CHANGED 10/31/01
The College of Business Fall, 2001
University of Colorado, Boulder Prof. M. Campbell
MKTG 4550, Sections 1 & 2
Advertising and Promotion Management
Class Meetings: Mondays & Wednesdays
Section 1: 9:30 – 10:45 PM
Section 2: 11:00 – 12:15
Room: 211
Office Hours: Thursdays 9:00 – 10:30 and by appointment
College of Business Room 441
phone: 303 735-6305
email:
Final: Section 1: Monday, December 17, 10:30 – 1:00 pm
Section 2: Saturday, December 15, 10:30 – 1:00
(attendance required)
Required Materials
George E. Belch and Michael A. Belch, Introduction to Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective, Irwin, 5th ed., 2000.
MKTG 4550 Course Reader
Course Objectives
The purpose of this course is to introduce undergraduate students to elements of marketing communications. The course is designed from the perspective of managers who will need to make decisions about marketing communications programs. What this means is that the course is developed around how to think about and evaluate marketing communications rather than how to physically create marketing communications. (This class is appropriate for just about anyone who is interested in having a better understanding of "how advertising works," but does not cover layout, copywriting, or other specific details of creating advertising.)
My goals are that this course will 1) increase your understanding of the important issues in planning and evaluating marketing communication campaigns, 2) introduce you to the appropriate theories, models, and other tools for understanding marketing communications, and 3) provide you with a managerial perspective on making marketing communications decisions.
This course is based upon the idea that marketing communications is much more than advertising and that an integrated marketing communications program is critical to getting the most from marketing communications. Further, the perspective I take in this course is that the goal of marketing communications is to convey appropriate meaning to the relevant customer audience in order to build a strong brand. The marketing communications program is viewed as one part of the overall marketing mix and thus, this class will draw upon material covered in BCOR 2050 and MKTG 3600. These are prerequisites for MKTG 4550; you must have completed both of these prior to enrolling in this class. The ideas from the course are relevant for all types of organizations (large, small, public, or private). I encourage you to consider how each situation discussed applies to different types of organizations.
There is quite a bit of work in the course because I believe that the assigned work will help you to better understand and integrate the material in the course. As you probably know at this point in your education, what you get out of a course is dependent upon what you put into it. I will do everything I can to stimulate, guide, and facilitate your learning. If you have comments or suggestions, please let me know.
Course Organization
MKTG 4550 is organized to deal with questions surrounding marketing communications decisions. The specific areas that will be covered include 1) communication objectives, 2) target market definition, 3) message strategies (e.g., positioning), 4) creative strategies (e.g., tactics), 5) evaluation and research, 6) media strategies, and 7) promotion strategies. We will also discuss issues of international communications, agency management, the internet, and ethics. We will not cover selling (see MKTG 4150 for coverage of this topic). The first three sessions deal with the content and context of marketing communications decisions and is intended to set up the "big picture." The next sessions will deal with particular marketing communications strategies and tactics. The purpose of this part of the course is to provide insight to the "who, what, where, when, and how" of marketing communications.
The course is based upon the theory that a crucial key to effective marketing communications is understanding your consumer audience. Thus, approaches to understanding consumers are included throughout the course and provide many of the general principles of marketing communications effectiveness.
This course utilizes a variety of teaching approaches. The course includes lectures, discussions, case analyses, exercises, and guest speakers. Come prepared to discuss the day’s topic; be particularly sure to be prepared to discuss cases. Overall, you are encouraged to ask questions, provide insights, draw on assigned readings, and otherwise participate. Class participation is part of your grade for the class.
Each session highlights some important marketing communications issues. The background reading allows coverage of more than we will be able to accomplish in class time alone and should be completed prior to the class session for which it is assigned. Some days we will specifically discuss the readings, others we will not; you are responsible for the material covered in readings, whether or not the material is discussed in class.
Course Requirements
° Preparation for, regular attendance of, and full participation and involvement in all class sessions.
