Spring, 2015
COMM 3630 - Absolute CommunicationT,H / 10:45 AM - 12:05 PM LNCO 2950
Instructor: William Payton
Email:
Phone: 801.836.7304
Class Overview:
Welcome to Absolute Communication! The goal of this class is to offer the unique experience of learning the operations of an advertising agency while performing work for an actual client. The first lecture each week is focused on discussion and review of strategic communication concepts (and specific campaigns), while the second class is devoted purely to a project that you and a group of students, your team, will complete for a local client.
The project will be an excellent opportunity for you to apply the principles you have learned in school thus far, and provide a powerful piece of work to add to your portfolio. You will also benefit from working with your team as this is reflective of a “real-world” agency. These will help you prepare to successfully interview for a job position.
This class will require that you:
· Create a resume
· Create or add to your portfolio by
· Creating an advertising campaign for a client and then presenting it to the client
Class time will be focused on the requirements. This focus will include coverage of specialty areas outlined in the class schedule. The class will be enjoyable and rewarding if you engage in it.
Objectives:
1. To understand the roles strategic communication, advertising, public relations, campaigns
3. To learn how to develop a strategic campaign
4. To develop a strategic campaign for an organization
5. To learn and demonstrate oral presentation abilities
6. To demonstrate the ability to present ideas in a well-written and professional document
7. To demonstrate the ability to work as part of a group
8. Prepare for my career
Text:
There is no assigned textbook for this class. Readings will be assigned, and will be provided through Canvas, but no book will have to be purchased. Enjoy your extra cash. Topics will be presented and submitted for discussion and elaboration IN CLASS, so plan to attend each day. Readings must be completed prior to class. There will likely be an occasional quiz prior to the discussion.
Attendance:
The easiest way to pass this course is to show up for class. Class discussions are designed to help you learn the proper format and steps necessary to complete your individual client campaigns. Two absences for the semester will be excused, and any additional absences will result in a 10 point deduction from your individual final project grade per absence. After 5 total absences you will fail the class. Leaving class early also counts as an absence. Contact me by email PRIOR to class if an emergency arises. Exceptions will be made at my discretion.
Final Project
The culminating assignment in this class is your final project, which will involve creating a strategic ad campaign for a local client. This client might be located and selected by your group, and you will present the project to your client. This project will be a wonderful addition to your portfolio if you put forth the effort to make it such.
The project will involve thorough research into the messaging efforts currently in use by your client and an analysis of their effectiveness; identification of key publics (and opinion leaders, if applicable) with self-interests, strategies, and tactics for each public outlined; creative work; an overview of which media channels should be utilized for effective messaging and justification for each channel; an implementation calendar allowing for the execution of your plan; and several other elements. A full outline of the project will be provided in class to allow for advance planning but be prepared for both primary (focus groups, surveys, etc.) and secondary (Google, local news, etc.) research to drive your plan.
In addition to the project (which will be in pdf format), a presentation should also be created that provides an overview of your plan. This will be presented on the last three days of class. A grading rubric will be given later in the semester which outlines the specific criteria that need to be met. Note that 75 points of your grade this semester (see below) comes from your group members’ evaluations of your contribution to the group, so make sure you are both present and engaged! The class as a whole will also evaluate your presentation, and their scores account for 25 points of your grade this semester. More details on the project are forthcoming. Be creative and have fun with this assignment!
Grades:
Project Score 100 pts.
Group Member Evaluations 25 pts.
Presentation Score 50 pts.
Class Presentation Evaluations 50 pts.
Misc. points, quizzes, assignments, etc. 75 pts.
TOTAL (may vary) 300 pts.
*Grading scale and syllabus are subject to change at instructor’s discretion.
Grades will be based on the following percentages:
100-90% A
89.99-87% B+
86.99-84% B
83.99-80% B-
79.99-77% C+
76.99-74% C
73.99-70% C-
69.99-67% D+
66.99-64% D
64.99-60% D-
59.99% on F
Content Accommodation: The University recognizes that students’ sincerely-held core beliefs might make it difficult for students to fulfill some requirements of some courses. It is the student’s obligation to determine, before the last day to drop courses without penalty, when course requirements conflict with the student’s sincerely-held core beliefs. We will not make content accommodations in this class.
Course Schedule:
The “live” schedule will reside on Canvas, for you to review each week. The schedule below will serve as a general outline of the semester, although it is subject to change at any time.
Schedule *subject to change
T Jan 13 Introduction, expectations, welcome to class
TH Jan 15 Team development, arrive prepared to speak about your current strengths, strengths you hope to develop while in the class, and special areas of expertise. You will have 3 minutes.
T Jan 20 What is a PR agency? discussion of client needs, what we might offer, and components
TH Jan 22 Introduction of teams, Situation Analyses
T Jan 27 Perspectives on human behavior, Branding, Case studies
TH Jan 29 SWOT analysis
T Feb 3 Establishing objectives and budgeting, some spend a lot and some spend far less and establish brands, why? Chapter 7, “Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective” by George E. Belch and Michael A. Belch, Eighth Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin.Website: http://www.mhhe.com/belch8e Please read prior to class
TH Feb 5 Research, secondary and primary research methods and design
T Feb 10 Using Research for Effective Communication Planning; Qualtrics
TH Feb 12 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3: Research goals and design Due
T Feb 17 Carry out primary research
TH Feb 19 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3: Primary Research Due
T Feb 24 Relationship Building: Direct Marketing, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, sponsorship, corporate advertising
TH Feb 26 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3: Strategies and tactics
T Mar 3 Using digital, social, and other electronic media
TH Mar 5 Group Meetings: Your Strategies and Tactics Due
T Mar 10 Calendaring and Budgeting & Implementation and
TH Mar 12 Communications Management
T Mar 17 Spring Break
TH Mar 19 Spring Break
T Mar 24 Creativity, strategy, the process, execution
TH Mar 26 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group; your creative approach
T Mar 31 Building your résumé, your portfolio, interviewing skills, Guest Lecturer?
TH Apr 2 Group Meetings10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3 Outline the final stretch
T Apr 7 Ethics and Professionalism; Executive Summaries and Business Presentations; Review the requirements for the project and presentations.
TH Apr 9 Individual meetings: Resumes and portfolios
T Apr 14 Discussion of final presentation
TH Apr 16 Group Meetings: 10:45-Group 1; 11:10-Group 2; 11:35 Group 3
T Apr 21 Final wrap up; finding internships
TH Apr 23 prep for presentations
T Apr 28 Project Presentations Individual Portfolios Due
Your final project and presentation will count as the final exam.
Scholarship/Professionalism/Honesty:
Students are encouraged to arrive on time, prepared, and ready to participate in class discussions. Quizzes will occasionally be given in class. These will be arranged to open at the beginning of class and close a few minutes later. There will be no makeup opportunity.
Students who habitually arrive late (or fail to arrive at all) will lose points as outlined above. The same is true for students who lack professionalism. Part of professionalism is honesty. Cheating in this class will not be tolerated. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing you will fail the final assignment, and your fate is left in the hands of the Department Chair. Students generally cheat due to one of two reasons: either they choose to be lazy, or they do not understand the material. I cannot help you with the former, but I will make myself available at any time to help you with the latter. If you are struggling with certain concepts in the class PLEASE contact me via email and we'll work through them together. If I don't know the answers to your questions, I will do my best to help you find them.
Accommodations:
ADA: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities. If you need such accommodation in this class, please provide reasonable prior notice to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-5020
(V/TDD), http://disability.utah.edu/.
I am happy you are here! Enjoy the class!