ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Title:

Advertising Principles and Practices (Online)

Quarter:

Spring 2010

Dates:

April 8 June 17, 2010

Instructor:

David G. Mahal

dgmahal@ucla.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides a comprehensive overview of advertising and promotion

from an integrated marketing communications (IMC) perspective. It creates a
clear understanding of traditional advertising and promotional tools, and
shows how other key elements within the marketing communications mix
(e.g., advertising, direct marketing, promotion and the Internet) can be
integrated. Attention is given to key subjects such as market research, media
planning, creative strategies for traditional and non-traditional markets,
advertising agency practices, competitive positioning, and how each
influences the effectiveness of an advertisers campaign. A primary goal of the
course is to shift the perceptual focus of class members from an audience to
creators of advertising and promotion strategies for businesses. There is a
hands-on practicum in which class participants prepare advertising campaigns
for clients.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

To develop a clear understanding of traditional advertising and

promotional tools.

To understand how key elements within the marketing communications

mix (e.g., advertising, promotion, direct marketing and the Internet) are
integrated.

To learn how consumer behavior, creative strategies, the communication

process, market research, and program evaluation tools are used to
design effective advertising and promotion programs.

To know how broadcast media (e.g., television, radio), print media (e.g.,
magazines, newspapers), support media (e.g., outdoor advertising),
direct marketing (e.g., postal mail), and interactive media (e.g., the
Internet) are used in advertising and promotion.

To translate theory into practice by analyzing a number of pragmatic

examples and case studies of real-world advertising experiences.

To participate in a hands-on practicum in advertising and promotion by

preparing an advertising campaign for a client.

To shift the perceptual focus of class members from an audience (as

when watching television commercials or reading magazines) to
creators of advertising and promotion strategies for businesses.

To become familiar with the social, ethical and economic aspects of

advertising and promotion.

You should expect to spend at least ten hours a week on coursework. This
includes accessing text-based lectures, reading assigned chapters of the
textbook and case studies, reviewing advertisements, researching the Internet,
preparing and posting written assignments, and reading and posting
responses to notes posted by your classmates. The virtual online classroom
requires that you log on and participate in class several days a week (see
Participation Requirements under the Course Syllabus tab).

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
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
ISBN: 0073381098 (hardcover)
GRADING
The final grade for the course will be based on the following:

30% -- Class Participation and Weekly Assignments

30% -- Course Project
20% -- Mid-term Exam
20% -- Final Exam

Grading Scale:

A
B
C
D
F

90 to 100
80 to 89
70 to 79
60 to 69
0 to 59

Incompletes: The interim grade Incomplete may be assigned when a

student's work is of passing quality, but a small portion of the course
requirements is incomplete for good cause (e.g., illness or other serious
problem). It is the students responsibility to discuss with the instructor the
possibility of receiving an I grade as opposed to a non-passing grade.
Students are entitled to replace this grade by a passing grade and to receive
unit credit provided they complete the remaining coursework satisfactorily,
under the supervision of and in a time frame determined by the instructor in
charge, but in no case later than the end of the next academic quarter. At that
time, the Registrar will cause all remaining Incompletes to lapse to the grade
"F". Note: Receiving an I does not entitle a student to retake all or any part
of the course at a later date.
Please note that ALL COURSE GRADES ARE FINAL.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
UCLA policies are in effect. All your work must be your own, unless peer
collaboration is authorized, in which case you must, in writing, acknowledge
the help you have received. Presenting as one's own the words, ideas, or
expression of another in any form is cheating through plagiarism, and will not
be tolerated. The claim of ignorance is no excuse.
If you use any words or ideas that are not your own, you must cite all relevant
sources. If you use any Internet sources, you must cite the author and website
used. You are encouraged to consult the following websites about referencing
systems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Referencing
http://lis.newport.ac.uk/library/publications/bibliographies.pdf

Please be aware that instructors have access to the same sources, and can easily
determine where the material came from. In addition, submitted papers and
assignments will be randomly submitted to http://www.turnitin.com, a
plagiarism search engine that will identify works that are obtained from
Internet sources or that are copied verbatim from published works.
Students are responsible for being familiar with the information on Student
Conduct in the General Information Section of the UCLA Extension Catalog,
or on the website at:

http://www.uclaextension.edu

ONLINE ETIQUETTE
Since we cannot see each other in the online environment, it is hard to tell if a
writer is bashful, bored, sarcastic, angry, or just kidding. Therefore, when you
critique your classmates, please proof-read your responses carefully before
you post them. Refrain from slipping into arguments. Be sensitive and
positive in your approach to others, and careful with your words. You are
encouraged to visit the following websites and review proper communications
in the electronic format:

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/
http://www.bspage.com/1netiq/Netiq.html

