Preparing the Next Generation for Interactive Advertising Careers

Transcription

1 Preparing the Next Generation for Interactive Advertising Careers A brief study of courses and programs at institutions of higher education in interactive advertising and digital media Interactive Advertising Bureau Prepared by MATTech 7/16/2013

2 Executive Summary Research focuses on undergraduate (bachelor s level) programs in advertising, marketing, and digital media studies. In depth programmatic research was done for nationally and internationally recognized programs and institutions in the above discipline areas. Programs selected incorporated some interactive advertising or social media coursework. Programs that meet the majority of factors for further consideration (in recommendation order): Tier One Recommendations 1. University of Texas at Austin BA in Advertising with an emphasis in Media Studies 2. New York University BBA in Marketing or BS in Media, Culture and Communication 3. Syracuse University BA in Advertising 4. University of California at Berkeley BA in Media Studies 5. Southern Methodist University BA in Advertising with an emphasis in Media Emphasis Tier Two Recommendations 6. Michigan State University BA in Advertising with an emphasis in Management and Media 7. University of Washington Master of Communications in Digital Media 8. University of Michigan-Dearborn BBA in Digital Marketing Further research is needed to determine enrollment and graduation rates for selected programs to determine productivity and workforce needs. Determine workforce needs to determine if current programs meet needs through IAB member survey, professional association data, and state and federal statistical data. Discuss with program directors the plans for their program, accreditation requirements, faculty credentials, and possible partnership with IAB to expand the current program. Methodology The first question before beginning research was regarding the level of degree program to be considered. A brief survey of advertising positions at Pandora, Yahoo!, and Google noted that digital media or advertising based positions required a four-year degree. While an associate s degree from a community college may have the most flexibility, a two-year degree would not suffice. The type of degree was rarely specified in the job posting; therefore, the search for specific programs began broadly but eventually focused on three areas after discussion with IAB personnel. While several institutions offer graduate level digital media or interactive advertising programs, this would be a consideration for employees looking to further their education, not entry level employees. The focus of this research is in three discipline areas: advertising, marketing, digital media design. These discipline areas can be found as majors, emphases, tracks, and fields of studies a variety of programmatic names, depending on the institution. While all three discipline areas were researched, the emphasis is on advertising programs at institutions with strong business schools and incorporate digital media design courses. 2 P a g e L H

3 Whether a student or a professional, people always question which institution has the best program in a discipline area. An internet search will produce plenty of lists from established media outlets to student polls to sites developed by for-profit higher education institutions. There is no single source for determining the top ranked programs in any discipline. With that, the most recognized and credible rankings are from by US News & World Report. They consider academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, international presence, and citations per faculty member. Other sources with reputable ranking methodology include Business Week, Wall Street Journal, and Campus Explorer. However, their rankings while the most thorough, still have their faults. The most lists of rankings are in the business/marketing discipline area. Advertising is second while few exist for digital media/arts programs. In short, all rankings are subjective. Public opinion will determine the leader in a field. Ranking discipline areas is far more challenging that ranking institutions of higher education (IHE). This research focuses on nationally and internationally recognized institutions with a reputation excellence in research, for high enrollment but with selective admission, and history of healthy endowments. The majority of these IHE are public flagship institutions as they meet these criteria and are the most accessible to a variety socio-economic freshmen. Five factors were taken into consideration for inclusion in this research: 1. The IHE is nationally and internationally recognized in various disciplines. 2. The institution offers undergraduate degrees in advertising or media studies and marketing or business. 3. The advertising program includes an emphasis in interactive advertising, digital media, or incorporate several courses aligned with internet and social media advertising. 4. The marketing program allows for elective courses outside the business school. 5. The IHE offers courses in digital media design that are available to non-art majors. Who s missing? Big business schools like those at Harvard, Penn State, MIT, University of Southern California, Stanford, and University of Michigan-An Arbor are not included. These, and many others, have highly ranked business schools and MBA programs. However, they do not necessarily have the most recognized Marketing or Advertising undergraduate programs. In addition, the available course lists do not seem to include any align that with interactive advertising or digital media. It is possible that special topics or electives courses might be available or considered in the future. Many IHE see the future of interactive advertising and are moving towards new program development. However, this research focuses on those IHE with established advertising and marketing programs that already incorporate some internet-based or social media courses. 3 P a g e L H

