BUSI4H215: Contemporary Marketing Communications

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• The overall aim of the module is to develop a thorough understanding of contemporary marketing communication in a global cultural context. The module is designed to offer students the opportunity to apply theory that is specific and relevant to the analysis of marketing communications in a contemporary context.
• The specific aims of this module are to:
• Offer a synthesis of theoretical and practical perspectives on promotional communication content and context.
• Present a detailed account of contemporary marketing communications practice based on latest research from academic literature and use of key business publications, e.g. Forbes, Business Week, Business Horizons etc.
• Encourage students to draw on their personal experience of advertising and promotion to enhance the theoretical and strategic perspectives of the module.
• Examine ethical, critical and social issues arising through contemporary practice in the field of promotional and contemporary communication.

• Studying contemporary marketing communications to indicate the broad scope of study in this complex and evolving area;
• Persuasive communication: Hierarchy effects, consumer affect;
• Communication research techniques;
• Legal knowledge and the changing communication environment;
• Trouble-shooting and 'crisis' planning;
• Digital marketing analytics and intelligence;
• Review of consumer behaviour and consumption studies;
• Trends in digital and interactive marketing communications and integration of social media content.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the module students will:
• Have a critical understanding of the basic promotional plan based on a strategic communication rationale and including explanations of positioning, targeting and segmentation;
• be able to distinguish between media vehicles and media channels and construct a promotional campaign;
• be able to define some of the communication marketing objectives that promotional communication can support such as new brand launch, re-positioning, or new channel entry;
• be able to outline the contribution of differing theoretical approaches to promotional communication practice including social and cultural insights;
• be able to evaluate the uses, advantages, and drawbacks of alternative research approaches in the communications field;
• be able to discuss debates about particular communication in terms of differing ethical considerations and alternative international regulatory systems;
• be able to interpret creative executions in particular media such as social media placement in terms of the likely target audience and intended market positioning;
• be able to identify the various advertising agency roles and how these intersect in a typical model of the creative advertising development process.

Subject-specific Skills:

• By the end of the module, students will have acquired the following specialist skills at an advanced level:
• Ability to design and develop effective marketing communications plans.
• Ability to establish a system of implementation, evaluation and control of the marketing communications strategy.
• Ability to place communications in the 'new/digital technologies' communications setting.
• Ability to analyse data from social media, identify appropriate analytics and apply best practices to marketing strategy recommendations.
• Ability to generate a marketing plan to enhance a particular strategic objective.

Key Skills:

• Effective written communication skills
• Planning, organising and time management skills
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• The ability to use initiative
• Advanced skills in the interpretation of data
• Advanced computer literacy skills

• The module will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, group work and discussion, supported by guided reading.
• The summative assessment of the module is an individual written assignment designed to test students knowledge and understanding of the subject-matter and their ability to apply their knowledge and specialist skills in the context of specific marketing communications issues.

Action learning will provide students with the opportunity to explore, discuss, critique and apply the key topics in practice. Students will receive verbal formative feedback throughout the term.

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