° Exams. Two “midterm” exams will be given in class. The first is scheduled for Monday, October 8 and the second for Monday, November 5. These exams will be comprehensive, covering all of the material covered up to that point in the course. The exam format will be multiple choice plus short answer questions. Students who are forced to miss the exam for a legitimate emergency situation (e.g., illness or family crisis) must give advance notice (e.g., leave a message on my voice mail or send email). A make-up paper or exam will be given at my convenience.
° Exercises. There are several exercises assigned during the term to emphasize or clarify a particular issue. Assigned exercises come in a variety of forms and I retain the right to add an exercise to clarify a particular issue. Current exercises include: 1) Case analysis; 2) Positioning Statement, Communication Objectives and Creative Brief; 3) Packaging Analysis; and 4) Intel recommendation (group).
° Final Project. The final project is a group project that you will complete with a four-person team. The project is to develop a fully-integrated marketing communications plan for a product, service, or idea. This will include a written proposal as well as a short oral presentation to the class. More details will be provided in the first few weeks of the term. The written component of the final project will be due at the beginning of class Wednesday, December 12. Presentations will be given during the last day of classes and our assigned final time, Monday December 17, 10:30 – 1:00 pm/Saturday, December 15, 10:30 – 1:00.
Attendance for the final presentations is required.
° Group teams. You are responsible for forming a four-person team for the purpose of group projects. Please take the time to put together a team that will work together well in terms of schedules, work places, different skills, etc. Please write the names of completed groups on the form on my door (first and last name; complete four-person teams only). All groups must be formed by the beginning of class Monday, September 17. Each member of the team will provide an evaluation of all other members of their team at the end of the term.
Course Evaluation
Final grades are based upon how I perceive that you have fulfilled the above requirements based upon the following weights:
Class Participation and Involvement 10%
Exam I 20%
Exam II 20%
Exercises 15%
Final Project: Oral Component 10%
Final Project: Written Component 25%
Class participation will be evaluated according to the following guidelines (please note that attendance is required to receive positive participation evaluation and be aware of the University of Colorado policy on attendance):
Outstanding: Contributions in class reflect exceptional preparation. Ideas offered are always substantive and provide one or more major insights as well as a fruitful direction for the class. Arguments are well-supported (with tangible evidence) and persuasively presented. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would be diminished significantly.
Good: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas are usually substantive, provide good insights, and sometimes a fruitful direction for the class. Arguments, when presented, are generally well-supported and are often persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussion would be diminished.
Satisfactory: Contributions in class reflect satisfactory preparation. Ideas offered are sometimes substantive, provide generally useful insights, and occasionally offer a new direction for the class discussion. Arguments are sometimes presented and are fairly well-supported and sometimes persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would be a little diminished.
Non-participant: This person contributes little to the class discussions. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would not be significantly changed.
Unsatisfactory/Absent: Contributions in class reflect inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are seldom substantive, provide few insights, and do not provide a constructive direction for the class. Integrative comments and effective arguments are not made. Class contributions tend toward comments that are repetitious, obvious, or confusing. If this person were not a member of the class, “airtime” would be saved for more constructive discussion.
Cell phones and beepers must be turned off prior to entering the classroom. If you have an emergency situation that requires constant communication, please discuss it with me.
Note that late assignments will be penalized. Written assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date and the grade will be reduced 10% if not handed in at that time and 20% for each additional day it is late. Please be sure to allow sufficient time for computer or printing problems and to use proper spelling and grammar in all written work. If you are uncertain about proper use of format, please feel free to ask me.
Network policy. During the first 10 minutes of class time, you may download any files that you will need to use during the class. After the initial 10 minute period, no network connections are allowed without the consent of the instructor. Web-surfing and email are distracting to me and to your classmates and are unacceptable at any time during the class.