ABSENCES
It is understood that you may have to travel for work, and there can be
emergencies. But the commitment to online learning provides the opportunity
to work around such situations. If you miss even one week, it will be difficult
for you to catch up. It is strongly suggested that you do not miss class.
MCGRAW-HILL ONLINE LEARNING CENTER
The use of this website is not required for the course.
If you take any quiz at this website, please do NOT email the results to me.
CLASS WEEK AND DUE DATES
Please see the Calendar for class weeks under the Course Syllabus tab. It is
suggested that you print this calendar for your reference.
Your discussion notes may be posted in the forums at any time after the class
week begins. Your postings should commence early in the class week so there
is sufficient time for discussions before the next class week begins.
Work may be submitted in advance. Work is considered late after the due date.
You do lose grade points for late work. Please be aware that the discussion
forums may be locked a few days after the assignment due dates. That means
late assignments cannot be posted after a certain period of time.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
With the exception of your Course Project, please do not add attachments to
your posts in the online forums. Try to explain and embed whatever you can
in the body of the message itself.
Your Course Project assignment should be submitted as .doc (Microsoft
Word), .PDF (Adobe Acrobat), or .rtf (Rich Text Format) files.
Although your class discussions can stay informal, all written assignments
must be spell checked and grammar checked prior to submission.

ASSIGNMENTS AND SCHEDULE

You will read sixteen chapters in the textbook, and analyze six case studies
during this quarter. The readings/cases are concentrated in the first half of the
course, allowing you more time for the Course Project in the second half.
Please refer to the Course Materials tab where you will find a variety of
resources you will need, including the case studies, chapter summaries from
the textbook, videos and PowerPoint presentations. Beware that the video and
PowerPoint files tend to be large, and require that you use a fast Internet
broadband/DSL connection.
The class will open with the one or more forums that are already created under
the Discussion Board tab. Please post your discussion notes, contributions and
assignments in the appropriate forum. You must use the forums that are
already created for you. Do not create any other forums.
Please do NOT jump ahead to the next forum until the actual start date of that
forum. You may post your assignments in a future forum only if you have
communicated your reasons (e.g., business travel) with me in advance, and I
have approved your doing so.
Your discussion notes/assignments may be posted at any time after the class
week begins. Commence your postings early in the week so there is enough
time for discussion before the next week begins. Each assignment must be in a
separate note, and must be clearly identified in the subject of your note.
Please be sure to review Participation Requirements under the Course
Syllabus tab.

WEEK 1
Assignment 1.1
Read Chapter 1 (Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications) in
the textbook. Watch the videos. Post a note in the assignment forum and
discuss how integrated marketing communications (IMC) differs from
traditional advertising and promotion. What are some of the reasons more

marketers are taking an IMC perspective to their advertising and promotional

programs? Comment on other posted notes and discuss with your classmates.
Assignment 1.2
Read Chapter 22 (Evaluating the Social, Ethical, and Economic Aspects of
Advertising and Promotion), and the case study Benetton Group: Evolution
of Communication Strategy. View the Benetton ads. Visit the company
website www.benetton.com. Then answer the following questions. What are
the basic objectives of advertising? What are the advertising objectives of
Benetton? Discuss the pros and cons of Benettons shock advertising
campaign. For what type of companies might this type of advertising be
effective? Do you agree with Benettons decision to return to the use of more
conventional ads? Post your answers in the forum. Comment on other posted
answers and discuss with your classmates.

WEEK 2
Assignment 2.1
Read Chapter 3 (Organizing for Advertising and Promotion: The Role of Ad
Agencies and Other Marketing Communication Organizations).
Read the case study Gateway: Searching for the Right Advertising Agency.
Discuss how Gateways frequent agency switching has affected the companys
branding and positioning efforts. What recommendations would you make to
Gateway management regarding its agency switching and its impact on the
company?
Post your response in the forum. Comment on other posted notes and discuss
with your classmates.
Assignment 2.2
Read Chapter 4 (Perspectives on Consumer Behavior). Figure 4-10 in the
textbook details a number of external influences on consumer behavior.
Describe each of these influences, explaining how it might have an impact on
consumer behavior, and provide an example of each. Post your note in the
forum. Comment on other posted notes and discuss with your classmates.

WEEK 3
Assignment 3.1
Read Chapter 5 (The Communication Process). Choose one of the four
advertising planning strategies identified by the FCB grid shown in Figure 5-6.
Find an example of an advertisement that you feel is a good example of this ad
planning strategy and explain why. Post your response. Comment on other
posted notes and discuss.
Assignment 3.2
Read Chapter 6 (Source, Message and Channel Factors), and the case study
Chicken of the Sea International: The Jessica Simpson Spokesperson
Decision. What would you do if you were Don George? Would you
recommend that the company hire Jessica Simpson as a spokesperson? Why or
why not? Post your note in the forum and discuss.
Assignment 3.3 Course Project Your Promotion Campaign
Your course project is to develop an advertising promotion campaign for a
product/service of your choice. Act as a creative team from an advertising
agency and develop your campaign. Your final presentation or report will be
targeted to the client of said product/service. The final report will be 10 to 15
pages in length, including charts and supporting materials, if any. As a
minimum, the key elements of your report for the client will include:

Situational Analysis
Target Audience
Media Budget
Media Mix
Creative Objectives and Strategies
Implementation Schedule
Campaign Evaluation Plan

As an example, review the Promotion Campaign Guidelines provided under

Course Materials in the menu. This document is for your reference only and
you are not expected to follow the same format, or prepare separate reports, as
provided in the example. Your presentation for this class will be much
shorter, as explained above.
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This week, (a) prepare a one-page outline of your project and post it in the
forum, and (b) review other outlines posted in the forum and discuss with
your classmates.
YOUR FINAL REPORT IS DUE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE LAST FULL
WEEK OF CLASS. SEE DISCUSSION FORUM FOR EXACT DUE DATE.

