The purpose of this course and learning objectives:
Consumer adaptation of new communication applications and technologies (social websites, blogging, social bookmarking, micro-blogging, consumer-generated-content development) is changing the advertising landscape. These consumer driven changes are creating new challenges for marketers who have always operated in a mass-media messaging environment where the message was controlled by the advertiser. No longer are marketers living in a world where they alone control the message of their brand. Mass-media communication is becoming less and less effective. Consumers have been empowered by the internet to become spokespeople for or against any brand or product they feel passionate (or dispassionate) towards. At the core of this class is a focus on applying strategic and creative thinking to creating marketing messages in the digital space. Students will review current research on consumer perception of advertising in the digital space and explore case studies from companies making headway in online communication. This course will lead students in developing a fundamental understanding of how consumers use the digital space to enhance their lives, work and relationships. Students will learn to create marketing strategy for the digital space. This course will also introduce students to the concepts of website creation and copywriting best practices, web user experience, website analytics, online advertising campaigns, social media and search engine optimization.
Required Texts:
- Weinberg, (2009) The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web. O'Reilly
- Vollmer, (2008) Always On: Advertising, Marketing and Media in an Era of Consumer Control. McGraw Hill
Required Readings and Class Source Material will include readings from the following texts:
- Garfield, (2009) The Chaos Scenario: Amid the Ruins of Mass Media, The Choice for Business is Stark: Listen or Perish. Silestra Publishing
- Plummer, Rappaport, Hall, Barocci, (2007) The Online Advertising Playbook: Proven Strategies and Tested Tactics from the Advertising Research Foundation, Wiley & Sons.
- Miller, Brian (2011) Above The Fold: Understanding the Principles of Successful Web Site Design, How Books.
- Professional Industry Resources/Academic Journals:
Considered go-to resources for professional media practitioners, the following resources will be utilized for current, up-to-the moment media industry insights.
· eMarketer (http://www.emarketer.com/)
· iMediaConnection (http://www.imediaconnection.com/)
· Advertising Age (http://www.adage.com/)
· Journal of Interactive Advertising (http://www.jiad.org/)
· Internet Advertising Bureau (http://www.iab.net/)
· Pew Internet and American Life Project (http://www.pewinternet.org/)