Class 1 Monday, Aug 27
COURSE INTRODUCTION
Reading:
• Course Syllabus
Class 2 Wednesday, Aug 29
THE ROLE OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Reading:
• Belch and Belch (BB) Chapters 1 & 2 pp. 35 - 42
LABOR DAY Monday, September 3
NO CLASS
Class 3 Wednesday, Sept 5
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS OVERVIEW CASE
Please prepare case thoroughly for in class discussion
Case: REEBOK INTERNATIONAL
Case Questions:
This case centers on Reebok's advertising and promotion plans for 1988. The case write-up gives a lot of attention to the decisions about the Human Rights Now! concert tour. However, we will concentrate most of our time on considering the important issues related to the brand image and brand equity of Reebok and Nike and how these are affected by advertising and promotion. Please consider the following issues before class:
1). What is Reebok's brand image? What is Nike's brand image?
2). Why has Reebok been successful? What are the company's strengths and weaknesses?
3). Evaluate Reebok's proposed 1988 communications program. Is this what Reebok should be doing with their advertising? Why or why not? Is the Human Rights Now! tour what Reebok should be doing with their promotion? Why or why not?
Due:
Brief answers to the above questions. 1 – 2 pages maximum, 12 point font or larger.
Class 4 Monday, Sept 10
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: SEGMENTING, TARGETING, AND POSITIONING
Reading:
• BB Chapter 2, pp. 42 - end
• Chapter 7, pp. 198-218
Class 5 Wednesday, Sept 12
STP, Continued
TARGETING SUBGROUPS: ADVERTISING TO HISPANICS
Reading:
• Wartzman, Rick (1999), “Ad Firm Tries to Translate ‘Got Milk’ for Latino Teens,” WSJ, June 3.
Class 6 Monday, Sept 17
AGENCIES: ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS
Reading:
• BB Chapter 3
Due:
• Positioning Statement, Communications Objectives and Creative Brief
• List of Group Members (sign sheet on my door)
Class 7 Wednesday, Sept 19
Consumer processing
Reading:
• BB Chapter 4
• Unnava and Sirdeshmukh (1994), “Reducing Competitive Ad Interference,” Journal of Consumer Research, (August), 403-411.
Class 7 Monday, Sept 24
consumer processing, part II
Reading:
• BB Chapter 5
Class 8 Wednesday, Sept 26
CREATIVE STRATEGIES
Reading:
• BB Chapters 6, 8 pp. 259 - 271
• Background to Print Ad Exercise:
- Burton, Philip and Scott Purvis (1996), pp. 1 - 18.
Class 8 Monday, Oct 1
EVALUATING ADVERTISING: GOOD AD OR BAD?
Reading:
• BB Chapter 9
Class 9 Wednesday, Oct 3
Agencies: The Inside Scoop
Speaker
Due:
• Three questions to ask the agency speaker (due at the beginning of class – be sure to keep a copy for yourself)
• Hand in Final Project Topic
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, October 4 – 5: FALL BREAK
Class 10 Monday, Oct 8
MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
Reading:
• BB, Chapter 19
Class 11 Wednesday, Oct 10
EXAM
NOTICE: THIS REVISED DATE FOR THE EXAM!!
In class exam.
Please plan accordingly.
Class 12 Monday, October 15
PROJECT PREPARATION DAY
NO CLASS TODAY
Meet with group to work on project.
(Notice a significant piece is due Oct. 22).
Class 13 Wednesday, Oct 17
Media Strategy
Reading:
• BB, Chapter 10, 11
• DeRose, Gene and Michele Slack (1999), “Online in the Media Mix,” Fortune Critical Mass, Fall.
Class 14 Mon, October 22
Media Strategy
Reading:
• BB, Chapter 12
Recommended:
• BB, Chapter 13
Class 15 Wed, October 22
Taking Stock
Guest: Jennifer Simmons
Due: Situation Analysis for Final Project
Class 16 Monday, October 29
PROMOTION STRATEGY
Reading:
• BB Chapter 16
• LeClerc, France and John D. C. Little (1997), “Can Advertising Copy Make FSI Coupons More Effective?” Journal of Marketing Research, 34 (Nov), 473-484.
Class 17 Wed, October 31
PROMOTION STRATEGY
Reading:
• BB Chapter 16
• LeClerc, France and John D. C. Little (1997), “Can Advertising Copy Make FSI Coupons More Effective?” Journal of Marketing Research, 34 (Nov), 473-484.
Class 18 Monday, Nov 5