WEEK 4
Assignment 4.1
Read Chapter 7 (Establishing Objectives and Budgeting for the Promotional
Program). The lead-in to the chapter discusses the fact that the companies that
spend the most on advertising do not necessarily achieve the highest brand
value for their products. Sometimes, those who spend very little are able to
achieve this objective. Explain what factors may lead to these results. Provide
examples. Post your note. Comment on other posted notes and discuss with
your classmates.
Assignment 4.2
Read Chapter 8 (Creative Strategy: Planning and Development). Read the
case study IBM: Brand Equity Restoration and Advertising Evolution. Watch
the IBM ads.
How have IBMs advertising objectives changed over the years? Is there value
to business-to-business marketers such as IBM in advertising through mass
media that also reaches the general consumer market? Evaluate the media
choices used by IBM such as advertising on golf tournaments, on Sunday
morning news shows, in airports, and even on the Super Bowl. Post your
answers in the forum. Comment on other posted notes and discuss with your
classmates.

WEEK 5
Assignment 5.1
Read Chapter 9 (Creative Strategy: Implementation and Evaluation). Post a
note and discuss some of the various social and psychological states or needs

that can be used as the basis for emotional advertising appeals. Find examples
of ads that use social and psychological needs as the basis for their advertising
appeals. Comment on other posted notes and discuss with your classmates.
Assignment 5.2
Read the case study California Milk Advisory Board: Real California
Cheese. Why do you think the Happy Cows campaign that was developed
to promote Real California Cheese has been so successful? What were the
constraints the advertising agency had to work around in developing the
campaign? How would you describe the personality that was created? What
are the pros and cons of the advertising approach? Can the campaign be
continued indefinitely? If not, how might it be changed or adapted going
forward? Post your answers in the forum. Comment on other posted notes and
discuss with your classmates.

WEEK 6
Assignment 6.1
Read Chapter 11 (Evaluation of Broadcast Media), and Chapter 12
(Evaluation of Print Media). Choose a specific target market that an
advertiser might want to reach. Discuss how broadcast, magazines and/or
newspapers could be used to reach this particular market segment in a cost
effective manner. Post your response in the forum and discuss. Post a note
with your answers and discuss.
Midterm Examination
To be posted.

WEEK 7
Assignment 7.1
Read Chapter 13 (Support Media). Explain how various support media can
be used as part of an IMC program. Take any three of the media discussed in
the chapter, and explain how they might be used for automobiles, cellular
telephones and Internet services. Post your note and discuss.

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Assignment 7.2
Read Chapter 14 (Direct Marketing). Research and explain why companies
like KitchenAid, Soloflex, and others have been successful in adopting direct
marketing techniques. Describe the conditions that contribute to successful
implementation of such techniques. Post your note and discuss.

WEEK 8
Assignment 8.1
Read Chapter 15 (The Internet and Interactive Media). The chapter describes
a variety of new Internet advertising forms including Podcasting, RSS, social
networks and blogs. Explain what they are. What are some of the potential
advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of each? Post your
response.
Assignment 8.2
What are the factors that are essential to an effective website. Discuss each of
these factors and provide examples of websites that demonstrate them in
practice.
Assignment 8.3
Describe how companies measure the effectiveness of the Internet.

WEEK 9
Assignment 9.1
Research the Internet and post a note about how adwords and search engine
optimization (SEO) are used. Describe if and how these techniques may be
used in your course project.
Assignment 9.2
Read Chapter 21 (Regulation of Advertising and Promotion). Research the
Internet and find some claims of false advertising claims. Post a note and
discuss the Lanham Act and how it affects advertising. What elements are
necessary to win a false advertising claim under the Lanham Act?

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WEEKS 10/11
Assignment 10.1
Read Chapter 19 (Measuring the Effectiveness of the Promotional Program),
and analyze the case study Using Advertising to Fight the War on Drugs: The
Power of Social Marketing or a Waste of Money?
Much of the controversy surrounding the anti-drug advertising campaigns has
involved effectiveness of the ads. Evaluate the various approaches used. What
types of measures should be used to evaluate the campaign effectiveness? Post
your analysis and discuss.
Course Project -- Your Promotion Campaign
Post your Course Project in the designated forum on the first day of this class
week. Post an Executive Summary of the project in the forum, with the full
report as an attachment in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) or DOC (Microsoft Word)
format.
Each class participant must critique at least two other course projects, and try
to comment on all other projects that are posted. Discuss the projects with your
classmates till the end of this course.
Conclusion
Post your concluding comments and goodbyes in this forum.
Final Examination
To be posted.

David G. Mahal
UCLA Extension

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