, product placement, and new media and marketing tactics. He is a firm believer in collaborative learning. Dr. Ramos earned his Ph.D. in Mass Media from the Department of Advertising at MichiganStateUniversity, his M.A. in Communication Management from the AnnenbergSchool for Communication at the University of Southern California, and his B.A. in Communication from the Department of Communication and Media Studies at FordhamUniversity.

Course Pre-requisites: None

Required Textbook:

  • Clow, K. E., Baack, D. E. (2007) Integrated advertising, promotion, and marketing communications. (3/e). Prentice Hall. 0-13-186622-2

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office; Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 7.5 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Program Outcomes:

  1. Communication
  2. Oral/Written – Present business information orally and in writing using appropriate technology that is concise, clear, organized, supported, and persuasive in a professional manner appropriate to the business context
  3. Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
  4. Critical Thinking– Incorporate and synthesize information, theory, and practice in order to implement appropriate business actions
  5. Problem Solving/Decision Making – Given a business situation, diagnose the underlying causes of the situation, evaluate possible solutions, and determine and defend appropriate course of action
  6. Information Literacy– Access information from a variety of sources, evaluate the credibility of the sources, and apply that information to solve business problems
  7. Team
  8. Leadership – Describe the requirements of team members and leaders to work effectively and creatively in achieving team goals
  9. Collaboration – Collect, categorize, and consider the views of all stakeholders
  10. Ethics
  11. Ethics – Identify the ethical principles related to personal and corporate behavior in specific business situations and explains the potential consequences
  12. Diversity
  13. Diversity – Identify the impact of both cultural and economic factors on the modern enterprise and explain the potential consequences
  14. Analysis/Application
  15. Applied Technology– Select and defend business technology solutions to typical business problems
  16. Integration– Describe the interrelationship of the functional business areas of statistics, accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and strategy within the context of specific organizational goals

Concentration

Marketing

  1. Strategic Market Planning & Application
  2. Given a specific product, analyze the essential elements of a successful marketing plan

Course Objectives:

  1. Given a marketing situation analysis describe the advantages of planning for an effective IMC campaign vs. an advertising campaign alone
  2. Given a selection of media options identify the advantages of a particular media mix to reach a target audience
  3. Given a case study on customer relationship management explain reasons for success or failure of the program
  4. Given the image objectives of a brand or firm, discuss the use of public relations to effectively reach these objectives
  5. Given a review of a brand’s web site, evaluate the depth of its integration into IMC effort

ClassTimetable:

  • This term begins on Thursday 2/28 and ends on Saturday 4/19.
  • Our class will be conducted 100% on-ground.
  • Our class meets on Tuesdays from 6-10PM.
  • Our fist class meeting, therefore, is on Tuesday 3/4.
  • Our last class meeting, therefore, is on Tuesday 4/15.
  • The following is the complete schedule of class meeting:
  • Module One = 3/4
  • Module Two = 3/11
  • Module Three = 3/18
  • Module Four = 3/25
  • Module Five = 4/1
  • Module Six = 4/8
  • Module Seven = 4/15
  • Module Eight = No class meeting

Assignments deadlines:

You may work on assignments ahead, but you are expected to submit them, per the instructions within the assignment list, IN THE WEEK stated. The assignments for a particular week are due no later than Day 7 of that module. Any student needing an exception to this policy must request permission from the professor. Assignments should be sent via email to: jaramos@argosy. The following are assignment deadlines by module:

  • Module One assignments are due via email by Wednesday 3/5
  • Module Two assignments are due via email by Wednesday 3/12
  • Module Three assignments are due via email by Wednesday 3/18
  • Module Four assignments are due via email by Wednesday 3/25
  • Module Five assignments are due via email by Wednesday 4/2
  • Module Six assignments are due via email by Wednesday 4/9
  • Module Seven assignments are due via email by Wednesday 4/16
  • Module Eight assignments are due via email by Saturday 4/19
  • Do note that no work will be accepted for grading past the last day of the term (Saturday, 4/19/2008, at 11:59PM CT).