4 Program descriptions Advertising An advertising program has the most flexibility in regards to elective choices and course selection. In most cases, there is not a separate admissions process to declare advertising as a major. Many programs are paired with journalism if the program has a media or mass communication emphasis or public relations if it has a marketing emphasis. Most programs require some business courses, such as marketing, business ethics or introductory business courses. Few require digital media design courses but allow for electives in this area. Programs are usually housed in the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Communication and include degree names such as in Advertising, Media Studies, Media and Communication, and Mass Communication with an emphasis in Advertising. Major coursework consists of about 25% of program. This is about 10 to 12 classes which include major core courses and advanced level advertising electives. Students have the choice of about four to eight courses in advertising electives. IHE with an emphasis have a prescribed list of courses for these electives. The remaining 75% of these Liberal Arts programs usually consist of required business courses, a minor, possibly a second language and the institution s general education requirements (humanities, sciences, etc.) Standard major core courses include Introduction or Survey of Advertising, Law & Ethics, Marketing Principles, Media Issues, and a Portfolio and/or Internship. Advertising electives vary by institution and are included in with the institution s program description. Marketing A business-based program carries more prestige and notoriety in comparison with most other programs. With that, the top ranked programs have a very selective admissions process beyond those of the institution. Most IHE require a set of general business courses as pre-requisites for consideration of admission. Not all students admitted to business schools will choose marketing and, therefore, the number of students in a potential interactive advertising program could be limited. Some IHE do not have specific majors in marketing but offer a BS or BBA in Business or Business Administration. Students take courses in the many areas within business but are able to select a limited number of advanced electives in marketing. Business programs, while prestigious, tend to be quite prescriptive. Programs are usually housed in the College of Business. Major coursework consists of about 50% to 75% of the program. This is at least 20 courses, usually more) that consist of the business core and advanced electives in either business or marketing. IHE with majors in marketing usually prescribe the advanced electives with a selection of marketing courses. Some IHE note that the business degrees are Liberal Arts programs; therefore, there may be institutional initiatives in addition to second language and general education requirements. 4 P a g e L H

5 Few business programs require (or even allow for) a minor. In some cases, the IHE will specify minor. Standard major core courses include introductory courses in business, business law and/or ethics, business math, marketing, finance, management, macro/microeconomics, at the lower level. Some IHE have advanced level requirements in these same areas. Those IHE with marketing majors have about 15% of the program as advanced level marketing courses (about four to eight courses). Digital Media Design Major focus on creation and design in digital format. Usually taught through the art department with a strong foundation of art-based skills (2-D and 3-D drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.) and possibly include computer programming courses. Some programs require or at least encourage advertising or marketing courses, but these are limited. This option may be best as a minor or electives, not the primary major, as the emphasis is on the creative side rather than application to advertising. Due to the creative/artistic requirements of the program, admission to the major is usually required above and beyond those of the institution. Like the business programs, this could limit the number of students following the preferred course of study. As this is such a new field and because arts programs are rarely ranked, there are no lists of the best programs in this area. Recognized programs at University of Connecticut, NYU s Interactive Telecommunications Program, and University of Michigan-Dearborn. Institutions University of Texas-Austin UT-Austin is consistently in the top ten both as an institution and for individual programs. While it is not located near many of IAB members headquarters, Austin does have a thriving hi-tech presence. The BA in Advertising is strong and has incorporated digital media for several years. The Advertising program allow for emphases in creativity media while incorporate interactive media. This program incorporates and excels all three criteria - advertising, marketing, and digital media design and would be the best program for further consideration. The Marketing program at the McCombs School of Business, like many other business programs, has additional admissions criteria before admission. While there is not business minor, McCombs School of Business does offer a business certificate of eight courses that is open to all UT students and incorporates the basics of a business program. With the strength of the Advertising program and the ability to incorporate business and digital media courses, UT-Austin has in the best situation to develop an interactive advertising program. 5 P a g e L H

