INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COURSE SYLLABUS Course Title: Integrated Marketing Communications (Online) Quarter: Summer 2010 Dates: July 1 September 16, 2010 Instructor: David G. Mahal dgmahal@ucla.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION This course focuses on the latest marketing communication practices, known as integrated marketing communications (IMC), featuring an overview of the major media, including broadcast, print, outdoor, point of purchase, direct mail, Internet, telemarketing, public relations, promotion, and more. The emphasis is on how to analyze and create an IMC program by using the latest value-based marketing concepts and measuring "return on communications investment." Through individual analysis and discussion of case studies, students learn how to apply core marketing principles by using the latest IMC methods and communications tools. 1
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES To develop a clear understanding of integrated marketing communications (IMC) practices. To understand how key elements within the marketing communications mix (e.g., advertising, promotion, direct marketing and the Internet) are integrated. 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., direct mail), and interactive media (e.g., the Internet) are used in IMC. To know how to measure the effectiveness of IMC programs. To translate theory into practice by analyzing a number of pragmatic examples and case studies of real-world experiences. To shift the perceptual focus of class participants from an audience (as when watching television commercials or reading magazines) to creators of IMC strategies for businesses. 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 the document Participation Requirements under the Course Syllabus tab. 2
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: 40% -- Class Participation and Weekly Assignments 30% -- Mid-term Exam 30% -- Final Exam Grading Scale: A 90 to 100 B 80 to 89 C 70 to 79 D 60 to 69 F 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 student s 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. 3
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 4
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. CLASS WEEK AND DUE DATES Please see the Calendar for class weeks under the Course Syllabus tab. 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 is considered late after the due date. You do lose grade points for late work. WRITTEN WORK 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. 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 seventeen chapters in the textbook, and analyze six case studies during this quarter. 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. 5
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 Benetton s shock advertising campaign. For what type of companies might this type of advertising be effective? Do you agree with Benetton s 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. 6
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 Gateway s frequent agency switching has affected the company s 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 4-11 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. 7
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 IBM s 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. 8
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 (MIDTERM EXAMINATION THIS WEEK) 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. 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. Assignment 7.2 Read Chapter 14 ( Direct Marketing ). Research the Internet 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. 9
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 Research the Internet and post a note about how adwords and search engine optimization (SEO) are used. WEEK 9 Assignment 9.1 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. Assignment 9.2 Describe how companies measure the effectiveness of the Internet. 10
WEEK 10 Assignment 10.1 Read Chapter 20 ( International Advertising and Promotion ), and discuss the cultural variables that marketers must consider in developing advertising and promotional programs in a foreign market. Choose one of these cultural variables and discuss how it has created a problem or challenge for a company in developing an advertising and promotional program in a specific country. Assignment 10.2 Global Perspective 20-1 discusses how multinational companies are expanding into China. What challenges do marketers and advertising agencies face in developing IMC programs for the Chinese market? WEEK 11 (FINAL EXAMINATION THIS WEEK) Assignment 11.1 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? WEEK 12 Conclusion Post your concluding comments and goodbyes in this forum. David G. Mahal UCLA Extension 11