Late Policies:

Assignments

  • Assignments may be up to seven days late from their original deadline without penalty
  • Assignments more than seven dayslate from their original deadline will be penalized 10%
  • Assignments more than fourteen dayslate from their original deadline will be penalized 20%
  • All assignments must be submitted before the close of the term (Saturday, 4/19/2008, at 11:59PM CT)

Final project

  • All final projects must be submitted before the close of the term (Saturday, 4/19/2008, at 11:59PM CT)

For all assignments please note you should:

  • Address all parts of this assignment specifically
  • Present clear rationale in support of for your positions
  • Base your rationale, at the least,on material from the textbook.
  • Feel free to base your rationale in supplemental information you obtain from sources other than the textbook (e.g., books, articles, monographs, and/or web sites)
  • Note all sources using APA citation format

Assignment Table

Module / Module Topics / Readings / Assignments
1 /
  • Integrated Marketing Communication campaigns and Consumer Buying Process
/
  • Chapter1: Integrated Marketing Communication
  • Chapter 3: Buyer Behavior
/ Thought Assignment: Trends impacting IMC
Examine trends impacting IMC discussed in the text and supplemental information you obtain from sources other than the textbook (e.g., books, articles, monographs, and/or web sites) Respond to all of the following questions:
1. Which two trends impacting IMC do you believe can have the most influence on IMC campaigns?
2. Why do you believe these two trends impacting IMC do you believe can have the most influence on IMC campaign?
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 2 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
Written Assignment:The Consumer Purchasing Process
The Consumer Purchasing Process has five stages (Problem recognition, Information search, Evaluation of alternatives, Purchase decision, Postpurchase evaluation). With this in mind, respond to all of the following questions:
1. Describe how a firm can use marketing communication to inform and influence consumers at each stage.
2. Include a personal example for each stage in which you discuss how an IMC effort influenced you.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 3 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
2 /
  • Advertising and Media selection
/ Chapter 8: Advertising Media Selection / Thought Assignment:
Read: Hatcher, K. (2005). Context planning: The Door to media’s future. Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications, 2005, 37-42. Access at:
After reading the article on context planning, please consider the many reasons discussed for the rise in popularity of context planning for media efforts. Then respond to all of the following questions:
1. Discuss the one reason for the rise in popularity of context planning that you believe is best addressed through context planning. Be sure to explain WHY you believe that it is best addressed through context planning.
2. Discuss the one reason for the rise in popularity of context planning that you believe is least addressed through context planning. Be sure to explain WHY you believe that it is least addressed through context planning.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 2 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
Written Assignment:
Message processing is more likely when an individual is exposed to a brand’s advertisements from a variety of media. Effective media strategy, therefore, includes a media mix selected to achieve multiple exposures. Considering this respond to all of the following questions:
1. Choose one of your favorite brands and over a five day period document where and how you were exposed to its advertising messages. What did you find?
2. Was this an effective media mix?
3. What media do you believe would be suited for the campaign that you did not encounter? Be sure to consider the advantages and drawbacks to each media type discussed in the text.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 3 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
3 /
  • Promotions
/
  • Chapter 9: Trade Promotions
  • Chapter 10: Consumer Promotions
/ Thought Assignment:
Visit the web site of the Trade Promotion Management Association (TPMA) ( Then respond to all of the following questions:
1. Discuss the various services offered through the TPMA
2. Explain how each of these services is advantageous to its membership.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 2 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
Written Assignment:
Despite having extremely low redemption rates, coupons remain one of the most popular form of consumer promotions. Recently web sites specializing in coupons have created large depositories of promotional opportunities for consumers. Visit one of the sites listed below that specializes in coupons:
  • Ever Save (
  • Cool Savings (
  • Smart Source (
  • Valpak (
  • Coupons (
  • Coupon Country (
Respond to all of the following questions:
1. What’s available through this site?
2. How does this site affect consumers? Discuss in specific detail.
3. How does this site affect manufactures? Discuss in specific detail.