6 BA in Advertising with Media Studies Emphasis o Program ranked 12 th in World and 2 nd in US (2013) for Communication and Media Studies programs by US News & World Report, and 1 st by the Journal of Advertising Education. o The program is recognized in several publications as integrating both advertising management and creativity in the digital media arena. o The Texas Creative emphasis of the Advertising program focuses on innovative advertising, branding, and social messages that are delivered through a variety of integrated traditional and nontraditional media. The curriculum includes courses in portfolio development, art direction, and copywriting. o The Texas Media emphasis focuses on advertising media planning, buying, sales, and new media development. An additional interactive focus allows for study in digital media, digital metrics and an interactive internship. o The program requires 12 to 14 advertising courses and four business courses, including two marketing courses. These are in addition to general education, second language and additional writing requirements. Elective hours or a minor are optional to fulfill minimum degree credit hour requirements. o Courses include Advertising on the Internet, Introduction to Advertising and Integrated Brand Communication, Advertising Creativity, Advertising Design for Interactive Media, Design of Integrated Communications, Intergrated Communication Campaigns, Digital Media (HTML experience), One-to-One Advertising on the Internet, and Digital and Media Metrics. BBA in Marketing o Program ranked 4 th for Marketing program by US News and World Report. o The McCombs School of Business has a selective admissions (about 65%) process. o Knowledge of product design, advertising, pricing, consumer behavior and distribution management are incorporated. o Possible courses that could overlap with the potential program could include Marketing Hi-Tech Products and Services and Data Mining. o The broadly designed major is appropriate for careers in marketing management, promotional strategy, personal selling and sales management, retail merchandising and management, and marketing research. New York University NYU has a strong international reputation along with a highly ranked marketing program. While the Advertising program incorporates some interactive advertising, NYU sees the need for digital media. The certificate in Digital Media Marketing is offered through School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) as a non-credit program. This certificate could be developed into a full degree. BS in Media, Culture and Communication o This program is not ranked on lists of the best Media Studies or Advertising programs. 6 P a g e L H

7 o Field of Study in Interaction and Social Processes or Technology and Society that include a few courses interactive media, such as Introduction to Digital Media, Social Media Networking, New Media Research Studio, Digital Literacy, Media, Technology, and Society. BBA in Marketing o The marketing program is ranked 5 th by US News and World Report and 6 th by the Wall Street Journal for Marketing/Advertising program. o A general program that offers some courses in social media and digital marketing at the undergraduate level. o A graduate specialization in Digital Marketing is available. However, these courses are not currently open to undergraduate students. Courses include Social and Digital Media Analytics, Advertising Management, Brand Strategy, and New Media Marketing. Certificate in Digital Media Marketing (Undergraduate) o Continuing Education (non-credit) only offered through School of Continuing and Professional Studies for mature first-time students and those who have left the workforce with an incomplete bachelor s degree with at least two years of marketing experience. o Six-course program offered both online and on-site. Courses including Introduction to Interactive Marketing, Digital Strategies for Marketing, Web Analytics: Integrating Website and Data, Strategic Search Engine Marketing, Internet Market Research, Internet Marketing Strategies, Developing, Marketing and Analyzing Mobile Apps Platforms, and several more. o This program is not aligned with the Stern School of Business. Courses are usually taught by adjunct instructors. Syracuse University (NY) Syracuse University may not be the largest or most recognizable institutions; however, the BS in Advertising is highly ranked and does incorporate a wide range of digital media courses. Graduate courses are available in digital media design, but undergraduate courses only seem to focus on web development. Students have access to the Newhouse Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship. The Center gives students access to courses and research regarding the development of start-ups and trend-spotting in digital media. The research and advances at the Center could be a basis for program development in interactive advertising. The only downside is the potential lack of overlap with the marketing program. BS in Advertising o Interdisciplinary approach through theory and practice through project-based experiences using real clients. Electives include Internet Advertising. The school prepares students and faculty alike to take a leadership role in addressing the issues of today's rapidly changing media landscape. o Ranked in top 5 Advertising/Mass Communication programs in survey sent to advertising executives (and the like) and 10 th by academics in US News and World Report. 7 P a g e L H

8 o Emphasis available in digital advertising, and integrative media planning. o Courses include Conceptual and Creative Thinking in Media Planning, Multimedia Storytelling, and Introduction to Graphic Design. BS(?) in Marketing Management o Not ranked by any major media outlet or reputable online site. o The program focuses mostly on management but does include advertising and promotion management. o No courses specifically in advertising, but a Marketing Communications course crosslisted with a course offered through the Advertising Department. University of California-Berkeley Like NYU, the location and international reputation of UC-Berkeley determines its inclusion in further research. Both the Media Studies and Business Administration programs are highly ranked. However, neither program includes many interactive advertising or digital media courses. There are several courses revolving around information, technology, new media, and social aspects of media. A limited number of graphic and interactive design courses are offered through the Extension division. The business program is incredibly selective and does not allow for minors. This selectivity could make the overlap of marketing with advertising and digital media design problematic. However, there is potential for program development through the Media Studies program. BA in Media Studies o The program ranked 4 th in World and 1 st in US for Communication and Media Studies programs by US News & World Report. o There are no limitations on enrollment once admitted to UC-Berkeley. o This interdisciplinary program has quite a bit of flexibility. However, the program is still based on a liberal arts foundation. This program does not seem to require a minor. UC- Berkley does not offer a business minor. o The majority of courses focus on journalism and media, TV especially. o Course options include Effects of Mass Media, Privacy in the Digital Age, History of Information, Anthropology : Controlling Processes, Social and Cultural Change; Information: Search Engines, Foundations of New Media; Sociology: Society and Technology, Social Change; Business: Marketing, Advertising Strategy, Special Topics Product Branding and Entertainment, Marketing Strategy; Media Studies: Media and Politics, Special Topics (faculty interest course). o Undergraduate program does not have courses specifically in interactive advertising or digital media. BS in Business Administration o Marketing/Advertising program ranked 3 rd by US News and World Report and the Wall Street Journal and 5 th by Campus Explorer. o The Haas School of Business has very selective admissions process (about 12% admitted) and limits enrollment to current UC-Berkeley students and California 8 P a g e L H

9 Community College Transfers. Out of state and non-uc students are unlikely to be accepted. o The general business program incorporates technical and hands on with liberal arts base. General business program that allows for a focus in marketing, but not a specific major. o Possible applicable courses include Information Technology Strategy, Marketing Research: Tools & Technology for Data Collection and Analysis, Advertising Strategy, and potential Special Topics seminars. Courses in Digital Media Design o Graphic and interactive design courses are taught through the Extension division and include graphic design, digital publishing, and website design. Southern Methodist University (Dallas) SMU is noted as a strong liberal arts and research institution, but it is not ranked as highly as other institutions research. With that, SMU is the hub for research in advertising. Steve Edwards (Temerlin Advertising Institute Director) is editor of the Journal of Interactive Advertising (publication of the American Academy of Advertising). The undergraduate programs offer two tracks media emphasis and creative emphasis. The graphic design minor is also housed in the Advertising department. The potential for the program and inclusion of both creative and interactive advertising coursework deem SMU a necessary inclusion in Tier One recommended programs. BA in Advertising Media Emphasis o The general advertising degree allows for an emphasis in media studies. This emphasis claims it prepares students for careers in interactive media. o Courses include Interactive Advertising, Interactive Advertising Design, Contemporary Advertising Issues, and Creative Production for Noncreative Track. o The creative program that prepares students for art direction or copywriting and incorporates digital media design courses. BBA in Business Administration-Marketing o Undergraduate marketing program ranked 23 rd by Business Week. o The business degree has a strong core of 11 general business courses similar to other business programs. o Beyond the business core and four marketing core courses, there are only eight advanced electives that a major might choose. o The only marketing elective that could align with interactive advertising is Integrated Communication Advertising Management. Unranked programs with emphasis in Digital Media/Interactive Advertising Michigan State University o BA in Advertising Management and Media Course in Interactive Advertising Management which includes the Theory and practice of interactive advertising, e-commerce, Internet advertising, online 9 P a g e L H

10 sales promotion, online public relations, virtual communities, and Internet research. University of Washington o Master of Communication in Digital Media (140 majors, grads/yr). o Courses in Social media analytics, Future of Marketing, Marketing Policy University of Michigan-Dearborn o BBA in Digital Marketing marketing meets the internet and other forms of new media. o Courses in social network marketing, search engine optimization, open source innovation, viral marketing, web analytics, reputation managements. o Double major with Information Technology Management encouraged. Next Steps Further research is needed to determine enrollment and graduation rates for selected programs to determine productivity and workforce needs. Contact was made with most of the directors of programs selected. Questions about enrollment, graduation rates, internship opportunities, and future plans were asked. However, due to summer commitments, few have responded. Therefore, data that might assist in determining workforce needs is not included. If IAB decides to continue with the project and develop a relationship with one or two programs, further research will be needed. The workforce needs of IAB members must be determined and if current programs meet needs. This can be done through IAB member survey, and research into professional association data, and state and federal statistical data. Finally, once the needs of IAB members are solidified, contact should be made with program directors to determine plans for their program, accreditation requirements, faculty credentials, and possible partnership with IAB to expand the current program. 10 P a g e L H