4. How does this site affect retailers? Discuss in specific detail.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 3 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
4 /
  • Personal selling, Database Marketing, and Customer Relationship Management
/
  • Chapter 11: Personal selling, Database Marketing, and Customer Relationship Management
/ Thought Assignment:
Respond to all of the following questions:
1. What are the major reasons that CRM programs fail?
2. Which of these reasons do you believe is the easiest to prevent? Discuss WHY it is the easiest to prevent in specific detail.
3. Which of these reasons do you believe is the most challenging to prevent? Discuss WHY it is the most challenging to prevent in specific detail.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 2 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
Written assignment:
Respond to all of the following questions:
1. Describe the frequency/loyalty program of one major international airline carrier.
2. Describe the frequency/loyalty program of one major domestic airline carrier.
3. Describe the frequency/loyalty program of one major budget airline carrier.
4. Explain where these various programs are most different?
5. What might this suggest about the information trying to be gathered by the carrier?
6. Which is the best program? Why?
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 4 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
5 /
  • Public Relations and Sponsorship programs
/
  • Chapter 12: Public Relations, Sponsorship programs, and Regulations
/ Thought Assignment:
Nonprofit organizations typically have one or more corporate sponsors. Considering this respond to all of the following questions:
1. Visit the web site of two major nonprofits (e.g., American Cancer Society, or National Wildlife Federation,
2. Describe who sponsors these organizations?
3. What does each organization gain from its sponsorships?
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 2 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
Written Assignment:
Respond to all of the following questions:
1. Choose one of your favorite brands.
2. Visit the brand’s web siteto get a sense of its current marketing communication efforts.
3. Read trade press articles to get a sense of its current marketing communication efforts.
4. List and support three ways you would use cause-related marketing to build customer loyalty for this brand. Be sure to describe how these proposals might be integratedinto the brand’s current marketing communication efforts.
5. List and support three ways you would use green-marketing to build customer loyalty for this brand. Be sure to describe how these proposals might be integratedinto the brand’s current marketing communication efforts.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 4 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
6 /
  • Internet and new media
/
  • Chapter 13: Internet Marketing
/ Written Assignment:
Respond to all of the following questions:
1. Visit the web site of any company in the top ten of the Fortune 500 list.
2. Discuss the site’s effectiveness at presenting an overall message/theme.
3. Then analyze how well this company is doing at integrating its advertising and other marketing communications with their Web site.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 3 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
7 /
  • Planning IMC campaigns
/
  • Review Chapter1: Integrated Marketing Communication
/ Thought Assignment:
Consider the four stages in cultivating an IMC System, then respond to all of the following questions:
1. Explain which of the four stages in cultivating an IMC System you believe would be most difficult to implement.
2. Discuss WHY you believe this stage would be most difficult to implement.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 2 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
Written Assignment:
Respond to all of the following questions:
Explain the principles that make campaign planning for IMC different from campaign planning for traditional advertising.
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 3 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.
8 /
  • Evaluating IMC programs
/
  • Chapter 15: Evaluating an Integrated Marketing Program
/ Thought Assignment:
Respond to all of the following questions:
1. In evaluating the effectives of an IMC campaign, how important are sales figures?
2. What weight should be given to hard data like redemption rates and store traffic?
3. How important are behavioral measures?
Note:
a. Length: This assignment should be at the least 3 pages double spaced (not including cover page or reference page)
b. Citation and references: Be sure to link your responses to the course readings, particularly the course’s text. Drawing these links helps to support your answers and demonstrates your broader critical evaluation of this assignment in the context of our overall learning journey. Remember...quotations and paraphrasing from the text are the best means to demonstrate your critical consideration of this topic. Please cite all of your sources (including the textbook) using APA format.

Grading Criteria